A new paint that is said to reduce the presence of volatile organic compounds (VOC) in the air, has recently been introduced.

The paint is designed to improve indoor air quality by incorporating new air purifying technology to reduce amounts of harmful formaldehyde.

Plascon has reinvented its iconic Double Velvet product and has launched the next generation Plascon Double Velvet Pure with the addition of formaldehyde abatement technology.

Formaldehyde is a VOC that is used as a binding agent in many composite building materials such as chipboard, textiles and furniture, as well as several other household products such as cosmetics, detergents and pesticides. These items are most commonly found indoors in home and office settings. Formaldehyde is released into the air from these household sources and is recognised as one of the major contributors to indoor air pollution, with indoor air potentially up to five times more polluted than the air outside.

The formaldehyde abatement technology present in Plascon Double Velvet Pure absorbs formaldehyde particles emitted from fabrics, woods, building materials and furniture in the surrounding environment and by reacting with specific compounds present in the paint, irreversibly converts the formaldehyde compound into water vapour that is safe for breathing.

The coatings company asserts that its re-engineered product will retain all of its quality and strength as well as its existing technologies such as the Stain Barrier, Silver Protect and Breatheasy. Plascon’s Stain Barrier is designed to form a multi-layered protective coating that prevents dirt from penetrating the coating. Its Breatheasy technology contains no VOCs, which means that it is almost completely odourless and particularly suited for enclosed interior spaces. The Silver Protect technology is designed to make the product stain-resistant and offers a luxurious finish that is easy to maintain, while also inhibiting mould and bacterial growth.