Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted as gases from certain solids or liquids. VOCs include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short- and long-term adverse health effects. Many VOCs reach consistently higher concentrations indoors—up to 10 times higher—than occurs outdoors. When choosing paint, select a paint with 0-50 g/L of VOCs. Source: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/voc.html