Interior painting is one of the highest risk factors for exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOC). The United States Environmental Protection Agency has found that indoor VOC levels are 10 times greater than outdoor levels, and immediately after paint is applied, VOC levels may be 1,000 times higher. Unfortunately, VOCs are also released long after the paint is dry, leaving inhabitants still at risk for health problems such as eye and breathing irritation, headaches and nausea. Long-term exposure has been linked to cancer, as well as kidney and liver damage. Paints typically come in two types. Oil-based paints usually have a high level of VOCs, while water-based paints are lower in VOC content.
Read the entire article here: Low-VOC Paints Make a Difference in the Air you Breathe at Home