Comments on: Go Recycled & Non-Toxic: Green Up Your Arts & Crafts http://eco-chick.com/2008/10/13/go-recycled-non-toxic-green-up-your-arts-crafts/ Because Mother Earth Is A Woman Fri, 09 Jan 2009 23:21:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Greg Patch http://eco-chick.com/2008/10/13/go-recycled-non-toxic-green-up-your-arts-crafts/#comment-547237 Greg Patch Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:48:30 +0000 http://eco-chick.com/?p=1476#comment-547237 Nice article Eco Chic! However, The group Art and Creative Materials Institute (ACMI) is a non-profit trade association of manufacturers of art materials. They are responsible for labeling and monitoring art paints for their safety. In other words they are largely sponsored by "in house" industrial representatives. Guess what! It’s interesting to go to the manufacturer websites of visual arts supplies and read through their safety data sheets. As one example the following is quoted from Windsor Newton’s site on the commonly used Flake White oil paint: “USAGE PRECAUTIONS: Avoid spilling, skin and eye contact. Wear full protective clothing for prolonged exposure and/or high concentrations. Pregnant or breastfeeding women must not handle this product. STORAGE PRECAUTIONS: Keep in cool, dry, ventilated storage and closed containers. STORAGE CRITERIA: Misc.hazardous material storage. INHALATION: Harmful by inhalation. Harmful: danger of serious damage to health by prolonged exposure through inhalation. INGESTION: Harmful if swallowed. Harmful: possible risk of irreversible effects if swallowed. SKIN: Product has a defatting effect on skin. EYES: Irritating to eyes. HEALTH WARNINGS: Swallowing concentrated chemical may cause severe internal injury. OTHER HEALTH EFFECTS: Toxic to Reproductive Health Categ. 1. Toxic to Reproductive Health Categ. 3. Carcinogen Category 3. ROUTE OF ENTRY: Inhalation. Ingestion.” [skin absorption.] MEDICAL SYMPTOMS: Upper respiratory irritation. Nausea, vomiting. Allergic rash. MEDICAL CONSIDERATIONS: Skin disorders and allergies.” So not to single out Windsor & Newton nor Flake White more information on toxicity in oil, acrylic, watercolor, etc. paints can be found by requesting a Material Data Safety Sheet (MSDS) from individual manufacturers, ie: Utrecht, Rembrandt, Liquitex, Crayola, etc.) Most of these companies provide MSDS's on their websites. The Cadmium, chromium and thalo colors are significantly toxic as are terpentines, fixatives, varnishes, plastics/acrylics, and preservatives, ie. formaldehyde. Taking this a little further one asks, “what happens to the environment when a manufacturing plant produces large quantities of this material?” and “how many artists, art students, and hobbyists are using the very necessary precautions when handling the paints?” Once the painting is finished and placed in the living room, kitchen or museum, what is the air quality produced by VOCs/off gases? A look at the alternatives with the painting arts that do not produce a toxic body or environment gives egg tempera, casein (milk), water and beeswax mediums. All can be used without toxic pigments, petro chemicals (varnishes, acrylics, fixatives), heavy metals (cadmium, chromium), and formaldehyde and other preservatives that are in common use with many paints. With sculpture there is clay/earth/stone, wood, fire, water and air to create work. There’s been alot of excitement in the last 30 or so years with artists applying the natural world to create their statement. A wonderful website to view what is going on in environmental art, with many artists and approaches as examples, is www.greenmuseum.org. Sustainable solutions are at our fingertips. en Thanks, Greg Patch Nice article Eco Chic!
However, The group Art and Creative Materials Institute (ACMI) is a non-profit trade association of manufacturers of art materials. They are responsible for labeling and monitoring art paints for their safety. In other words they are largely sponsored by “in house” industrial representatives. Guess what! It’s interesting to go to the manufacturer websites of visual arts supplies and read through their safety data sheets. As one example the following is quoted from Windsor Newton’s site on the commonly used Flake White oil paint:
“USAGE PRECAUTIONS: Avoid spilling, skin and eye contact. Wear full protective clothing for prolonged exposure and/or high concentrations. Pregnant or breastfeeding women must not handle this product.
STORAGE PRECAUTIONS: Keep in cool, dry, ventilated storage and closed containers.
STORAGE CRITERIA: Misc.hazardous material storage.
INHALATION: Harmful by inhalation. Harmful: danger of serious damage to health by prolonged exposure through inhalation.
INGESTION: Harmful if swallowed. Harmful: possible risk of irreversible effects if swallowed.
SKIN: Product has a defatting effect on skin.
EYES: Irritating to eyes.
HEALTH WARNINGS: Swallowing concentrated chemical may cause severe internal injury.
OTHER HEALTH EFFECTS: Toxic to Reproductive Health Categ. 1. Toxic to Reproductive Health Categ. 3. Carcinogen Category 3.
ROUTE OF ENTRY: Inhalation. Ingestion.” [skin absorption.]
MEDICAL SYMPTOMS: Upper respiratory irritation. Nausea, vomiting. Allergic rash.
MEDICAL CONSIDERATIONS: Skin disorders and allergies.”
So not to single out Windsor & Newton nor Flake White more information on toxicity in oil, acrylic, watercolor, etc. paints can be found by requesting a Material Data Safety Sheet (MSDS) from individual manufacturers, ie: Utrecht, Rembrandt, Liquitex, Crayola, etc.) Most of these companies provide MSDS’s on their websites. The Cadmium, chromium and thalo colors are significantly toxic as are terpentines, fixatives, varnishes, plastics/acrylics, and preservatives, ie. formaldehyde.
Taking this a little further one asks, “what happens to the environment when a manufacturing plant produces large quantities of this material?” and “how many artists, art students, and hobbyists are using the very necessary precautions when handling the paints?” Once the painting is finished and placed in the living room, kitchen or museum, what is the air quality produced by VOCs/off gases?
A look at the alternatives with the painting arts that do not produce a toxic body or environment gives egg tempera, casein (milk), water and beeswax mediums. All can be used without toxic pigments, petro chemicals (varnishes, acrylics, fixatives), heavy metals (cadmium, chromium), and formaldehyde and other preservatives that are in common use with many paints.
With sculpture there is clay/earth/stone, wood, fire, water and air to create work.
There’s been alot of excitement in the last 30 or so years with artists applying the natural world to create their statement. A wonderful website to view what is going on in environmental art, with many artists and approaches as examples, is http://www.greenmuseum.org.
Sustainable solutions are at our fingertips.
en Thanks,
Greg Patch

]]> By: Eco Friendly Furnishings http://eco-chick.com/2008/10/13/go-recycled-non-toxic-green-up-your-arts-crafts/#comment-547023 Eco Friendly Furnishings Tue, 21 Oct 2008 02:12:33 +0000 http://eco-chick.com/?p=1476#comment-547023 Your feature has really educated me, thank you. I love the idea of using recycled, non-toxic and sustainable materials and using recycled paper and pencils. It would be a great thing to get companies to use such materials throughout their businesses! I think these are great ideas to post on our blog to further educate others! You do a great job! Check us out sometime if you get a chance! Tahra Your feature has really educated me, thank you. I love the idea of using recycled, non-toxic and sustainable materials and using recycled paper and pencils. It would be a great thing to get companies to use such materials throughout their businesses! I think these are great ideas to post on our blog to further educate others! You do a great job! Check us out sometime if you get a chance!

Tahra

]]> By: Stephanie http://eco-chick.com/2008/10/13/go-recycled-non-toxic-green-up-your-arts-crafts/#comment-546958 Stephanie Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:35:39 +0000 http://eco-chick.com/?p=1476#comment-546958 Anna, I only use non-bleached paper in the compost pile that feeds my food and herb gardens, but I've started using bleached paper and glossy paper to recycle into my own handmade paper for things like greeting cards. I have another compost pile in the back corner of my yard that's more of a long-term turnover sort of thing, and I've put scraps of natural fabric in there - it's still a work in progress though so I can't attest to how well it has worked or how long it takes to break down. I'm not sure about which areas take fabric/paper for composters... Carla, glad to hear it! :) Old beat up clothes can be turned into some pretty fab things. I need to pull out my sewing machine again... Anna, I only use non-bleached paper in the compost pile that feeds my food and herb gardens, but I’ve started using bleached paper and glossy paper to recycle into my own handmade paper for things like greeting cards. I have another compost pile in the back corner of my yard that’s more of a long-term turnover sort of thing, and I’ve put scraps of natural fabric in there - it’s still a work in progress though so I can’t attest to how well it has worked or how long it takes to break down.

I’m not sure about which areas take fabric/paper for composters…

Carla, glad to hear it! :) Old beat up clothes can be turned into some pretty fab things. I need to pull out my sewing machine again…

]]> By: Carla http://eco-chick.com/2008/10/13/go-recycled-non-toxic-green-up-your-arts-crafts/#comment-546957 Carla Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:24:50 +0000 http://eco-chick.com/?p=1476#comment-546957 I have a ton of scrap fabric and beat-up clothes I need to Freecycle because I know I won’t use it anytime soon. I was tempted to toss them (in the trash) but you talked me out of it. : ) I'm sure another artist can use it. I have a ton of scrap fabric and beat-up clothes I need to Freecycle because I know I won’t use it anytime soon. I was tempted to toss them (in the trash) but you talked me out of it. : ) I’m sure another artist can use it.

]]> By: Anna http://eco-chick.com/2008/10/13/go-recycled-non-toxic-green-up-your-arts-crafts/#comment-546948 Anna Tue, 14 Oct 2008 03:34:17 +0000 http://eco-chick.com/?p=1476#comment-546948 Some Goodwills or other charities take fabrics (not rugs) and sell them to rag makers to make money for their charity. I am not sure if they take small scraps of fabric though. I was curious since you mentioned to compost fabric and/or paper, do certain counties take these items for their composters? I personally would not put fabric in my personl composter since I think it would take a long time to compost. Nor do I put paper in my composter because the paper has been bleached. This is just my own preferences. Have you had good success putting either in a personal composter? Some Goodwills or other charities take fabrics (not rugs) and sell them to rag makers to make money for their charity. I am not sure if they take small scraps of fabric though.

I was curious since you mentioned to compost fabric and/or paper, do certain counties take these items for their composters? I personally would not put fabric in my personl composter since I think it would take a long time to compost. Nor do I put paper in my composter because the paper has been bleached. This is just my own preferences. Have you had good success putting either in a personal composter?

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