Michiel Brouns talks with Charlie Martin of the Anti Greenwash Charter in Episode 150 of The Responsible Edge podcast.
“The paint aisle now looks virtuous. Labels promise low emissions, water-based formulas and environmental responsibility. Green palettes and reassuring language suggest a sector aligned with sustainability. The chemistry behind many products tells a different story.”
In this podcast Michiel speaks candidly about the lack of transparency in the paint industry.
“The difficulty lies in how the industry describes itself. Paint manufacturers frequently emphasise water-based formulas and low emissions. Such claims create the impression that the environmental question has largely been addressed.”
Michiel disputes that conclusion, stressing that many products described as water-based still rely on plastic polymers. The water allows thinning and cleaning, but it does not alter the underlying material.
About the ASBP Members
Michiel Brouns of Brouns & Co
Michiel Brouns is a valued member of the ASBP Paints & Finishes Group. This collaborative Community of Practice comprises leading UK manufacturers and suppliers of natural and healthy paints & finishes. These differ from most modern decorative paints that remain dependent on petrochemical polymers.
Charlie Martin of the Anti-Greenwash Charter
In addition to hosting The Edge Podcast, Charlie Martin is the CEO and Founder of the Anti-Greenwash Charter. In 2022 ASBP supported specialist communications agency and ASBP member Gusto to launch the Anti-Greenwash Charter in response to the alarming finding by the Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) that up to 40% of green claims made online in 2021 could be misleading. You can find out more about the Charter, and why the ASBP were keen to support this initiative here.
The Anti-Greenwash Charter
ASBP Members who have signed the charter include: Brouns & Co, Morgan Sindall Construction, Whitby Wood, Back to Earth, Timber Development UK and Edward Bulmer Natural Paint – https://antigreenwashcharter.org/charter-signatories.
More about paint…
You can hear more about paint in a short video by Edward Bulmer, following his illuminating talk at the 2026 Healthy Buildings Conference. “Questioning the impact of paint on human and environmental health.”