Peeling Back the Truth On What’s In Conventional Paint

Nothing can transform a room quite like a new coat of paint, but when it comes to choosing one, many people zero in on one factor: color. Not much thought is given to what the paint we use is made from, even though it will surround us every day.

At its most basic level, paint is typically made up of four key components – binders, pigments, solvents and additives. Binders help the paint adhere to a surface and form a film once dry. Pigments provide color and opacity. Solvents keep the paint spreadable and workable during application, while additives are used to alter everything from drying time and texture to mold resistance and shelf life. On paper, this might sound straightforward. In practice, however, these ingredients are often derived from petrochemicals and can carry significant consequences for both indoor air quality and environmental health.

The truth is that most conventional paints are made from non-renewable fossil fuels and contain chemicals that are toxic and deeply harmful to both human health and the wider environment. It's also part of the indoor air ecosystem that directly interacts with light, temperature and humidity, for example. But thanks to a growing number of brands, manufacturers and paint chemists on a mission to transform the industry, healthier and less damaging natural paints are taking an ever-growing market share. Before you refresh your walls, here’s what you need to know.

The Problem With Paint

Modern paints, including those household brands we love, usually contain around 40 percent plastic. Most conventional paint also contains microplastic particles. According to research by E-A Earth Action (formerly Environmental Action), particles of paint abraded from coated surfaces or disposed paint, both interior and from infrastructure such as roads and ships, account for 58 percent of the microplastics that end up in the world’s watercourses and oceans each year.

Responsible for untold ecological damage, microplastics do not biodegrade and can pass through sewage treatment works. They accumulate on land and sea and have even been found in Antarctic snow. There is also increasing evidence that these small particles can circulate throughout our bodies, damaging human tissues and organs.

Thousands of health-compromising chemical compounds – ranging from heavy metals, carcinogens, endocrine disruptors and mutagens, to reproductive toxins – are often used in conventional paint. Many of these chemicals also give off harmful Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) through a process known as off-gassing.

"Thousands of health-compromising chemical compounds – ranging from heavy metals, carcinogens, endocrine disruptors and mutagens, to reproductive toxin – are often used in conventional paint."

These substances can show up across each part of a paint formula. Conventional binders are often acrylic, vinyl or alkyd-based, all of which are typically linked to fossil fuel-derived ingredients. Solvents can release VOCs into the air, while additives may include preservatives, fungicides, plasticizers and stabilizers that help paint perform but can also contribute to its toxic load. Even pigments, particularly in darker shades or more intense colors, may require additional chemical processing or synthetic compounds.

Emma Pugliares, the marketing director at non-toxic paint supplier ECOS, explains that the three most common chemicals found in mainstream paints, which give off harmful VOCs are benzene, toluene and formaldehyde. Interestingly, dark paint colors tend to have a higher concentration of these chemicals than lighter hues. This is because dark colors require more pigment, aka more chemicals.

Extensive studies have been published into the negative effects of some VOCs, with symptoms ranging from headaches and dizziness in the short-term through to an increase in the risk of certain types of cancer when exposed to them long-term. According to The US Environmental Protection Agency, these chemicals can hang around in the air awhile too; it’s not just during the painting process that exposure happens. Indoor vapor emissions from paint can off-gas for up to six months.

What’s the Alternative?

Modern paint manufacturing is deeply carbon intensive and uses an arsenal of chemicals. But here’s the good news – some leaders in the industry have taken notice and companies are beginning to formulate healthier and more environmentally-friendly alternatives. 

US-based company Alkemis champions indoor air quality and environmental wellbeing with its hand-crafted mineral paints. Free from plasticizers, VOCs and synthetic additives, its formulations are 100 percent vapor-permeable, helping to prevent mold while supporting a healthier home. Using sustainable raw materials and clear quartz as a base, each paint is infused with natural pigments and minerals such as hematite and goethite – functional wellness ingredients believed to help neutralize toxins, emit positive ions and reduce stress. The result is a velvet-matte finish that’s as durable as it is beautiful, with a lifecycle far exceeding conventional paint.

Color No. 48 Nothing But Flowers by Alkemis Paint "Paint your walls with rock instead of plastic". Photo courtesy of Joe Kramm

ECOS Paints, manufactured in South Carolina, produces non toxic paints that are water-based and zero VOC. Pugliares says that the brand avoids ingredients associated with the strong fumes of conventional paints. ECOS states that it was the first North American paint manufacturer to achieve the International Living Future Institute's Declare Label and Red List Free designation in 2014, disclosing full ingredients lists and test results for its products. (Here’s an example of what a Declare label looks like.)

Graphenstone is a Spanish paint company whose breathable product range is produced with mineral and lime formulations, enhanced with graphene technology. The brand positions its paints as low VOC and free from microplastics, while maintaining high vapour permeability. Selected products have achieved Cradle to Cradle Gold certification, and some are also certified by the Sensitive Choice program, indicating suitability for people with asthma and allergies. The range includes mineral-based paints in nature-inspired tones.

British paint company Edward Bulmer uses natural (rather than acrylic) binders, which have very low VOC levels, are free from petrochemical solvents, and offer a high degree of breathability. The brand has also worked with German manufacturer AURO, which similarly focuses on plant- and mineral-based formulations. Edward Bulmer publishes detailed lists of the ingredients and mineral pigments used in its products. Some of its paints are also described as compostable under certain conditions.

AURO has been producing paints made from plant and mineral-based ingredients for over 40 years. The company describes its approach as ‘gentle chemistry’, supported by in-house research and development. Notably, AURO publishes detailed information on the raw materials used in its products – a level of transparency that remains uncommon within the paint industry. 

Little Greene is a premium British brand that promotes low VOC formulations in its water-based paints. Ruth Mottershead, the brand’s creative director, says that the brand’s oil-based paints are also developed with environmental considerations in mind, made with plant-based vegetable oils. “We insist on using the finest natural, organic, and safe synthetic pigments, which give superb depth of color, high covering power and the long life expected from modern paints.” The company’s tins are made with over 50 percent recycled steel and are also recyclable.

Graham & Brown, a family-run business founded in England, now produces water-based paints with ultra low VOC levels, reflecting a broader shift toward lower-emission formulations. The brand also states that its paint tins are fully recyclable when cleaned, while its cartons are made from a minimum of 70 percent recycled card and 30 percent sustainably sourced pulp.

Walls painted in Lute by Edward Bulmer. Photo courtesy of Jake Curtis

Choosing Paints for Health and Environment

One way to choose a paint that supports both human and environmental health is to look for products that meet the strict VOC emissions standards of the CDPH Standard Method, or Greenguard Certification, both awarded by UL Solutions. Parsons Healthy Materials Lab also recommends paints that meet the Green Seal-11 (GS-11) standard from 2010 or later, which limits VOC content and restricts other potential hazards. Mineral-based or linseed oil paints are also recommended wherever possible.

It is also worth noting that ‘low VOC’ or ‘zero VOC’ does not necessarily mean non-toxic. These labels generally refer only to the level of volatile compounds released from the base paint itself, not the full formula. Pigments, colorants and additives added later can still introduce problematic substances, and many products still rely on synthetic binders or preservatives. In other words, a paint can be lower in emissions while still being far from truly clean.

While these certifications offer a useful starting point, they don’t tell the whole story. As Edward Bulmer cautions, there is still no requirement for full ingredient transparency across the paint industry, allowing marketing claims to go largely unchecked. He challenges the industry to move away from petrochemical-based ‘plastic paints’ and to publish ingredient lists. “Most brands hide behind their packaging, good business practice, attractive marketing – they don’t tell you the dirty fossil fuel truth about their paint,” he says. “Even ‘carbon neutral’ and ‘climate positive’ paint brands are hiding the full truth behind the green carbon-offset label.”

By seeking out low-VOC, natural or mineral-based paints, you support brands that prioritise health and greater material transparency. It’s a small but meaningful shift that places pressure on the wider industry to do the same.

Choosing a paint is only part of the picture – how it is handled at the end of its life matters too. When paint isn’t disposed of properly, harmful chemicals can enter soil and water. It should never be poured down the drain. Instead, unused paint should be taken to a local hazardous waste facility for safe disposal.

Into the Void (116) mineral paint by Alkemis Paint. Photo courtesy of Alkemis Paint

Feature Image: Rose Uniacke

Photography: Pcess609/Adobe Stock, Alkemis Paint, Rose Uniacke, Joe Kramm, Indiana Petrucci, Mary Wadsworth, Edward Bulmer, Jake Curtis, Graham & Brown, Little Greene