What is VOC? Volatile Organic Compounds Safety

Have you recently purchased furniture, remodeled a room, or done some major spring cleaning, only to find yourself or a family member feeling mysteriously ill?

A possible explanation may lie in your indoor air quality. Many products can adversely impact that quality through certain compounds called VOCs.

In this article, you will learn about:

• VOCs
• Their potential short and long-term side effects on health
• Where they can be found
• Ways to minimize them in your home

Table of Content

• What are VOCs?
• VOC Exposure and Health 
• How Do VOCs Get Into the Home?
• Measuring VOC Levels In The Home
• How To Reduce VOC Exposure 
• What Is Low or No VOC Paint?
• Final Thoughts

What Are VOCs?

So what does “VOC” stand for? VOCs, or Volatile Organic Compounds, are chemical substances found in many cleaning, industrial, construction, painting, and even personal care products.

This broad category includes more than 10,000 chemical compounds, consistently found in much higher concentrations indoors than outdoors (estimates range from 2-5 times up to as much as 10 times higher indoors). 

Don’t be confused by the word “organic”.

Most people equate “organic” with healthy, but VOCs can induce a wide range of negative health effects.

These effects can vary in type and intensity, based on chemical makeup, concentration, exposure length, and any existing sensitivities or allergies that may be present. These adverse effects are discussed more below.

What is off-gassing?

VOCs are emitted from common household products. They evaporate at room temperature into the air as gases in a process known as “off-gassing” (or sometimes as “outgassing” when in laboratory or industrial settings).

Off-gassing happens because chemicals in solid or liquid form become trapped as products are manufactured, then are eventually released into the air as VOCs. This causes that noticeable scent when certain products are first opened and need to be aired out. Many household goods can be sources of off-gassing—from paint, furniture, carpeting, and mattresses to air fresheners and perfumes. 

While often identifiable by smell (paint fumes, a new carpet or mattress smells, etc.), VOCs can and often do linger long after any noticeable smells dissipate.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finds that “while people are using products containing organic chemicals, they can expose themselves and others to very high pollutant levels, and elevated concentrations can persist in the air long after the activity is completed”.

Many of these compounds may have no smell at all, especially if present in small enough quantities. 

Common VOCs in Your Home

Common household VOCs include:

• acetone
• arsine
• benzene
• ethylene glycol
• formaldehyde
• hydrogen sulfide
• methylene chloride
• nitric oxide
• styrene
• tetrachloroethylene
• toluene
• xylene

An extensive list of chemicals found in household products can be found in the Department of Health and Human Services database.

VOC Exposure and Health 

The health effects of VOC exposure, particularly through inhalation or touch, are still being researched.

Each of these thousands of chemical compounds has their own chemical composition, toxicity, and potential health risks. Some are known to be highly toxic (such as formaldehyde), while others may have no known impact at all. 

As with any pollutant, health effects are closely related to exposure time and concentration of the exposure. Risks from breathing in VOCs, for example, can depend on how much and how long and how often they are inhaled.

Pre-existing conditions matter too.

People with asthma may find their condition aggravated, as well as those with chemical sensitivities. 

What is clear is that many VOCs can cause allergic and inflammatory reactions, both short and long term. According to a Minnesota Department of Health study, there can be undesirable effects of exposure to HIGH levels of VOCs, in both the short term and long term.

The EPA also corroborates these assessments.

Specific symptoms often associated with VOC exposure can include:

• Eye irritation
• Nose and throat discomfort
• Headaches
• Allergic skin reaction
• Difficulty breathing
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Visual disorders
• Memory impairment

Some of these symptoms may present immediately upon exposure while others may emerge only after the toxicity has built up either over time or in more concentrated amounts. 

How Do VOCs Get Into the Home?

Tens of thousands of chemicals have been integrated into manufacturing in the past decades. Since VOCs get trapped into products in those processes, they now can be found almost everywhere to varying degrees (and remember, also with varying levels of toxicity). 

Main sources of VOCs can include building materials, furnishings, household and personal care products, office equipment, and smoking.

Common VOC sources to consider:

• Furniture
• Binding agents (like glues and adhesives) in composite wood products such as particleboard, MDF (medium-density fiberboard), and plywood
• Curtains and upholstery
• Carpets and vinyl flooring
• Mattresses
• Adhesives and foams
• Paints and paint strippers
• Lacquers and varnishes 
• Wood preservatives 
• Household cleaners and disinfectants
• Pesticides
• Office equipment such as copiers, printers, correction fluids, carbonless copy paper, and inks
• Hobby, graphics, and craft materials including glues and adhesives, permanent markers, and photographic solutions
• Aerosol sprays
• Air fresheners
• Dryer sheets
• Dry-cleaned clothing
• Stored fuel, oil, and degreasers
• Nail polish remover (acetone)
• Some cosmetics and perfumes
• Cigarettes and cigar smoke
• Plastics and vinyl materials
• Even cars—which also have upholstery, glues, adhesives, foams, carpets, plastic, etc. 

Products can emit VOCs while in storage as well as while being used, so storing products safely to avoid immediate exposure or cross-contamination is important. 

Consumer Product Info Database

The Consumer Product Information Database is an excellent database for more specific information. Designed to educate consumers about chemical ingredients of household products, this database is currently supported by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Public Health Service, Department of Health & Human Services.

Linking more than 23,000 consumer brands to health effects and chemical composition, the CPID allows the consumer to search Products, Manufacturers, Chemicals, Product Categories, and Product Types by brand, product type, ingredient, manufacture, health effects, and suggested first aid. 

Additional information on toxic substances and their health hazards can be found at the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), which is a federal public health agency of the US Department of Health and Human Services.

Individuals may also find the Toxicant and Disease Database of the Collaborative on Health and the Environment to be a useful source of information. 

Measuring VOC Levels In The Home

TVOC (Total Volatile Organic Compounds) is a common term used when looking at measuring and reducing VOCs. Different organizations use different standards, so a “safe level” is difficult to determine.

What is a low VOC level?

But according to one commonly used guideline, if measuring in milligrams per cubic meter of air (mg/m3), here’s how much VOCs would be worthy of concern:

Measuring a home’s TVOC is notoriously problematic for a few reasons. Handheld consumer devices are notoriously inaccurate, so more expensive professional or laboratory services are the more reliable option.

And even professionally, according to the Indoor Air Quality Science arm of Berkeley Labs.

1. Different measurement methods yield different results.
2. Different VOCs will be present in different concentrations, so the overall TVOC level is not really representative of total toxicity.

No federal or state standards for VOC levels in non-industrial settings currently exist.

So a more realistic method of health protection for the average concerned consumer would be to take inventory, read labels, and reduce exposure as much as possible. 

How To Reduce VOC Exposure 

The best approach to protecting against harmful VOC impact is to prevent, reduce, or accelerate the off-gassing process. Ideally, look for and use products with low or no VOCs in the first place. However, this is not always a feasible or even available option.

When finding it impossible to avoid or even determine VOC exposure, check out these ideas to help with protecting your home:

• Paint – Look for low or no VOC paint options (more this below).
• Furniture – Try to get solid wood items with low emitting finishes rather items made of fiberboard, MDF, or other composite wood.
• Look for floor models that have already been off-gassing in the store, or get creative with decorating and buy vintage/used, since the off-gassing process will already have happened.
• Increase ventilation when painting, cleaning, or even in general by opening doors and windows and turning on fans.
• Use an air purifier.
• Only buy what you need so that you don’t have to store excess cleaning products or paints. Keep anything you need to keep outside the house, or dispose of it in the city’s hazardous waste collection sites (please don’t just throw in trash or pour down drain!)
• Unwrap new home goods (furniture, mattresses, carpets, rugs, etc.—especially any that will be used in child’s room, as children are especially susceptible to VOCs) either outdoors or at least in a well-ventilated place and allow them to air out there. 
• Use cleaning alternatives like baking soda and white vinegar to replace toxic cleaning supplies.
• Try natural cleaners such as Seventh Generation, Mrs. Meyers, or those available through online markets like Thrive or Grove Collaborative.
• Avoid air fresheners and use natural potpourri or essential oils instead. (Here is a useful article on steps to take for eliminating odors https://molekule.science/how-to-make-your-room-smell-fresh-in-10-easy-steps/)
• Keep temperatures and humidity lower when possible, as VOC off-gassing happens more in high temperatures and humidity, so
• Do improvements and renovations when no one is home and/or during times of year the ventilation can be maximized. 
• Check for third-party certifications from groups like GREENGUARD, Scientific Certification Systems (SCS), and SGS Group, all of which designate low to non-toxic products.
• Don’t smoke inside the home. Or at all. Or expose yourself to second-hand smoke.

What Is Low or No VOC Paint?

Because paint is such a common source of household VOC, it deserves a special mention. VOCs evaporate off of wet paint, which is what makes it dry on the wall.

It can continue off-gassing for an extended period of time, resulting in VOC-heavy indoor air and the symptoms mentioned earlier.

Many paints in the past included lead (a known carcinogen and hazard to the central nervous system), which thankfully was banned federally in 1978. But solvent-based paints still contain many VOC sources, such as benzene, methylene chloride, and even formaldehyde.

Paint contains pigment, binders, solvent, and sometimes additives, and VOCs can be emitted from all these elements. 

As more consumers become concerned about indoor air quality, the interest in safer paint alternatives has increased. Low VOC paints have decreased the quantity of VOC-emitting chemicals, so that they off-gas much less than traditional paints.

Zero VOC Paints

Zero VOC/No VOC paints contain (almost) no volatile organic compounds. These are considered safer to use indoors due to the lack of off-gassing. They may still contain irritating chemicals however. 

It is important to note that currently, there is no official standard for “low” or even no VOC levels. It simply means “lower in comparison” so the amount can vary.

However, according to Greenguard, a generally accepted guideline is:

Initially, these low and no VOC paints were less colorful and lasted a shorter amount of time (some even had odor issues!).

Advances in formulations have increased the quality of many no and low VOC paints to be comparable to regular solvent-based paint. Manufacturers may have chosen to eliminate toxic VOCs completely or replace them with more earth-friendly alternatives like plant oils.

Now, you have healthier options that will dry quickly with good coverage and durable finish—and as an extra plus, with little to no smell. 

Prices for low and no VOC paints have decreased as the quality has increased and manufacturers have responded to the demand for safer paints. So even if on a budget, when preparing for your next home improvement project:

• Look for paint labelled as “natural”, “non-toxic”, “low VOC” or better yet “Zero VOC”  paint
• Make sure it doesn’t contain extra additives or solvents
• Remember, the least toxic paint should contain 5g/L or less of VOCs
• Ask for samples. Many retailers will also provide low and no VOC paint samples to allow you to test them out in your home. 

Common low or zero VOC paint brands include Sherwin-Williams, Benjamin Moore, Old Fashioned Milk Paint, Valspar, Dunn Edwards, and ECOS. 

If you need extra help, look for the Green Seal Certification which has partnered with Amazon’s Climate Pledge Friendly Program. 

Another source is the Asthma and Allergy Friendly Certification in association with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America and Asthma Canada. 

Final Thoughts

VOCs can be hazardous to your health. Common household products, supplies, and furnishings “off gas” these chemicals which can range in toxicity levels from none/unknown all the way to carcinogenic.

But don’t panic.

You have alternatives, and by taking some precautions, reading labels, checking the science, and asking your retailers for low or non-toxic options, you can greatly reduce your exposure, protect your health, and still keep your home clean and beautiful.