Paints and coatings are undergoing rapid change as a result of consumer demands for healthier products, especially the new EU standard which takes effect next January, stipulating even lower limits of VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Some paint manufacturers are gearing up with products that are low VOC, eco friendly and natural. One of them is Self Coat, a leading UK manufacturer of eco paints, designed for both internal and external use. The company’s md, Lloyd Reeve, explains: “At one end of the scale are well established, conventional synthetic and water based paints, and at the other, an increasingly popular but hugely varying selection of ‘eco paints’. “With such a wide range to choose from, housebuilders should carefully weigh environmental credentials of paints against the commercial realities of performance, durability, colour choice and the overall aesthetic appeal of the finish. “For instance, reducing the VOC content, in accordance with the new standard, does not in itself necessarily mean that the paint is totally harmless or toxin free.” Self Coat has launched a brand new gloss ‘eco paint’ – ideal for both indoor and outdoor applications which performs as well as, “if not better than, old-fashioned solvent based products”. <br>