How to Choose a Safe Cat

KOMPAS.com - Because there is no official label of the paint that is environmentally friendly and safe, we as consumers must be smart in choosing the paint. What is an eco-friendly paint? Many people interpret the term narrowly. Actually the term "environmentally friendly" in the paint not only refer to the paint products themselves.

"The issue refers to the eco-friendly process from when the material is in the manufacturing process until the end," said Wijoyo Hendromartono, architect. Paint can be said when making environmentally friendly paint, paint products themselves, until the processing of waste actually environmentally friendly.

According Wijoyo, if hazardous materials are used I have found no place, still acceptable, provided that the condition is well managed waste. To paint their own products, so far in Indonesia, yet there are really free VOC (zero VOC).

So a consumer can do is to choose a paint with low VOC content. To determine the VOC content can one see the kind of diluent used a paint (although this is not an absolute one).
Based on thinner materials, paint divided into two types, namely solvent-based thinners for use as a diluent and water-based (using water). Formerly, most of the paint on the market are solvent-based paints. This applies to paint the walls and paint the wood and iron. Over time, paint the walls began to lead to a water-based is considered more secure.

Wood and metal paint follow later, although not as much paint the walls. Supposedly, water-based paints have low VOC content, but in reality is not always the case. Why?

The base material Containing Solvent
Solvent (in category of VOC) in paints used during manufacture and during use of paint. At the time of manufacture of paint, solvent mixture serves to make the right viscosity for processing.

While at the time of use, by mixing solvent into the paint will make it easy on the paint brush or sprayed on a surface to be painted.

Paint is called water-based paint that uses water as the diluent. But this does not refer to the making of the paint if using a solvent or not. So could water-based paints still contain solvents, because the paint using materials containing solvents during manufacture at the factory.

Unfortunately, there is no sure way to know whether a
water-based paints contain solvents or not when we want to buy
a cat. We can only know after the paint was applied to the wall.

When the paint smell out the sting, meaning it contains VOC paint with a high enough level. If there was no smell but not too stinging, which means that the paint contains a solvent, but not too high. Cat who really should not contain solvents are not completely remove the smell.
Manufacturer Cat logo launch
Even in Indonesia there has been no official ban on the use of hazardous materials, the producers had to reduce these substances in the paint content. Generally, materials that have been avoided is lead and mercury. ICI, Pacific Paint, Propan, Jotun, Mowilex, is a leading paint brands in Indonesia, which put the logo indicating that lead-free products clan mercury.

For the latest products which claimed to be environmentally friendly, Jotun took New Majestic Family (clan consists Optima Majestic, Majestic Matt, Silk and Pearl Majestic) which does not contain lead mercury clan, and easy to clean. ICI Dulux Easy Clean out that are free
lead and mercury, and easy to clean. While Propan Decorsafe issued at the time of manufacture is using materials low VOC. Outside of these brands, there are dozens of other brands which also claims its products free of lead and mercury.

Because the label is issued by the producers themselves, consumers should carefully in choosing the paint. If there is a very simple paint was applied, the result is flat, bright colors, but it's cheap, maybe you need to suspect. Because according Shinta, the implications of the absence of additional mercury clan is lead to higher costs.

Paint brands renowned usually more responsible in providing claims. In addition, most of the leading manufacturers from America or Europe, have followed the standards of their home countries, which had imposed an official certification. (Tabloid House / Made Mardiani Kardha)