In between blizzards, you may be thinking of installing insulation to save money and energy.
But do-it-yourselfers beware: common spray polyurethane foam insulation systems contain a chemical called methylene diphenyl diisocyanate, or MDI, which has been documented to cause asthma, lung damage, and in severe cases, death.
Because of the chemical’s risks, the federal Occupational Health and Safety 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.
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 federal Environmental Protection Agency published an “action plan” that said the agency would consider regulating MDI in consumer products and might propose to restrict or ban it. 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.
In an attempt to fill the regulatory gap, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control has made spray polyurethane foam systems containing MDI a priority in its Safer Consumer Products program, launched in 2013. The agency will be requiring manufacturers to look for safer alternatives to MDI in these products. The Safer Products program is still essentially untested, however, so it is difficult to predict the outcome of this process – or how long it will take.
In addition to insulation foam, MDI can be found in a variety of adhesives and coatings, including Gorilla Glue, sold in hardware and home improvement stores.
Consumers should not have to wait years for the federal government to take action on potentially harmful chemicals in everyday products. We need real reform of the Toxics Substances Control Act now.
Photo by @Demilec (USA) LLC
