Are there more environmentally friendly options for painting?
Yes there are. Paint manufacturers are coming out with new paints all the time that are more Eco-friendly. They have paints available with lower or no levels of VOC’s (volatile organic compounds). These are released into the air as paint is drying. Oil paint is much worse than latex paint in this respect. Some people still have the belief that latex paint is not as durable or washable as oil paint. This was the case 20 years ago, but paint technology has greatly improved since that time. Latex products are better when it comes to their ability to shrink, expand and accommodate changes in temperature. They are much less likely to crack or peel. They can have just as durable a finish as oil. There is no doubt that the paint industry will eventually phase out most oil based paint products. The use of oil paints have already been restricted in some areas.
