Paints (GS-11)

First Edition, May 20, 1993

Copyright 1993 Green Seal, Inc.

  1. Product Specific Performance Requirements
    1. Interior Topcoats. Products intended for interior opaque topcoat use shall meet the following requirements:

      a. Scrubbability (Abrasion Resistance). The product shall demonstrate at least 100 cycles (200 separate strokes) before failure, as determined by American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) D2486-89.

      b. Hiding Power (Opacity). The product shall demonstrate a minimum 0.95 contrast ratio at 400 square feet per gallon as determined by ASTM D2805-88. Compliance will be determined by testing a white paint having a minimum 80% reflectance.

      c. Washability (Stain Removal). The product shall demonstrate the following minimum requirements for stain removal as determined by ASTM 4828-91 Mechanical Method. 

          Flat: 5 minimum rating
Non-Flat: 7 minimum rating
    2. Exterior Topcoats. Products intended for exterior opaque topcoat use shall meet the following requirements: a. Hiding Power (Opacity). The product shall demonstrate a minimum 0.95 contrast ratio at 400 square feet per gallon as determined by ASTM D2805-88. Compliance will be determined by testing a white paint having a minimum 80% reflectance.

  2. Product-Specific Environmental Requirements.
    1. VOC: the VOC concentrations (in grams per liter) of the product shall not exceed those listed below as determined by U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Reference Test Method 24.

      Interior Coatings: 

      Non-flat: 150
    Flat:  50

      Exterior Coatings:

      Non-flat:  200
    Flat:  100
      The calculation of VOC shall exclude water and tinting color added at the point of sale.
    2. Chemical Component Limitations - Aromatic Compounds: the product must contain no more than 1.0% by weight of the sum total of aromatic compounds. Testing for the concentration of these compounds will be performed if they are determined to be present in the product during a materials audit.
    3. Chemical Component Limitations - Other Chemicals: the manufacturer shall demonstrate that the following chemical compounds are not used as ingredients in the manufacture of the product.
      • Halomethanes: methylene chloride
      • Chlorinated ethanes: 1,1,1-trichloroethane
      • Aromatic solvents: benzene, toluene (methylbenzene),
      • ethylbenzene
      • Chlorinated ethylenes: vinyl chloride
      • Polynuclear aromatics: naphthalene
      • Chlorobenzenes: 1,2-dichlorobenzene
      • Phthalate esters: di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, butyl
      • benzyl phthalate, di-n-butyl phthalate, di-n-octyl
      • phthalate, diethyl phthalate, dimethyl phthalate
      • Miscellaneous semi-volatile organics: isophorone
      • Metals and their compounds: antimony, cadmium, hexavalent
      • chromium, lead, mercury
      • Preservatives (antifouling agents): formaldehyde
      • Ketones: methyl ethyl ketone, methyl isobutyl ketone
      • Miscellaneous volatile organics: acrolein,
      • acrylonitrile

  3. Packaging Requirements
    1. Toxics in Packaging: the manufacturer shall demonstrate that paint cans and their components are not fabricated with lead.

  4. Labeling Requirements
    1. The Green Seal Certification Mark may appear on the packaging and the product itself.
    2. Whenever the Certification Mark appears on a package or product, the product or package must contain a description of the basis for certification. The description shall be in a location, style, and typeface that are easily readable by the consumer.