VOC Emissions in Varnishes: What Does the Regulation Say?

Volatile Organic Compounds or VOCs are a set of organic substances that tend to evaporate at room temperature. They are released from various sources, including the combustion of gasoline, wood, coal, or natural gas, animal metabolism, plant emissions, vulcanism, and also from solvents, paints, and varnishes, among other products.

These volatile organic compounds are pollutants and, in certain quantities, can be harmful to health, so various organizations have taken steps to legislate on this matter.

European regulations define them as “organic compounds with a vapor pressure greater than 0.01 kPa at 293.15 K”. According to Royal Decree 227/2006, a volatile organic compound (VOC) would be “any organic compound that has an initial boiling point less than or equal to 250 °C at a standard pressure of 101.3 kPa”.

Since January 1, 2007, Directive 2004/42/EC (DPD) of April 21, 2004, limiting emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) due to the use of organic solvents in certain paints and varnishes and in refinishing products for vehicles, has been in effect.

The aim of this directive is to limit VOC emissions from certain paints and varnishes to prevent or reduce air pollution due to ground-level ozone formation (tropospheric ozone), which causes the phenomenon of red haze (also known as photochemical smog) and has negative effects on the respiratory system. This directive sets maximum allowed limits of VOC content for the affected products.

Safety, sustainability, and efficiency guarantee

At Irurena Group, as specialists in the design, advice, and manufacture of varnishes for wood and parquet professionals, we offer a wide range of water-based varnishes with even lower VOC (volatile organic compound) emissions.

Furthermore, we go beyond regulations, as a significant portion of our catalog carries the Ecolabel certificate, indicating that its VOC content is half of what is required by Royal Decree: Stone by Iki Parket, Iki Decor White Finish, Iki Decor Clear Finish, Irufire Integral B-s1, d0 AQUA INT, etc. High-quality products with very low VOCs that meet any varnisher’s needs.

Safety, sustainability, and efficiency guarantee

At Irurena Group, as specialists in the design, advice, and manufacture of varnishes for wood and parquet professionals, we offer a wide range of water-based varnishes with even lower VOC (volatile organic compound) emissions.

Furthermore, we go beyond regulations, as a significant portion of our catalog carries the Ecolabel certificate, indicating that its VOC content is half of what is required by Royal Decree: Stone by Iki Parket, Iki Decor White Finish, Iki Decor Clear Finish, Irufire Integral B-s1, d0 AQUA INT, etc. High-quality products with very low VOCs that meet any varnisher’s needs.

Another seal that offers high environmental guarantees is the A+ Certificate (Certificate of indoor emissions according to French decree 2011-321).

This seal ensures that the amount of pollutants emitted into the air indoors is minimal. It is organized by a classification of A+, A, B, C; the highest (A+) indicates that there is hardly any emission of VOCs. Meanwhile, the lowest (C) sets the limit for tolerable emissions.

At Irurena Group, most varnishes and paints for interiors have the A+ Certification, authenticating our respect for the environmental surroundings.

At Irurena Group, we strive to provide solutions that make a difference in terms of durability, safety, efficiency, and sustainability to meet the needs of those working with wood.

Thanks to their low VOC content, our interior products enhance the indoor air quality of homes. Considering that we spend around 80% of our lives in enclosed spaces, this translates into an improvement in the well-being and health of individuals.