MPI’s Green Performance Standards:

MPI established the Green Performance Standards in 2005 because of concerns that the existing environmental requirements set by the EPA, SCAQMD, OTC, etc. (as well as voluntary organizations like LEED) were only based on VOC levels.

MPI believes that performance and durability are critical to true sustainability as premature failure and subsequent frequent repainting inevitably lead to greater VOC emissions and non-sustainable and costly maintenance operations.
MPI’s Green Performance™ Standards were established to challenge the thinking that VOC level alone should determine a 'green' coating, so paints certified to MPI's Green Performance Standard:

MPI's Green Performance™ Standards are the only green paint/coatings certification required by both the US and Canadian governments, and referenced by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (SCAQMD).

MPI’s Extreme Green™ Paint Standards

MPI offers the Extreme Green™ (“X-Green”) standards, which incorporate MPI’s Green Performance Standards (GPS). Designed to simplify the process of selecting environmentally friendly products for interior spaces, the X-Green categories are subcategories of existing standards used across the architectural world.

All products on the X-Green lists will have passed all the performance testing for the base standards as well as meeting the following guidelines:

MPI Green Performance Standards: Chemical Component Restrictions

The MPI Green Performance®Standard requires that the manufacturer shall demonstrate that the following chemical compounds are not used as ingredients in the manufacture of the product: [Trace elements (max. 5 ppm) as a by-product are excluded.]

MPI Green Performance Standard’s Prohibited Compounds
Acrolein	Diethyl phthalate	Formaldehyde	Methylene Chloride
Acrylonitrile	Dimethyl phthalate	Hexavalent Chromium	Naphthalene
Antimony	Di-n-butyl phthalate	Isophorone	Toluene (Methylbenzene)
Asbestos	Di-n-octyl phthalate	Lead	1,1,1 –trichloroethane
Benzene	1,2 –dichlorobenzene	Mercury	Vinyl Chloride
Butyl benzyl phthalate	Di (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate	Methyl ethyl ketone
Cadmium	Ethylbenzene	Methyl isobutyl ketone
IARC – Group 1 Carcinogenic to humans [excluding crystalline silica, not in the form of quartz or cristobalite dust].

Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Requirements

Category Description	MPI Categories	Max Allowable VOCs
		GPS-1	GPS-2
Architectural
Interior Flat Intermediate/Top Coats	49, 53, 55, 118, 133, 143, 165	50 g/L	50 g/L
Interior Non-Flat Intermediate/Top Coats	43,44,47,48,51,52, 54, 89,114, 131,138 to 141, 144 to 148, 151, 153,154, 155, 157, 158, 166, 167, 168, 169, 225, 226	150g/L	50 g/L
Exterior Flat Intermediate/Top Coats	8, 10, 42,113	100 g/L	50 g/L
Exterior Non-Flat Intermediate/Top Coats	9, 11, 15, 38, 40, 41, 94, 119, 161, 163, 164, 213, 214, 311, 315	150g/L	50 g/L
Special Purpose
Clear Varnishes	28,29,30,56, 57, 73, 74, 75, 128,129,130, 181, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196, 197	350 g/L
Clear Sanding Sealers	84, 102	350 g/L
Clear Lacquer	85, 86, 87	550 g/L
Fire Retardant coatings – Pigmented	63, 64, 67, 126	350 g/L
Fire Retardant coatings – Clear	62, 65, 66, 109, 111	650 g/L
Floor Coatings	27, 58, 59, 60, 68, 127	250g/L
Hi Temperature Coatings	2, 21, 22	420 g/L
Industrial Maintenance Coatings	31, 35, 71, 72, 77, 78, 82, 83, 98, 101, 105, 108, 115, 174, 177, 201,202, 203, 215, 301	340 g/L
Metallic Pigmented Coatings	1	500 g/L
Multi-Color Coatings	112, 121	250 g/L
Pigmented Lacquer	24, 122, 123, 124	550 g/L
Pretreatment Wash Primers	25, 80	420 g/L
Primers & Undercoaters	4, 5, 6, 17, 39, 45, 46, 50, 61, 69, 91, 116, 125, 134, 149, 172	200 g/L
Quick Dry Enamels	81, 96	250 g/L
Recycled Coatings	10RC, 10RR, 11RR, 11RC,15RC, 15RR, 44RC, 44RC, 53RC, 53RR, 54RC, 54RR	150 g/L
Rust Preventative Coatings	23, 26, 76, 79, 95, 107, 135, 173, 275	400 g/L
Shellac – Clear	88	730 g/L
Specialty Primers	3,5,7,36,136,137, 223	350 g/L
Stains	13, 14, 16, 33, 90, 92,156,186	250 g/L
Traffic Coating	32, 70, 97	150 g/L
Waterproofing Concrete/Masonry Sealers	34, 99, 104,117	400 g/L
Zinc Rich Primers	18, 19, 20, 200	340 g/L

Green Legend and GPS Definitions

GPS Definitions

For the purpose of MPI’s Green Performance Standard, the following definitions shall apply:

ARCHITECTURAL COATINGS are any coatings applied to stationary structures and their appurtenances, to mobile homes, to pavements, or to curbs.

COATINGS are materials applied to a surface in order to beautify, protect, or provide a barrier to such a surface.

FLAT COATINGS are coatings that register a gloss of less than 5 on a 60-degree meter and less than 10 on an 85-degree meter.

INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE COATINGS are coatings, including primers, sealers, undercoats, and intermediate coatings and topcoats, that are formulated for or applied to substrates, including floors, that are exposed to one or more of the following extreme environmental conditions:

NONFLAT COATINGS are coatings that register a gloss greater than 5 on a 60 degree meter and a gloss of 10 or greater on an 85 degree meter.

CLEAR WOOD FINISHES are clear and semi-transparent coatings, including lacquers and varnishes, applied to wood substrates to provide a transparent or translucent solid film.

DRY-FOG COATINGS are coatings which are formulated only for spray application so that when sprayed, overspray droplets dry before falling on floors and other surfaces.

FIRE-RETARDANT COATINGS are coatings labeled and formulated to retard ignition and flame spread, that has been fire tested and rated by a testing agency approved by building code officials for use in bringing building and construction materials into compliance with federal, state and local building code requirements. The fire-retardant coating shall be tested in accordance with ASTM Test Method E 84-99, incorporated by reference in paragraph (e)(4) or listed by Underwriter's Laboratories, Inc. as fire-retardant coatings with a flame spread index of less than 25.

FLOOR COATINGS are opaque coatings that are formulated for or applied to flooring, including (but not limited to) decks, porches, gymnasiums, and bowling alleys, but do not include Industrial Maintenance Coatings.

HIGH-TEMPERATURE INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE COATINGS are industrial maintenance coatings formulated for or applied to substrates exposed continuously or intermittently to temperatures above 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 degrees Centigrade).

LACQUERS are clear or pigmented finishes, including lacquer sanding sealers, formulated with nitrocellulose or synthetic resins to dry by evaporation without chemical reaction. The dried film can be re-dissolved by the original solvent.

METALLIC PIGMENTED COATINGS are coatings, excluding roof coatings, containing at least 0.4 pounds per gallon (48 grams/liter) of coating, as applied, of elemental metallic pigment (excluding zinc), mica particles or any combination of metallic pigments and mica particles.

MULTI-COLOR COATINGS are coatings which exhibit more than one color when applied and which are packaged in a single container and applied in a single coat.

PRE-TREATMENT WASH PRIMERS are coatings which contain a minimum of 1/2 percent acid, by weight, applied directly to bare metal surfaces to provide necessary surface etching.

PRIMERS are coatings applied to a surface to provide a firm bond between the substrate and subsequent coats.

QUICK-DRY ENAMELS are non-flat coatings which comply with the following:

QUICK-DRY PRIMERS, SEALERS, AND UNDERCOATERS are primers, sealers, and undercoaters which are intended to be applied to a surface to provide a firm bond between the substrate and subsequent coats and which are dry-to-touch in one-half hour and can be recoated in two hours (ASTM D 1640).

RECYCLED COATINGS are coatings formulated such that 50 percent or more of the total weight consists of secondary and post-consumer coatings and 10 percent or more of the total weight consists of post-consumer coatings, and manufactured by a certified recycled paint manufacturer.

RUST PREVENTATIVE COATINGS are coatings formulated for use in preventing the corrosion of metal surfaces in residential and commercial situations.

SANDING SEALERS are clear wood coatings formulated for or applied to bare wood for sanding and to seal the wood for subsequent application of coatings. To be considered a sanding sealer a coating must be clearly labeled as such.

SEALERS are coatings applied to either block materials from penetrating into or leaching out of a substrate, to prevent subsequent coatings from being absorbed by the substrate, or to prevent harm to subsequent coatings by materials in the substrate.

SHELLACS are clear or pigmented coatings formulated solely with the resinous secretions of the lac beetle (laccifer lacca), thinned with alcohol, and formulated to dry by evaporation without a chemical reaction.

SPECIALTY PRIMERS are coatings formulated for or applied to a substrate to block stains, odors or efflorescence; to seal fire, smoke or water damage; to condition excessively chalky surfaces; to block stains such as from woods prone to extractive.bleeding; or recommended for application to highly alkaline concrete, plaster, and other cementitious surfaces. An excessively chalky surface is one that is defined as having chalk rating of four or less as determined by ASTM D-4214 – Photographic Reference Standard #1 or the Federation of Societies for Coatings Technology “Pictorial Standards for Coatings Defects”.

STAINS are opaque or semi-transparent coatings that are formulated to change the color but not conceal the grain pattern or texture.

TRAFFIC COATINGS are coatings formulated for or applied to public streets, highways, and other surfaces including, but not limited to, curbs, berms, driveways, and parking lots.

UNDERCOATERS are coatings formulated for or applied to substrates to provide a smooth surface for subsequent coats.

VARNISHES are clear wood finishes formulated with various resins to dry by chemical reaction.

WATERPROOFING CONCRETE/MASONRY SEALERS are clear or pigmented sealers that are formulated for sealing concrete and masonry to provide resistance against water, alkalis, acids, ultraviolet light, and staining.

ZINC-RICH INDUSTRIAL MAINTENANCE PRIMERS are primers formulated to contain a minimum of 65 percent metallic zinc powder (zinc dust) by weight of total solids for application to metal substrates.