Does latex paint contain natural rubber latex (NRL)?
The National Paint & Coatings Association (NPCA) would like consumers to know that the type of latex found in latex paints is not the same type of latex found in products that trigger latex allergies. The key distinction for latex in paint it is generally synthetic (polymerized from various monomeric materials, principally vinyl acetate and various acrylates) and dispersed in water. By contrast, the latex used in other products is usually naturally derived from rubber tree sap and contains, among others, hydrocarbon polymers and proteins. In particular, the protein component in natural latex is regarded as the likely cause of allergic reactions. Because of these and other differences, consumers need not be concerned about using latex paint and developing the allergic reactions that have been associated with natural latex.
