Romabio Interior Mineral Paints
I have someone who wants to use Romabio interior paints. I had never heard of them but the local paint store that sells Benjamin Moore also sells Romabio so that does give them a bit of credibility.
So far what I’ve been able to find out is from their website. The quotes below are from their website, https://romabio.com/romabio-interior-paints/
“Romabio Interior Paints are all C2C Certified, Zero VOC, hypo-allergenic, and virtually odorless. They offer excellent adhesion, with high resistance to mold growth without the need for biocide additives.”
OK, that doesn’t sound too bad.
“The potassium silicates micro-crystallize onto your walls, continuously absorbing CO2, and cleans the air in your home for years.”
My BS meter just bent the needle. No way paint can absorb meaningful amounts of CO2 — for years.
“Our paints are mineral based and they have unique qualities that prohibit mold growth without adding biocides, antimicrobial agents or mildewcides. Their high pH level naturally creates an environment where mold cannot get its nutrients and survive.
ROMA’s EcoDomus mineral line paints have a pH of 10-11… Also, mineral paint has a crystalline molecular structure that permits the wall to breath allowing air and moisture to move freely in a closed environment, not inherent in acrylic based products.”
A pH of 11, I’m thinking that’s going to melt your flesh and disintegrate your clothes if you touch it.
Maybe I’m being unfair, but it seems to me the website is a bunch of junk science. My experience is that products that rely on misleading claims aren’t to be trusted. I’m just curious if anyone has real-world experience with the product or comments.
Thanks.
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Replies
I can't say I've used the product, but I can comment on the psedo science. CO2 scrubbers are a real thing, but they're consumable, and they run out pretty quickly -- days/weeks maybe, certainly not anything close to years. CO2 isn't a pollutant anyway, so removing it doesn't "clean" anything. If you want to remove CO2 the natural way, get a few plants and put them in a sunny window.
Copper keeps mold and fungi in check too, so it's possible that's what they're doing. Seafaring ships use bronze in part because the copper content limits microbial growth. This does work, and as far as I know, it doesn't "wear out" over time.
The other stuff is not really saying much. Asbestos was a naturally occuring mineral tool, and we all know how that worked out.
I think you're right to be suspect of their claims here. I tend to steer away from products making junk science claims myself, just as I don't like products that make excessively grandiose claims.
Bill