what even are vocs?!
I’m sure you have heard the term VOCs. Maybe you have even heard someone sprouting off that they used low VOC paint in their recent home makeover. You possibly even wondered why that mattered and considered that they were just throwing acronyms at you to inflate their importance.
The message though is that VOCs do matter and they are a type of air pollution. Their full name is Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). They are the chemical gasses that are produced by a synthetic product or material. These gasses are then released from the product/material during its life. And guess who inhales/ingests/absorbs them?
Yup!
Us.
And the environment.
There are 93 priority VOCs monitored within industry facilities by the National Pollutant Inventory in Australia.
The products you would typically find VOCs emitted from around the home include:
~ Paint, varnishes, waxes; painted surfaces and paint products like thinners and varnishes
~ Fabrics & foams
~ Solvents
~ Adhesives/glues/resins
~ Carpets
~ Cooking with natural gas
~ Printed paper and material
~ Household cleaners and disinfectants
~ Fibreboard products
~ Cosmetics
~ Plastic products
~ Methylated spirits
~ Fuels
~ Candles & synthetic fragrances
~ Hobby products
~ Pesticides
~ Degreasing products
~ Dry-cleaned clothing
Human exposure to VOCs can cause:
~ irritation to the eyes, nose and throat
~ asthma
~ headaches
~ allergies
~ loss of coordination
~ nausea
~ Some VOCs are suspected, or are known, carcinogens and at high exposure levels can cause cancer, damage the liver, kidneys and central nervous system (including the brain) of humans
Indoor and outdoor environmental exposure to VOCs can result in:
~ 'Sick building’ and ‘Sick home’ syndrome. This is a condition where ‘people develop symptoms of illness or become infected with chronic disease from the building in which they work or reside’ (Wikipedia, 2024)
~ Large quantities outside the home can contribute to photochemical smog
~ Polluted waterways
So how do we manage our exposure to VOCs during a home makeover?
~ Choose natural, unprocessed materials.
~ Choose products and materials that have low, or no, VOCs where possible (if you don’t know how to look for, or want support with sourcing, low/no VOCs products and materials, I can help you! ).
~ Go electric when choosing a new oven or cooktop.
~ Where possible, let new products and materials out-gas before bringing them into your home by leaving them outdoors for or a week, or longer.
~ Keep your home well ventilated.
~ Include indoor plants in your styling (some specific plants are great as natural air filters, and plants in your home help you enjoy life more!).
~ Invest in a good quality, plant-powered air filter.
~ Reduce use of synthetic, man-made products and materials like plastic, manufactured wood, vinyl, polyester and foam.
~ If you are in a climate that requires heating, go electric over gas.
Phew! That seems like a lot doesn’t it?! We bring things into our home without even realising VOCs are a component of our purchase. We might make sure we are purchasing a product or material that meets Australian Standards from a design, functionality and safety perspective, but aren’t typically aware of the the hidden elements that are causing us harm.
Sources:
‘Total Volatile Organic Compounds’, Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, 26 August 2022
‘Indoor plants that will purify the air in your home or office’, Jane Canaway, ABC, 12 April 2019
‘Avoiding common toxins in the home’, My Life Coach - Healthy Home 1, Universal Media Co, 2022.
‘Slow’, Brooke McAlary, Allen & Unwin, 2017.
‘Ninety-Nine Green Ideas’, Felicity Bernstein and Marc Berstein-Hussmann, DHA, 2023.
‘Indoor Air’, Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, update 10 October 2021,
URL: https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/protection/air-quality/indoor-air
‘Sick Building Syndrome’ Wikipedia, updated 20 February 2024,