Taiwan’s Measures for the Administration of Indoor Air Quality (MAIAQ) established by the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) will be effective on 23rd November. In order to reinforce the MAIAQ, the EPA has released the draft of Indoor Air Quality Standard (IAQS) on 24th October. The drafted IAQS specifies the concentration threshold of 9 categories of substance, namely carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, HCHO, total VOCs, bacteria, fungi, PM10 and PM2.5 particulates and ozone.
The Bureau of Metrology, Standards and Inspection (BSMI) stated on 30th October, several days after the release of IAQS draft, that it is compulsory for 5 types of paint to take the volatile organic compound (VOC) assessment regarding their VOC concentration and labeling from 1st December. The 5 categories include blending paint (synthetic resin), enamels, emulsified plastic paint, water-based cement paint and solvent-based cement paint. Assessment will be performed according to the national standards CNS 601, CNS 606, CNS 2070, CNS 4940 and CNS 8144, only the qualified product will be labeled with a safety mark and placed into Taiwan’s market.
VOCs used in paint include some hazardous organic solvents such as benzene, toluene, xylene and styrene. Those substances may cause immune dysfunction and affect central nervous system and digestive functioning. One may suffer from symptoms such as dizziness, headache, fatigue, short of breath, loss of appetite and nausea due to VOC absorption.
