Fun Facts...
Chris Thornton

What your paint bottle is telling you

Do you know what the labeling on your bottle of paint is telling you, besides general instructions?

There is an ACMI label on the side. This is a circle with letters in it.

ACMI stands for the Art and Craft Materials Institute Inc. ACMI was founded in 1936. To date upwards of 60,000 products have been tested, of these 100% of children’s are non-toxic and 85% of adults are non-toxic. It is mandatory that members of ACMI products be tested every five years. That is every formula, of every color, in every product line!

The toxicology team is based at Duke University Medical Center, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. When testing this team goes over

• Every ingredient and the quantity of that ingredient.
• Possible adverse affects of one ingredient on the other.
• Size and packaging of product.
• Potential harm to human body, acute or chronic.
• Allergic reactions that could occur.
• How a product can be used or misused.
• US national and state labeling.

The seals are as follows:
The ACMI non-toxic seals are on products that contain no materials in sufficient quantity to be harmful or injurious to humans. These can appear with or without the words “Non-Toxic”.

• AP
• AP New
• AP+CP
• CP
• HL/NT

ACMI caution seals are on products that are for adult usage, that are certified to be properly labeled for any known health risks and is accompanied by information on the safe and proper use of such materials.

• CL
• HL/CL

For more information and complete list of your favorite product line you can visit the ACMI web-site at www.acminet.org.