One of the easiest environmentally-friendly choices you can make is to choose water-based paints rather than solvent-based paints. This will ensure you are minimising the solvent emissions from your decorating project, helping protect the quality of the air that you breathe, and reducing your carbon footprint.
Solvent-based paints were traditionally used on wood and metal. Typically, these types of paints provide a gloss finish but have long drying times and a strong odour. This smell is caused by the evaporation of the solvent or ‘VOC’ as it’s often referred to, into the atmosphere.
Water-based paints have improved dramatically in recent years and now offer a high-performance alternative to ‘traditional’ solvent-based paint. Water-based paints contain low levels of ‘VOC’, which means faster drying, less smell and much easier cleaning up! Brushes can be cleaned with soapy water rather than white spirit or solvent cleaners – further reducing the impact on the environment.
Most Dulux products and finishes are now water-based and we are actively working to reduce our VOC (solvent) levels in our solvent-based products
