Health Benefits Of Using Natural Materials And Products.

Summary

We at

feel you should use Natural Paints, Plasters, Insulation and Woodcare products because, set against conventional products...

they minimise the chances of an allergic reaction.
they may reduce the liklihood of asthma in children.
they work together to absorb and reduce toxins given off by more conventional products
they are conducive to a more healthy and pleasant room atmosphere
they're nearly all solvent free
they are less inclined to become statically charged and attract dust

...and they help to create a hygroscopically and thermally regulated environment that, in every respect, is healthier to live in..

There are health risks associated with all decorating and building products, but we can minimise these risks by using materials that derive from the natural world around us and to which we are better adapted to cope, rather than synthetic chemicals and those derived from petro chemicals.

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Paints, woodcare and other complex chemical products

For an overview of the issues relating to different paint types, please visit Greenspec.

All paints, synthetic or natural, comprise three basic components: pigments, a binding agent to hold the pigments in place, and a solvent to dry off, leaving the bound pigments attached to the substrate.

The health risks associated with paint tend to be either risks of allergic reaction or more general risks associated with carcinogenic or irritant materials and chemicals causing dermatological or respiratory problems.

Paints sourced from the petro-chemical industry contain such chemicals as Acrylonitrile, Benzene, Chromates, Glycol Ether and Formaldehyde. And even petrol. And it isn't just when these products are being applied that the risk is incurred, these paints can continue to leach fumes (termed 'outgassing'] into the atmosphere in our homes for many months after they've been applied. [see here]

But Natural Paints, varnishes and other products can also contain naturally occurring chemicals [remember, absolutely everything that exists, including us, is made of 'chemicals', ie elements or compounds] such as those that occur in citrus fruits or pine trees which can have health implications, particularly the solvents. On the other hand, these solvents are natural and are present in minimal quantities. Most of the Auro, Aglaia and Beeck ranges of paints sold here are actually free of solvents altogether.

But lets make one thing quite clear. It is very difficult to formulate a paint, certainly one that performs to modern requirements, that does not represent some sort of health hazard to someone. This isn't exclusive to paint...if you eat butter - organic or otherwise - you're pushing up your cholesterol levels...carpets contain mites which contribute to asthma. They also emit VOCs in considerable volume, as do PVC window frames. Coffee contains caffeine, soft drinks contain preservatives...if you walk outside your house, you're breathing carbon monoxide, particulates and other unpleasant things from vehicle exhausts. We don't claim here that Natural Paints and products are some sort of panacea to combat all health risks in the home. Nor do we guarantee that they will absolutely preclude the likelihood of allergic reactions or other effects.

But we do claim that the risks of these things happening are greatly reduced by using Natural Paints. See here for more.

A propensity for allergic reactions in an individual is often a problem with its own causes and characteristics unique to that individual. Sometimes it's not even the substance that may be causing an irritation that is the actual allergy-inducer. So there isn't a universal remedy for the allergy sufferer. Individual treatment under expert medical supervision is most important thing.

Cosmetics, washing aids, foods and even metals can spark allergic reactions in people. So can things in the natural world. Some poor souls, for example, are allergic to light! The products for sale on this site use, as far as possible, materials and substances drawn from the natural world around us with which our bodies are supposed to be able to cope easily. Unlike conventional materials which use synthesised, artifical compounds and materials derived from petro chemicals.

One of the causes of allergic reactions are called Volatile Organic Compounds [VOCs]. Click here for an information sheet on solvents, the main emitters of VOCs. There are bad and benign VOCs but the baddies tend to be those that are given off by petro chemicals... there are natural VOCs as well, some of which are risk factors including toluene, that are all around us in the natural environment. Would you object to your child smelling an orange? Probably not. Well, they'd be sniffing VOCs! [Orange oil is one of the natural solvents sometimes used in our paints and some people do react to them, but at least you know they're there!] But our bodies are designed to co-exist with such things. If the industrial world vanished overnight and we all suddenly returned to the jungle, we would still be surrounded by such natural VOCs emanating from the vegetation around us. They are a hazard that we're meant to live with. But would you let your child sniff the fumes from the petrol tank in your car? No you wouldn't. We're not 'designed' to cope with benzene and other emissions that come from petro chemicals and yet petrol is often a major constituent of conventional paints.

Another example is a constituent of acrylic emulsion called Acrylic Acid. This is a strong irritant to skin, eyes, lungs and membranes and these affects are caused by both physical contact with the paint and inhalation of fumes. [See here - US Environment Protection Agency]

An important aspect of dealing with allergies is knowing what it is that could be causing the reaction. All of the ingredients of the Natural Paints and other Woodcare products like varnishes and strippers sold on this site for example, are fully declared. Whilst the risk of a reaction is minimised, if one does occur, at least you stand a chance of identifying the cause. Would you know what it is in standard vinyl emulsion that's causing the problem?

In summary then, its not clear what causes an allergy to appear but, in the interests of minimising risk, the use of natural paints, varnishes and insulation are at least exposing people to substances that the human race has evolved to live with rather than an entirely new set of potential irritants that we're not supposed to encounter. These can include:

vinyl chloride, ethene, ethine, benzene, acrylonitrile, phosgene, hydrocyanic acid, petrol, toluene, zinc chromate, aniline, acrylates, triethylamine, dichlorofluanide, xylene, styrene, glycol ether and butyl glycol.

Conventional paints, varnishes and many insulation products, which most people happily buy from their local retail outlets, are a cancer risk. Did you know, for example, that the World Health Organisation (WHO) classifies Painting and Decorating as a 'hazardous occupation' because decorators stand a 40% greater chance of contracting cancer than the average worker? Primarily down to the chemicals present in those mainstream products that most people happily buy and use to create their homes whilst being very careful not to be smokers! Suspected carcinogenic ingredients in conventional paint include Acrylonitrile, Benzene, Chromates, Glyco Ether and Formaldehyde.

Lining a room with what is in effect a latex or 'plastic' bag, inhibiting the ability of walls to breathe or to pass moisture, encourages the presence of mites as they are dependent upon given levels of warmth and moisture to breed and live. Natural paints don't allow this as they allow the walls to regulate humidity.

There has also been a link identified between childhood Asthma and paint. See this paper published in the British Medical Journal.

There are other health issues include respiratory and dermatological problems. Whilst it isn't possible to preclude the possibility of any of these occurring through the use of any product as chemically complex as paint, natural or synthetic, the use of natural paints will significantly reduce the risks.

Insulation and plasters

The following information is taken from Greenspec.

The health issues associated with the use of insulation are limited. They mainly include a liklihood of resiratory or dermatological irritation when installing but there are other issues. There are four types of insulation material: those derived from plant or animal materials, those derived from naturally occurring minerals, manufactured 'radiant barriers' and those derived from fosillised vegetation ie petro chemicals.

The first group includes the sheeps wool, the hemp and the cellulose based insulation available on this site. Sheeps wool is obviously entirely benign. We wear it in our clothes. There are chemical additives in cellulose insulation and residual chemicals from printing ink but these represent little or no risk during installation and minimal risk thereafter.

A significant health benefit of sheeps wool insulation [Thermofleece on this site] is its propensity for absorbing formaldehyde offgasses from structural timber and other sources.

There's no evidence that wool can cause allergic reactions. ANyone who is sensitive may be affected by prologed contact with Thermafleece though. The hunan body has encountered sheeps wool for 10000 years and should be regarded as the most natural form of insulation. Broadly, the same applies to Flax.

There are additives in these insulations to ensure fire retardence and resistance to pests but these also are natural, such as borax, a harmless mineral.

Best to follow the link above [new window] to find out more about other insulation products.

Modern plaster is usually made from gypsum which is pretty benign in terms of health implications [although not environmental or building implications]. However, gypsum plasters need to be sealed prior to painting. Moisture can spell disaster for gypsum as it's made from a variety of salts, including Calcium Sulphate, which can have dire consequences for the plaster if it gets wet. If the plaster is sealed, it won't allow a wall to breathe which can result in damp, with its concomitant health implications.

The primers sold on this site however protect the plaster whilst allowing to continue breathing, thereby enabling the full breathable characteristics of our paints. Furthermore, the plasters sold on this site naturally absorb airborne pollutants such as offgasses from paint and formaldehyde that is present in construction timber.

See also Green Consumer Guide

The Natural Choice when Decorating - www.NaturalDeco.co.uk - Eco Friendly Organic and Natural Decorating

Choose Natural Deco for your trusted supplier of Eco Friendly Organic Natural Paints and many other Natural Decorating products .... including eco friendly organic natural plasters, eco friendly organic natural primers and emulsions, eco friendly organic natural glazes and waxes, eco friendly natural varnishes and oils. Plus eco friendly organic natural insulation ... sheep wool insulation, hemp and cotton insulation.

Health Benefits of using Natural Materials and Products.