Paint flakes are the second most abundant microplastics in marine ecosystems1. Here is what you can do about it.
Prevention
- Check the ingredients:
You may not know that you are even using paints made with plastics! Paints that contain plastics have Acrylic plastic polymer or/and Polyvinyl Acetate (PVA2 – Yes, the same ones use in glue and dishwasher detergent coatings) in their ingredients. Common paints that use them are Acrylic paints and House Paints.
- Reconsider:
If you are painting for fun, could you use watercolours, gouache or oils instead?Traditional watercolours are made with gum Arabic and pigments, gouache are made with calcium carbonate, Gum Arabic and pigments and Oil paints are made with linseed oil and pigment.
- Make your own:
Make your own paints from household ingredients! There’s plenty of resources online or come to one of my workshops in Melbourne.
- Eco-friendly Substitutes:
Get to know your options! If you need to paint your house interiors, there could be an sustainable house paints available that fits your budget. Here are some examples (not sponsored):
https://www.painted-earth.com.au/
https://www.ecoathome.com.au/brand/Bio-Products/
Damage control:
When you DO have to use plastic based paints
- Don’t throw the paint water you use for your brushes in the sink or drain
- Use kitty litter to absorb the water and throw that in the bin
- Use paint hardener : It’s a product that lumps all the paint particles in water into a solid mass that you can throw into the bin after. It’s also inexpensive!
- Recycle your paints:
Here’s a company that does that in Victoria – www.paintback.com.au
- Use Recycled paints:
Lousy Ink uses the toners in old printer cartridges for its pigment
- Dispose of your paints properly:
Did you know that you can’t dispose your paints in your household landfill bin? It can only be disposed at your local resource depot centre. Things like half-full paint spray cans and nail polish can only be disposed on special days. If you are in Victoria, Australia, this is the calendar for it.
Be part of the solution
- You are not alone:
Hey, Sustainability is hardwork! There’s a high chance you will get very sad very quickly when you start your journey but a community makes it easier. Here are some environmental groups you can join in the City of Port Phillip.
- Come up with your own solutions:
Fish Safe Paints was a product of my environmental leadership program at the City of Port Phillip. I wanted to show that it was possible to be a working example of a sustainable artist through and through. If you have an idea that you think may work, do it!
This page was made possible by the City of Port Phillip through the Rupert Bunny Foundation Special Projects Grant:
Serenekitchen | Visual Artist 