From our friends at EarthTalk® and E-Magazine.
Dear EarthTalk: The
cold winter we’re having here in the Northeast has convinced me to finally beef
up my home’s insulation, but I’ve heard that spray foam can off-gas noxious
chemicals and pollute the indoor environment. Are there safer options? -- Rose Donahue, Framingham, MA
Making your home more energy
efficient is certainly good for the planet and will cut your heating/cooling
bills, but you’re right to worry about chemical off-gassing. According to the
non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG), most common spray polyurethane foam insulation contains methylene diphenyl
diisocyanate, or MDI, a synthetic chemical that has been linked to asthma, lung
damage and even death.
 |
| Soyfoam Insulation. Image: Demilec |
“Because of the chemical’s risks, the federal Occupational Safety
and Health Administration has set the maximum legal limit for MDI exposure
among workers who handle it and related chemicals at 0.02 parts per million in
workplace air,” reports EWG. “However, independent contractors and the general
public, including homeowners who take on DIY insulation projects, may not be
aware of these federal regulations or the risks associated with MDI exposure.”
In 2011,
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it was studying
whether to regulate, restrict or even ban MDI in consumer products. (MDI is
also used in a variety of adhesives and coatings like Gorilla Glue.) “Four
years later, the agency has yet to take real action to protect ordinary people
who go to their local hardware store and pick up a product that contains MDI,”
adds EWG.
There is
hope from the West, though, as the state of California has made finding safer
alternatives to MDI a priority in its Safer Consumer Products program, which
requires manufacturers to look for greener, healthier alternatives. Time will
tell if this new initiative in California will move manufacturers there and
elsewhere away from MDI. Meanwhile, EWG wants the federal government to step up
on the issue and restrict or ban MDI insulation across the country.
Homeowners
willing to spend a little extra do have some safer alternatives to polyurethane
spray foam at their disposal. Soybean-based spray foam doesn’t rely on MDI or
any other synthetic chemicals but has a similar R-value (measuring the strength
of the insulation in blocking air) as conventional spray foam. Leading soy-foam
manufacturers include Biobased and Demilec. Castor oil-based Icynene is another
chemical-free spray foam alternative great for green-minded home renovators.
Cotton
denim batting—typically made from recycled scraps from denim factories—is
another healthy alternative, but can’t be sprayed in and costs almost twice as
much in material costs as spray foam. Sheep’s wool insulation is another
effective choice, but also can’t be sprayed in and costs significantly more
than foam. These and other greener insulation options are available at
mainstream and specialty home improvement stores, and also online via vendors
including Green Depot, Green Home Solutions and Green Building Supply.
CONTACTS: Environmental Working Group, www.ewg.org;
Biobased, biobased.rhinolinings.com;
Demilec, www.demilecusa.com;
Icynene, www.icynene.com;
Green Depot, www.greendepot.com;
Green Home Solutions, www.ghsproducts.com;
Green Building Supply, www.greenbuildingsupply.com.
EarthTalk®
is
produced by Doug Moss & Roddy Scheer and is a registered trademark of Earth
Action Network Inc. View past columns at: www.earthtalk.org.
Or e-mail us your question: earthtalk@emagazine.com.
I love the way you write and share your niche! Very interesting and different! Keep it coming!
ReplyDeletespouwmuurisolatie wol