166 PRODUCTS AND MATER I ALS Paints and finishes Many paints and coatings or finishes contain high levels of VOCs, although growing awareness of the problem means that there is an increasingly wide choice of low-VOC alternatives. The persistence in the indoor ship environment of VOCs after installation of means it is especially important to look for healthier choices in enclosed spaces such as cabins. Hard covering products In Europe, companies sourcing hard covering products such as floor tiles, wall tiles, panels, tabletops, vanity tops and worktops can use the EU Ecolabel to ensure sustainability. The Ecolabel requires that products should reduce land use impacts caused by quarrying of raw materials and restrict the use of hazardous substances. They should also require production processes to be energy efficient; encourage the use of renewable energy; require production processes to be material efficient, including the reuse/recycling of process waste; and limit emissions of pollutants that contribute to global warming, acidification, and eutrophication, which are detrimental to human health.1 Tiles and wall coverings According to BuildingGreen, solid surfaces should meet CDPH Standard Method emissions requirements. Natural stone should be certified to ANSI/NSC 373 and/or C2C Silver or higher and composite surfaces should contain 100 per cent post-consumer-recycled content or FSC-certified content, while the best glass composites must have high recycled content and no epoxy. Engineered stone/quartz should have NSF/ANSI 51 food contact safety certification and proof that these products contain post-consumer recycled materials or have other environmental benefits. Wood products should be FSC-certified, sustainably reclaimed, or made of rapidly renewable bamboo. Tiles should be certified to ANSI A138.1 Green Square and also to Cradle to Cradle Silver level or higher. There should be 50 per cent or greater recycled content and adhesives should contain no formaldehyde, antimicrobials, or hazardous airborne pollutants. Wall coverings should meet the emissions requirements of CDPH Standard Method; be PVC-free; and have no PFAS coating.2 “ There should be 50 per cent or greater recycled content and adhesives should contain no formaldehyde, antimicrobials, or hazardous airborne pollutants” BuildingGreen 1 Source: European Commission, Criteria for Hard Covering Products 2 Source: Building Green, Solid Surfaces, Wall Coverings and Tiles
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