What Are "VOC's"?

As more states enact stricter air quality regulations, the term “VOC” is becoming a greater part of our everyday vocabulary. But what exactly is a “VOC”?

VOC is an acronym for Volatile Organic Compound. That’s a mouthful, but what does it mean? VOC’s are carbon based (organic) solvents that evaporate (volatilize) under normal atmospheric conditions and have the ability to photo-react when exposed to sunlight. This reaction creates low-level ozone, a major component of smog.

Smog is associated with causing asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema. Smog poses a health threat to the young, elderly, and those suffering from cardiovascular disease. And as anyone who has flown into some major metropolitan cities (like Los Angeles) can attest, smog is a real problem for everyday citizens. As a result, many states have enacted strict VOC regulations, limiting the level of photo-reactive solvents manufacturers can use in coatings.

These states have also published a list of VOC “exempt” solvents that have limited photo-reactivity, and do not contribute to smog formation. Unfortunately, VOC exempt solvents are not as user friendly, are associated with conditions such as fast evaporation and bubble formation, and increased product costs. Every coating manufacturer is limited to the same exempt solvents. If it doesn’t appear on the list, it isn’t VOC exempt.

VOC’s are measured in grams per liter (g/L), and the Federal limit for cure & seals is 700 g/L. Various states and groups of states, including California, the Ozone Transport Committee (OTC) states, the Lake Michigan Air Directors Consortium (LADCO) states, and Canada have enacted more restrictive VOC limits of 350 g/L for cure & seals (400 g/L for sealers). These limitations impact all paints and coatings, not just cures & sealers.

Examples of both Federal and “low” VOC limits for some common products include:

VOC Limit	Cure & Seal	Film Forming Sealer	Penetrating Waterproofer	Form Release
Federal	700 g/L	700 g/L	600 g/L	450 g/L
“Low-VOC”	350 g/L	400 g/L	250 g/L	250 g/L

The listing of states which adhere to the higher Federal allowances includes:

Alabama	Alaska	Arkansas	Colorado	Florida	Georgia
Hawaii	Idaho	Iowa	Kansas	Kentucky	Louisiana
Michigan	Minnesota	Mississippi	Missouri	Montana	Nebraska
Nevada	New Mexico	North Carolina	North Dakota	Oklahoma	Oregon
South Carolina	South Dakota	Tennessee	Texas	Utah	Vermont
Washington	West Virginia	Wisconsin	Wyoming

And states with the more restrictive VOC limitations are:

Maricopa County (AZ)	California (various air districts)	Connecticut	Delaware
District of Columbia	Illinois	Indiana	Maine
Maryland	Massachusetts	New Hampshire	New Jersey
New York	Ohio	Pennsylvania	Rhode Island
Virginia (specific counties)	Canada

The fines and criminal penalties for use of non-compliant products are substantial, so it’s imperative that you know what products can and can’t be used in your state.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing any solvent-based product:

1. Make certain the product you intend to use is VOC compliant within the state it’s intended to be used. This is particularly important if you’re traveling to a remote jobsite in a state whose VOC laws you may not know.
2. Low VOC coatings often require different application techniques.

Call or write the ChemMasters’ technical department for a complete list of VOC limitations in your state, or if you have any questions about which ChemMasters product is compliant.

ChemMasters Low-VOC Solvent-Based Workhorses: