How does plastic in paint impact your home and health?

In recent years, we’ve become far more conscious of the materials we bring into our homes, choosing natural fibres over synthetics, solid wood over composites and UVPC, and finishes that feel as good as they look.

Yet one of the most widely used materials in our interiors often escapes the same scrutiny, paint. What many people don’t realise is that most conventional paints contain plastic and ingredients that are derived from farming fossil fuels.

After watching the new documentary on Netflix, The Plastic Detox and how it bought to the front of mind the way that plastic can find it’s way into the human body, we wanted to update our journal and ask the question, how does plastic in paint impact your home and health?

Our mission, to rid the paint industry of these harmful and disruptive materials that are having long term and detrimental effects on the evolution of human kind.

“Paint Is The Largest Source Of Microplastics In The Ocean”

Forbes 2022

Modern paints are typically made with acrylics or vinyls, which are forms of plastic derived from fossil fuels. These ingredients are used as binders, designed to create a durable, uniform finish. But their presence comes at a cost, to the health of your body and your home.

From  polyurethanes, polyesters, polyacrylates, polystyrenes, alkyls and epoxies, there are many materials that are just as scary as they sound and have no business being present in paint! Microplastics are anthropogenic pollutants that remain present for hundreds, even thousands of years, and time and time again in the environmental audits of our oceans, we are seeing these plastics show up, bigger and in higher quantities than before.

Plastic-based paints can release harmful chemicals into the air, contributing to indoor pollution long after the paint has dried. In spaces where we spend the majority of our time, this is no small consideration. Walls, after all, make up the largest surface area in any room, so we should be thinking carefully about what we put on them, find out more about choosing natural finishes for your home here.

Unlike natural finishes, plastic-based paints form a sealed layer on the surface of your walls. This lack of breathability can trap moisture beneath, potentially leading to issues with damp and mould over time. More subtly and we think, importantly, it alters the atmosphere of a space, creating an environment that feels less in tune with the rhythms of the natural world.

Earlier in the year at the time that Awaab’s Law was passed, we held an event in our London showroom with Untold Mould, highlighting the dangers of mould in the home, something that can be prevented when walls are treated and decorated correctly.

“We can make paint with plant and mineral ingredients and still sell them for the same price as other premium paints. People still largely think that plastic paint is harmless because it is water-based. They are wrong and the more we see these sorts of shows that invite us to think about where our products come from and how they are made the more we will understand how to look after ourselves.”

Edward Bulmer

There is also a broader environmental consideration. Every tin of conventional paint contributes to the ongoing demand for fossil fuel-derived materials. Once applied, that plastic becomes part of your home, fixed to your walls for years to come, find out more by exploring our honest ingredients. 

We believe in decorating thoughtfully, taking as much time to choose the products you use just as you would the food you eat, the skincare you use and the materials you use to furnish your home. With other studies recently being broadcasted more widely, such as the use of chemical fire retardants in sofas and upholstery, we believe now is the time to ask yourself the questions you might have been putting off- ‘what is this made of and where did it come from?’

At a time when many are seeking to reduce plastic in everyday life, it’s worth asking why it should be present in something as fundamental as paint at all. Edward believes it shouldn’t be and we have delved deeper into what is inside our tin on our Lifting the Lid campaign.

Modern paints often depend on plastic binders to achieve a tough, highly durable finish, hard-wearing, but at the cost of breathability and interference with the depth of colour and texture that a wall really needs. Walls are the backdrop to your home, Edward see’s them as the canvas for all of your belongings, art work, your story and by making paint that allows history and modern lives to be threaded together, believes that the colours you choose will be ones you love for a life time.

Our formulation is gently wipeable and made without those heavy synthetics, while it may not offer the same hardness as some of our competitors paint, it brings something far rarer, a depth, softness and character in colour that simply cannot be replicated, it really is paint that can’t be copied.

Paint, in its simplest form, does not require plastic. Traditionally, it was made using natural ingredients, plant oils, earth pigments, and minerals – materials that work in harmony with both the building and those who live within it. This is the philosophy behind our business at Edward Bulmer Natural Paint.

Our wall paints are entirely free from plastic, relying instead on natural, breathable ingredients that allow walls to function as they should.

The result is a finish that is not only beautiful in colour and depth, but also contributes to a healthier indoor environment for you and your family.

We have recently launched a new collection with one of Britain’s most loved historic homes, Chatsworth House. The collection embodies the importance of building health and also family health- Laura Burlington contacted Edward after realising that the house was crying out for a natural alternative to these plastic paints, with costly redecorating and problems with water damage from trapped moisture, 24 new colours were born out of a conversation on sustainability and preservation.

Natural earth and mineral pigments offer a depth and subtlety that synthetic dyes simply cannot replicate. Find out more about our natural pigments in Issue 1, Issue 2 and Issue 3 of our journal posts dedicated to these truly amazing natural colourants

Drawn from clays, oxides and other naturally occurring materials, these pigments interact with light in a far more nuanced way, absorbing and reflecting it softly rather than bouncing it back. The result is a colour that appears to shift gently throughout the day, responding to changing light levels with a quiet complexity.

This natural variation brings a sense of richness and life to a surface, creating an atmosphere that feels layered, considered and enduring, qualities that are often lost in more artificial, chemically derived alternatives just azo-dyes.

Using natural, plant-based paint is a safer way to decorate, non-toxic, low VOC, and breathable for a healthier living space, our paint promotes healthy homes and in trying times, these small changes can give us the peace of mind we need.

Paint shouldn’t find its way into our water systems, yet so often it does, breaking down into microplastics too small to be filtered, quietly polluting oceans, disrupting ecosystems, and entering the food chain.

There is another way. Choose paint that can return gently to the earth, order your samples and discover the difference of a truly natural finish.