Low VOC Paarhammer Windows for Health

Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOCs, contribute negatively to air pollution (e.g. smog), and forms ground level ozone which can irritate the eyes and lungs, and can result in breathing problems. Ozone can also harm vegetation, crops and trees. VOCs contribute negatively to indoor air quality through emissions, during and after curing, and as a result impacts on individual health and wellbeing.

Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) looks at reducing the amount of volatile organic compounds released into the internal atmosphere by building materials, typically through solvents, paints and adhesives. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short or long term adverse health effects.

A paper by the CSIRO states that the levels for VOCs range from very low, at smaller than 5gm/L, to very high, with larger than 250gm/L. Solvent based products are much higher in VOCs than water based products.

Studies by the EPA indicate 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. Long-term exposure to volatile organic compounds can cause damage to the liver, kidneys, and central nervous system. Short-term exposure to volatile organic compounds can cause eye and respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders, fatigue, loss of co-ordination, allergic skin reactions, nausea, and memory impairment.