message from the presidentperlite.co.za/uploads/files/perlite_2015_spring.pdf · perlite institute,...
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PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.
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A Q u a r t e r l y P u b l i c a t i o n o f t h e Pe r l i t e I n s t i t u t e
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Message from the Presidentby Matt Goecker
Warm greetings to all members and a brief sigh ofrelief that winter is finally passing. It was a difficultwinter for the Midwest and eastern United Statesthis year, and I am sure that all of our members inthose areas are glad to see some signs of spring inthe air. The western United States remainsextremely dry, and we will no doubt be remindedof that come wildfire season this summer. Thecentral valley of California will enter its secondyear under a “no public water” directive for
growers, leaving all the farmers in the region tofend for themselves for irrigation.
The U.S. economy has been challenged this winterwith the crippling effects of the West Coast portcongestion and staged slowdowns that are just nowbeginning to ease. This impacted many sectors ofthe economy, and I know that many of ourmember businesses felt the pressures of thesituation as well. For those that export product,containers became verydifficult to find, and it waseven harder to get themon a vessel. Additionally,many of the packagingmaterials and chemicalsthat are imported come through the western U.S.ports and have been in short supply in recentmonths.
Even given those challenges, we have seen thecost of oil and gas in North America come waydown, and the dollar has strengthened significantlyagainst most other currencies. U.S. GDP growth isforecast to be about 3 percent in 2015, while East
Spring Arrives with Easing of Port Congestion and Progress by Perlite Institute Committees
Continued on page 2
The Perlite Institute’s Core Values: Integrity is Our Guiding Principle ▲ Volunteering is the Best Form of Leadership ▲ Collaboration Generates Better Ideas
Remember, we are avolunteer-drivenorganization, and all helpis needed and welcomed.
New GHS Labeling Regulations TakeEffect June 1. See article on page 5.
President Matt Goecker (second from right) and therest of the Board of Directors gathered in Harrisburg,Pennsylvania, March 23 to discuss the vision and planfor the Institute for the coming year. For more on thismeeting, go to page 7.
Perlite Today—SPRING 2015 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 2
2015 Board of Directors
Asia and China are predicted to be 7 percent. Europe and LatinAmerica are forecast to be 2 percent or less in total with some specificcountries doing better than others.
As we continue to prepare for the Annual Meeting in Barcelona, Spain,this fall, the Membership and Meetings Committee has been workinghard to develop an exciting program for attendees. We are alsosoliciting papers from mining companies that are interested in givingan overview of the perlite ore situation in Europe and the rest of theworld. This is an important topic for our expanders, and I encouragethe mining members to consider giving a talk at the meeting.
The other committees are still meeting regularly, and all members areinvited to participate or just listen in on the conference calls for eachof the groups. We will publish the meeting times via email for thosewho are interested. If any of the committees are working on topics orprojects that you are passionate about, please consider joining thegroup and adding your expertise. Remember, we are a volunteer-driven organization, and all help is needed and welcomed.
Please enjoy the rest of the newsletter and begin making plans forattending the Annual Meeting. I hope to see you in Barcelona this fall!!
—Matt Goecker
OFFICERSPRESIDENTMatt Goecker
EP Minerals LLCReno, Nev.
775-824-7658
VICE PRESIDENTMatthew Malaghan
Australian Perlite Pty LimitedSydney, Australia
61 2 9316 0054
TREASURERKeith Hoople
Midwest Perlite, Inc.Appleton, Wis.
920-731-2671
PAST PRESIDENT / ADVISORLinda Chirico
Carolina Perlite Company, Inc.Gold Hill, N.C.
704-279-2325
DIRECTORSRichard Barabé
Perlite CanadaLachine, Quebec, Canada
514-631-4251
Sebastien CaspardImerys Performance &Filtration MineralsParis, France
(33) 633 50 82 17
Michael DunlaveyPVP IndustriesNorth Bloomfield, Ohio
800-255-4801
Brad HessHess PerliteMalad City, Idaho
208-766-4777; 800-767-4701
René van der MarkPull Rhenen b.v.Rhenen, Netherlands
(31) 318-471001
Jerry MishlerSupreme PerlitePortland, Ore.
503-286-4333
Rick WillisSilbrico CorporationHodgkins, Ill.
708-354-3350
Message from the New President
Continued from page 1
IN THIS ISSUE3 Message from the Executive
Director
5 Industry News
7 News from the Perlite Institute
10 Why Perlite Rocks
14 The Perlite Papers
16 Patents: Two Thumbs Up for
Perlite
17 Perlite Patents
18 Technical Q&As
19 Selected Upcoming
Trade Shows and
Meetings
20 Willingness to Serve
Form
21 Advertising Options
Hotel Olivia Plaza is the newlyannounced site hotel for theInstitute's Annual Meeting in October.This four-star superior boutique hotelis located in the heart of Barcelona inPlaça Catalunya, a stone’s throw frommodernist Barcelona, the Ramblas,the shopping and financial area ofthe city and all the main museums.
See you in Barcelona!
Perlite Institute Annual Meeting • Oct. 18–21 • Barcelona, Spain
Perlite Today—SPRING 2015 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 3
Do you periodically look at the previous yearactivities for your business and ascertain youraccomplishments and areas that needimprovement? We do the same thing for the PerliteInstitute, and I thought I would use this issue of thenewsletter to share some of the successes andareas in need of improvement.
The goals for 2014, and the subsequent results, areas follows:
Utilize technology for educational delivery. The Perlite Institute provided two educational webinars to
members in 2014. The first webinar was a fee-based
webinar, and the attendance was low compared to the
expectations. The Board reviewed the budget and decided
to offer the second webinar as a member benefit. That
action resulted in 14 individuals joining the second
webinar. The momentum has started, and the plan is to
continue providing educational delivery through webinars
in 2015 as a member benefit. We hope you will participate!
Net seven new members while maintaining 95 percent of current members.
The Membership Committee worked diligently on this goal
in 2014, and the organization saw six new members join the
Perlite Institute and a retention rate of 91 percent.
Increase member participation in committee work. New members joined both the Research Committee and
the Meetings and Membership Committee in 2014. Those
individuals have been active participants and continue to
serve on these committees.
Develop analysis on competitive products (i.e. insulation, stormwater management and sludge coagulants).
The Research Committee has been discussing this effort
through potential research projects; however, the analysis
has not been completed.
Continue to update website for reach and relevance.
The website was updated with new material produced
through the Communications Committee and on events
provided by the organization. Improvements continue to be
a focus for the website, and the backend receives regular
updates for better user-management. In addition, new
members have been added to the map on the homepage as
well as to the listing of members, while those members
who did not renew their membership were removed. In
2014, new horticulture and industrial platforms were
created and placed on the website.
Develop a model for the Institute to research new products.
The Research Committee continues to meet and work on
developing a model for providing research. A potential
model for evaluating submitted research projects has been
discussed, but it was decided an informal request to key
researchers would be more effective.
Continue to research and utilize blogs and social media sites.
The utilization of social media sites to promote Perlite
Institute events and communicate news continues to be
performed. In addition, the use of those sites to share
information and technical questions has been successful in
continuing to spread the word about perlite. Members do
not appear to be using blogs to communicate, and this is an
area for potential improvement.
Develop three new and update four outdated product guides.
The Communications Committee worked diligently in 2014
to develop and update several product and plant guides
What Have We Accomplished?
Message from the Executive Directorby Denise R. Calabrese
Continued on page 4
is a quarterly publication
of the
Perlite Institute, Inc.2207 Forest Hills Drive
Harrisburg, PA 17112 USA
Phone: 717.238.9723Fax: 717.238.9985
Winter issue is distributed in January
Spring issue is distributed in April
Summer issue is distributed in July
Fall issue is distributed in October
www.perlite.orgThe mission of the Perlite Institute is to further thesuccess and growth of the perlite industry worldwideby providing its members networking opportunities,education and research; foster customer-drivenmarketing, promotion and product development; andincrease the public’s awareness and knowledge ofperlite and its current and potential uses.
Perlite Today—SPRING 2015 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 4
found on the website and distributed to members via
eblasts. In addition, a survey was developed and
distributed to members asking them which documents
they wanted the committee to work on. Documents were
also developed for the Perlite Institute display at the
StormCon Conference.
Continue grant process.The Research Committee continued to discuss the grant
process and approaching researchers about specific grants
that would benefit the Perlite Institute and its members.
Continue providing newsletter and promote articles received.
The newsletter, Perlite Today, was published four times in
2014. The click-through rates on the newsletter eblasts
averaged 76 times per issue, and the link to the PDF was
clicked on more than 300 times per issue! It is evident the
newsletter is widely read and distributed!
Review existing standards and research codesand regulations affecting the industry.
The Perlite Institute retains the services of David
Yarbrough from R&D Services to provide oversight and
feedback on ASTM standards affecting perlite. David
continues to keep the industry and the Perlite Institute
updated on any changes to the existing standards. Codes
and regulations continue to be reviewed and shared
through the services of Ken Weiner, the Health,
Environment and Regulatory consultant.
Utilize spokesperson to represent the perliteindustry through various venues.
The services of Chuck Vogelsang were secured in 2013 and
continue to be utilized by the organization. Chuck has
brought a fresh perspective to the Institute’s events
through presentations, including a webinar, and articles in
the newsletter. He also answers various technical
questions, and his responses are posted on the Institute’s
Facebook page.
Continue to research and share patents andregulations affecting the industry.
This information appears in every issue of Perlite Today for
members to investigate those items of interest to them.
Update benchmarking data on comparableproducts and distribute that information.
The raw data comparing perlite to other comparable
products was completed by a member on behalf of the
Perlite Institute. Unfortunately, the raw data did not come
with pertinent explanations, and the Horticultural
Committee has not been able to obtain that information.
We continue to try and gather the relevant data so the
information can be placed into an appropriate document
and shared with members.
The Board of Directors met in the spring for itsannual face-to-face planning meeting to discussgoals and direction for the organization. Moreinformation is available on page 7.
We hope you are pleased with all the things thePerlite Institute is doing for the members andencourage you to get involved!
If you would like to sit on a committee working onthese goals, contact headquarters [email protected] or 717-238-9723, and we will behappy to include you in the committee calls. Yourparticipation is vital to the success of theorganization!
From the Executive Directorcontinued from page 3
The 2015 Annual Meeting:Join us in Barcelona, Spain!
Barcelona is home to many World Heritage Sites.
Don’t miss out on the 2015 Annual Meetingto be held Oct. 18–21 in Barcelona, Spain.Watch the Perlite Institute website andcheck your email as detailsabout this event becomefinalized.
PHOTO TOP: Façade of the Nativity and cryptof the Sagrada FamiliaPHOTO BOTTOM: Palau de la Música Catalana
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Want to be a Speaker at the 2015 Annual Meeting?Is there a topic you would like to hear about at the Meeting?Email your ideas to Jen Cramer at [email protected] you interested in speaking at the event? The Membershipand Meetings Committee is seeking Institute members withexpertise to be considered for potential speakers. The educational sessions will be held Monday, Oct. 19, and Tuesday, Oct. 20.Include the following information with your proposal:
Name(s) of presenters; Title of presentation; Briefdescription (1 paragraph); Length of presentation(presentations can range from 30 minutes to 1 hour in length)
Deadline for Submissions: May 15, 2015Please send proposals to Jen Cramer at [email protected]. Allproposals will be kept on file for consideration for future PerliteInstitute Annual Meetings and educational webinars. All applicants will be notified by June 30.
Perlite Today—SPRING 2015 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 5
GHS Hazards Communication to Take Effect SoonThe 2015 launch of the Globally HarmonizedSystem (GHS) for hazards communication in theUnited States is approaching.
For most perliters, the most difficult part of theprocess of change will be to make sure thatanything manufactured on or after June 1, 2015, hasthe proper label. This means that to be compliantbags will either have to be printed with the newinformation or have stickers put on “old” bags.Note that your distributors will have an extra sixmonths to sell their old inventory, so it isimportant to make them aware of what ishappening as well. The change from MaterialSafety Data Sheets (MSDS) to Safety Data Sheets(SDS) may seem daunting, but it will be a one-timerequirement.
Related to having a new SDS sheet developed toreplace the old MSDS sheet, some expandermembers have decided to simply use their oresuppliers’ new SDS sheet. Other perlite expandershave decided they would rather test their ownproduct and create a new SDS sheet. If you decideto test your own product, you may want toconsider using labs that other Perlite Institutemembers have used. (See box below for a listing.)
While within a country a system could beinformative, international commerce can make thecommunication of hazards difficult. GHS wasdesigned to level the systems. In practice, though,there are no mandates for a global timeframe.China was supposed to implement it lastNovember. Canada won’t mandate it for a few moreyears. Additionally, not every country willimplement every portion. For example, the UnitedStates is not requiring communication of theenvironmental hazards of chemicals and materials.
So far, I have not seen any efforts made to ensurethat SDSs are correct and consistent. I have seenplenty of inconsistent, self-contradictory and justplain wrong examples although those wrongexamples do have the right number of sections: 16.
The 16 sections of the SDS are required to provideinformation on the following topics:
SectionNumber Topic
1 Product Identification2 Hazards Identification3 Composition/Information on Ingredients4 First Aid Measures5 Fire Fighting Measures6 Accidental Release Measures7 Handling and Storage8 Exposure Controls/Personal Protection9 Physical and Chemical Properties10 Stability and Reactivity11 Toxicological Information12 Ecological Information13 Disposal Considerations14 Transport Information15 Regulatory Information16 Other Information
Most perliters already have much of thisinformation available on their current or their oresupplier’s MSDS, but perhaps not in this format.Highlights of the new SDS, in my opinion, aresections 2 and 11. Section 11 is supposed toprovide actual data that justifies the hazardspresented in section 2. And, it is there that manynew format SDSs fail. For hazards listed in section2, section 11 might say something like “No dataavailable.” That’s not helpful. Hazards listed in
Industry News
American Assay LaboratoriesReno Office, 1506 Glendale Ave. Sparks, NV 89431-5902, 775-356-0606Elko Office, 2320 Last Chance Road Elko, NV 89801, 775-738-9100
JM Industrial Hygiene Laboratory10100 West Ute Ave. (80127) PO Box 625005, Littleton, CO 80162-5005 303-978-3724, [email protected]
Miles Industrial Mineral ResearchWilliam Miles 1244 Columbine St., Denver, CO 80206 303-355-5568, [email protected]
Technology of MaterialsDr. Sampath Iyengar 4220 N. Palm St., Unit 202, Fullerton, CA 92835714-446-9227, [email protected]
Labs Used by Perlite Institute Members
Continued on page 6
Perlite Today—SPRING 2015 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 6
Imerys Closes Acquisition of S&B Minerals In February, Imerys completed the acquisition ofthe main activities of S&B, a major player inindustrial minerals, from its shareholders, thefounding Kyriacopoulos family and the investmentfund Rhône Capital.
S&B, which achieved revenue of c412 million in2014, is a global player and the European leader inbentonite (binders for foundry, sealing solutions,additives for drilling and for consumer products),the world leader in continuous casting fluxes forthe steel industry, in wollastonite (functionaladditives for polymers and paints) and in perlite-based solutions used in building materials andhorticulture. Through this transaction, Imerys willaccelerate its development by broadening itsspecialty offering.
The Kyriacopoulos family, whose capital interest inImerys now represents approximately 4.7 percentfollowing this rights issue, has entered into ashareholders’ agreement with the GBL groupunder which Ulysses Kyriacopoulos’s membershipon the Board of Directors will be proposed at thenext shareholders’ general meeting. The S&Bgroup was to be fully consolidated in Imerys’saccounts as of March 1, 2015, and will be part ofthe Imerys Group’s Filtration & PerformanceAdditives business group.
In March, Kriton Anavlavis, who had been CEO ofS&B since April 2011, joined Imerys Group’s ExecutiveCommittee as chief financial officer, replacing MichaelDelville who had held the position since 2009.Anavlavis, who joined S&B in 1990, had held severalmanagement positions with the company, includingCFO from 2008 to 2011 and general manager of theBentonite Division from 1995 to 2007.
Sources: Imerys press release and www.lesprom.com
section 2 are intended to be the same ones shownon the label on the bag.
In the perlite world, as I have indicated before,there are basically two scenarios: one for productswith less than 0.1 percent respirable crystallinesilica, and a second for products with 0.1 percentrespirable crystalline silica or above. However, bulktesting for crystalline silica does not distinguishbetween respirable and non-crystalline silica. It istherefore each company’s duty to decide how toreport data if crystalline silica is found at levels ator above 0.1 percent. In any case, this brings us tothe elements required for labels. Note that if apictogram is required, for crystalline silica contentor anything else, the border must be in red somulticolored printing or stickers will be needed.
Label Category Comments1. Product Identifier Perlite, Grade2. Supplier Identification Your Company and Contact
Information3. Signal Word “DANGER,” “WARNING” or
“ ”4. Hazard Statement(s) Depends on Crystalline Silica
content5. Precautionary Information Depends on Crystalline Silica
content6. Pictogram(s) Outline in red
OSHA expects (see reference above) benefits tocompanies to include the following:
• A safer work environment and improved relationswith employees,
• An increase in efficiency and reduced costs fromcompliance with hazard communication regulations,
• Application of expert systems resulting inmaximizing expert resources and minimizing laborand costs,
• Facilitation of electronic transmission systems withinternational scope,
• Expanded use of training programs on health andsafety,
• Reduced costs due to fewer accidents and illnesses,
• Improved corporate image and credibility.
Benefits to workers and the public will include:
• Improved safety for workers and others throughconsistent and simplified communications onchemical hazards and practices to follow for safehandling and use,
• Greater awareness of hazards, resulting in safer useof chemicals in the workplace and in the home.
If your company does not have the ability to createyour own GHS SDS, there are consultants who canbe hired to meet your needs or I can help for adiscounted price. If all you need is some helpfiguring out a couple of abbreviations orexplanations of some sections without needing thewhole document composed, let me know as well.
I hope this helps in understanding what will berequired come June 1, 2015, in the United States.
— Kenneth Wiener, [email protected]
Industry Newscontinued from page 5
Perlite Today—SPRING 2015 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 7
Board Sets Goals, Establishes Core Valuesat Strategic Planning SessionThe Perlite Institute Board of Directors prioritizedgoals for 2015 and established core values for theorganization during a strategic planning sessionMarch 23 at the Institute headquarters inHarrisburg, Pennsylvania.
Led by Executive Director Denise Calabrese, theBoard brainstormed about the organization’sstrengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threatsbefore establishing and prioritizing the followinggoals for 2015:
1) Review and restructure membershipcategories and dues to address the changingindustry environment (i.e., mergers/consolidations) (Meetings/MembershipCommittee)
2) Increase memberparticipation in committeework (all committees)
3) Review potential for developing standards forvarious grades of perlite (TechnicalCommittee)
4) Fund and approach universities to researchprojects to assist the perlite industry (i.e.,insulation/water retention) (ResearchCommittee)
5) Increase activity on social media sites(Communications/Marketing Committee)
6) Maintain awareness of competitive productsin various applications(Communications/Marketing Committee)
7) Continue providing newsletter and promotingarticles received (Communications/MarketingCommittee)
8) Update and communicate benchmarking dataon comparable horticulture products(Horticulture Committee)
9) Nurture the next generation for activevolunteers and leaders (Board)
Additional goals not prioritized were:
◆ Continue to review existing standards andcodes and regulations affecting the industry(Ken Wiener, consultant)
◆ Continue grant process (Research Committee)
◆ Continue to research and share patents andregulations affecting the industry (Ken Wiener,consultant)
News from the Perlite Institute
During a strategic planning session, Perlite InstituteBoard members establish and prioritize goals for theorganization.
Continued on page 8
Perlite Today—SPRING 2015 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 8
◆ Continue to update website for reach andrelevance (Communications/MarketingCommittee)
◆ Develop one new and update three outdatedguides (Brochure Task Force)
◆ Net five new members and retain 98 percent ofcurrent members (Meetings/MembershipCommittee)
◆ Utilize technical spokesperson to represent theperlite industry (Chuck Vogelsang, consultant)
◆ Utilize technology for education delivery(Board and staff)
Denise then led an exercise that helped Boardmembers to establish core values for the PerliteInstitute. These core values will be used to create apositive image of the organization amongmembers, potential members, end-users, thecommunity and the media. Value statements,which manifest the core values of anorganization’s members, include general conceptsand specific actions a business takes to achievepositive outcomes for its various audiences. TheBoard set the following as the core values of thePerlite Institute:
▲ Integrity is Our Guiding Principle
▲ Volunteering is the Best Form of Leadership
▲ Collaboration Generates Better Ideas
These value statements will be promoted on thewebsite, in the newsletter and on Board agendas.Did you know the Perlite
Institute website,www.perlite.org, receivesthousands of visitors eachmonth? Consider thesefacts about web traffic tothe site during the first quarter of this year:
• During January, February and March 2015,the site had almost 10,000 visits.
• Of those visits, 79.4 percent were fromnew visitors.
• A total of 22,659 pages were viewedduring this three-month period.
• The average visitor viewed 2.1 pages pervisit and spent approximately 1.7 minutesviewing each page.
Who’s Visiting www.perlite.org?
News from the Perlite InstituteContinued from page 7
Have Your Company Featured in Perlite Today! The Perlite Institute is seeking members tofeature in its quarterly newsletter, PerliteToday. To have your company featured as amember profile, please take some time totell us about how your company operatesand what it’s like for you to be a memberof the Perlite Institute. Click here toaccess the form with the questions for youto answer.
Please return the form to Amy [email protected]. Thank you!
Perlite Today—SPRING 2015 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 9
Mike Hess Resigns from Institute BoardMike Hess, CEO of Hess Pumice Products/Hess
Perlite in Idaho, has announced his resignation
from the Perlite Institute Board of Directors.
Mike has been called by the Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints to serve as a mission president
for a term of three years. He
will be covering a geographic
area that is one of the largest
in the church for the
continental United States. It is
comprised of North and South
Dakota, eastern Montana,
western Minnesota and a small
portion of northern
Nebraska. Mike and his wife,
Danece, will be responsible for
approximately 250 young men
and young women ages 18 to 21 who have given
voluntarily 18 to 24 months of their lives to
proselyte for the church as well as 13 senior
couples, all retired folks, who have also
volunteered. The church currently has more than
85,000 full-time missionaries throughout the world
in 405 missions.
“It is a great opportunity to give back to a church
and a loving Heavenly Father who has given so
much to us,” Mike says. “The opportunity to see
the change that comes into these young people’s
lives as they discover why they’re here and where
they’re going is truly remarkable.”
The Hesses will be living in Bismarck, North
Dakota, and traveling the mission area frequently.
Back at the business in Malad, Idaho, Mike’s sons
Mike Jr. and Jake, the fourth generation of the
Hess family, will be taking on new responsibilities
as will many of the management team. Marvin, a
second-generation Hess, is also close by to offer
assistance. Mike says he expects great things from
the organization as they get him out of their way
and continue to develop the company.
Hess Perlite is committed to continuing its support
of the Perlite Institute, says Mike, who looks
forward to again being an active participant in the
organization upon his return.
“Please do not travel through this area without
looking us up,” Mike tells the Perlite Institute
members. “I’ll continue to have the same contact
information, and whenever you have the
opportunity to see missionaries walking around
your town, ask them what they are up to,
and you’ll understand better what I am doing.”
Perlite Institute Committee UpdatesResearch – The committee has asked the general
membership for suggestions for research projects
that the Institute should pursue. To date,
discussion has been held around perlite and how
it positively affects water consumption/savings,
pollution control and sludge coagulations. The
committee is also looking at research that would
calculate the surface area of perlite and compare
its physical attributes to other materials.
Communications (Brochure Task Force) – The
committee is working to update the concrete
brochure and convert the numbers to metric. The
use of perlite as an absorbent for sludge is being
investigated as a potential new brochure. In
addition, Gulf Perlite has provided permission to
use any of its brochures with a focus on
agriculture and horticulture. The committee has
also been on the forefront of notifying members of
the upcoming changes in the Globally Harmonized
System and the new Material Safety Data sheets.
Meetings and Membership – The committee is
hard at work on establishing an agenda and
contacting individuals to serve as speakers at the
Annual Meeting in Barcelona, Spain, Oct. 18
through 21. The Hotel Olivia has been chosen as
the site of the meeting. Two webinars are being
planned for this year.
Horticulture – Kathryn Louis has agreed to chair
this committee starting this summer. Anyone
interested in serving on this committee should
contact Kathryn at [email protected].
Technical – The committee is seeking members.
Anyone interested in serving on this committee
should contact the chair, Richard Barabé, at
News from the Perlite Institute Continued from page 8
Mike and DaneceHess
Perlite Today—SPRING 2015 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 10
CRYSTALLINE SILICA and DUST
Silicosis claims from miners in South Africa andstories about victims and their families in India arein the news again. A case in South Africa’s courtshas a hearing date in April 2015.
Back in the United States, frac sand is still the bigissue on a local level. No evidence has been foundthat sand mining operations are linked to anycrystalline silica-related health problem, but thefighting continues. What’s new is that otherpollutants that had been thought of as localproblems are now shown to be traveling longdistances and affecting downwind areas. It takesozone created in Asia about a week to cross thePacific Ocean. California’s pollution-trappingCentral Valley, with ozone from more than 4million residents, major farming activity, significanttruck traffic, oil extraction and refining and otherindustry, is one regionwhere the additionalimported pollution canput levels over the federalhealth standards. I’m notsaying that respirablesilica will find its waythousands of miles away from a source, but whatonce was considered a local problem can bemeasurable even over a long distance.
Science has not completely given up on trying todo research into curing silicosis. Several studiesare being performed on mice (and I’m notconvinced that exposure over several weeks ormonths in mice is equivalent to exposure inhumans measured in years). Perhaps someprogress is being made. In my opinion, the factsthat silicosis is completely preventable and thosewho get it might not even be able to afford the curecontribute to slow action.
GLOBAL WARMING & POLITICS
Diplomats continue to go to nice places around theworld to talk about climate change. Almost 200countries signed off on an 86-page document during
a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, leading up toanother conference late this year in Paris. It isdifficult to believe that countries will finalizeanything important, but there are someexpectations that some little agreements mayhappen. Two sources of greenhouse gases areexpected to be addressed in the next six to ninemonths: Aviation and transoceanic shipping. Expecttravel and goods to become more expensive, eventhough fuel prices may remain down.
REACh, CLP, and GHS
Canada has just finalized its rules and timetable forimplementation of the GHS system. Fullcompliance will not be required there untilDecember 2018. It is expected that one label andone Safety Data Sheet (SDS) will suffice in mostcases to satisfy both U.S. and Canadianrequirements, except that Canada will requiredocuments to be both in French and English (youcan have two, single-language documents or one,bilingual document for Canada). One good thing tocome out of the new Canadian rules is that SDSswill no longer have a three-year “expiration date.”They will be valid until information given in themchanges.
The rationale behind the implementation is thatthe GHS will result in significant savings due toincreased awareness of chemical hazards. Thatcould be correct, if data presented on SDSs wereaccurate and consistent from supplier to supplierfor each chemical. Some companies tend to over-warn, and some tend to under-warn. Often SDSsstate hazards in one section, while in anothersection of the same SDS the company writes thatthey have no data regarding those hazards. As faras I can tell, it is impossible to be right andimpossible to be wrong. And there does not seemto be any incentive to be “as correct as possible”other than the potential threat of legal action.
Additionally, it is not only companies that areinconsistent. Countries are also inconsistent. Often,
Continued on page 11
Updates on RCS Limits, Climate Change,Mine Safety, Competition and the Economy
Why Perlite Rocks A look at news around the globe affectingperlite manufacturers
by Kenneth Wiener
Respirable silica, whichwas once considered alocal problem, can bemeasurable even over along distance.
New Zealand is almost alone categorizing aparticular chemical as, for example, an irritant,while other countries consider the material non-hazardous.
In the meantime, the U.S. deadline for GHSimplementation is still scheduled as June 1, 2015,for manufacturers and Dec. 1, 2015, for distributors.For those perliters in or doing business in theUnited States, I strongly recommend getting yournew bag orders, or at leaststick-on labels, in as earlyas possible.
Don’t forget, though, thatyou are a customer andwill need to receive newformat SDSs and trainyour workforce on howthey should be read. Yoursuppliers shouldn’tsimply have taken off theword “Material” and theletter “M.” Theinformation is to be transmitted in a new, perhapsclearer-to-understand way.
MINE SAFETY
Work performed at copper mines in Chile will befurther investigated at sites in Bolivia, Columbiaand Canada. Plants grown in a sand/perlite mix onland contaminated by mining wastes have beenshown to reduce levels of leachable metals andradionuclides in a process called“phytostabilization.” If it is confirmed that theplants leave the elements in the ground butconvert them to an insoluble oxidation statewithout absorbing them past plant roots, biomassfrom those plants can become a revenue stream aswell as a way to inexpensively meet environmentalregulations.
Earlier work, involving growing plants in sand andperlite dating to the 1990s, was performed in theUnited States on one acre of a former smeltingoperation in Kansas that was heavily contaminatedwith more than 20,000 ppm of lead and zinc.Cadmium contamination was also present.Revegetation was successful using poplar treesover a three-year period. At another site, in SouthDakota, revegetation with poplars failed on an acrecontaminated with mine waste containing arsenic
and cadmium. The failure was blamed on deereating the new plants, bad weather and the generaltoxicity of the contaminants. It would seem thatmultiple factors control the outcome of suchefforts.
Phytostabilization and bioremediation are twodifferent methods of achieving similar goals. Thephytostabilization process relies on plants toachieve the cleanup, while bioremediation, fromwhat I understand, relies on microorganisms heldon solid carrier materials to transform hazardouswaste into something less harmful.
Several years ago, we heard from two youngcollege graduates who were trying to promoteinsulation and other such products produced toorder by fungi such as oyster mushrooms. Theystill are at it and still including perlite in theirsystem. They are currently targeting other foamuses, such as surfboard cores and shoe soles aswell. In the meantime,others have taken up thetheme and appliedmushroom technology tobioremediation. Oystermushrooms feed oncellulose, so they can turn dirty diapers into richsoil within a month. Mushrooms have also beenknown to store plant nutrients, such as phosphate.Research in Columbia with a gel form of fungusshowed that the gel helped farmers get the samepotato yield with half the phosphate normallyapplied. Fungi have been used to performbioremediation on diesel-contaminated soil,previously resistant to other cleanup methods.And even radioactivity is no problem for somefungi, as shown in an area around Chernobyl.Remember, perlite is an excellent carrier andgrowth medium for these organisms.
THE ECONOMY
After reaching a possible temporary minimum ofunder $45 per barrel, oil prices have rebounded abit. No one is speaking as much about nationaldisasters because of decreased oil revenue, butsome lawmakers are seeing decreased gasolineconsumption as a potential disaster in terms ofmaintaining roads, bridges and otherinfrastructure. Using California as an example, ourroads and freeways were designed and built tosupport a population of approximately 20 million.The U.S. Census Bureau estimates California’s 2014
Perlite Today—SPRING 2015 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 11
Continued on page 12
Why Perlite Rocks continued from page 10
The U.S. deadline for GHSimplementation is June 1,2015, for manufacturersand Dec. 1, 2015 fordistributors. For thoseperliters in or doingbusiness in the UnitedStates, get your new bagorders, or at least stick-onlabels, in as early aspossible.
Remember, perlite is anexcellent carrier andgrowth medium for fungi.
population at about 39 million. The governor hasestimated $59 billion worth of road work needs tobe performed on the state’s highways. (It would benice to get a tiny slice of that pie, and I believe thatsome form of perlite, perhaps filter aid, would beuseful in applications in concrete and asphalt!)
As I write this, factors such as a refinery strike,decreased production due to an explosion at anExxonMobil refinery andthe shift to summer blendgasoline have resulted inprice increases of about80 cents per gallon in myarea. This takes moneyout of the hands ofconsumers, possiblythreatening the ongoingrecovery.
Just remember that economies are cyclic. InFebruary, in the deal of the century (so far), a WestVirginia family repurchased a metallurgical coalmining operation that they had sold in 2009 to aRussian company. In 2009, the operations weresold for $568 million. After the operation lost anaverage of $60 million per year since 2012, thefamily got the company back for $5 million, plus $3 per metric ton sold.
GREEN BUILDINGS
I am reporting on two news items regarding greenbuildings. One is technically interesting, and theother involves interest (financial). First thefinancial: the U.S. government-backed lenderFannie Mae will grant a 10 basis point reduction inthe interest rate of a multifamily refinance,acquisition or supplemental mortgage loan forbuildings with a green building certification. Thatmay not sound like much, but for a $10 millionloan at 3.9 vs. 4.0 percent, amortized over 25 years,an owner could save more than $150,000 in interestpayments.
The technical item concerns the use of biomass tomeet the renewable energy demands of a building.ASHRAE’s 2015 Winter Conference was heldrecently in Chicago and did not accept a proposalto simply add the word biomass to the definition ofrenewable energy sources, such as solar, wind andgeothermal. ASHRAE’s committee, however, willwork on a definition of biomass as well as
requirements on the use of biomass to meetrenewable energy requirements. In other words,burning firewood doesn’t and won’t earn you“green” status.
BIOFUELS & OTHER SUSTAINABILITY ISSUES
Despite the low price of oil currently, oil companies(other than BP, which faces up to $13.7 billion infines for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon spill) continueto support research into alternative fuels. Howmuch of that is to generate tax losses for now andhow much of that is to develop promisingtechnology for futurebusiness based on theirextensive distributionnetworks is debatable, buteither way, the companiesare working on varioustechnologies. Hydrogenremains a promising fuel,but barriers exist in termsof generation, distributionand utilization. Energy- and resource-efficienttechnologies are needed for generation, as areefficient distribution channels and a sufficient baseof vehicles that can utilize the fuel.
A recent interview in a biofuels newsletter, BiofuelsDigest, also points to usages of filter aid inliquid/solid separation, so it’s not just me sayingthat this application exists. Many perliters aregeographically well suited to providing suchmaterials, as opposed to DE suppliers that are tiedto the locations of their deposits.
OTHER REGULATORY ISSUES
Updating the two items mentioned in the previousissue of Perlite Today: the U.S. Supreme Courtdecision in the Amtrak case regarding freight vs.passenger train scheduling is not due until June2015. As for the Udall/Vitter Chemical SafetyImprovement Act (CSIA) reform of the ToxicSubstances Control Act (TSCA), the impression Iget is that the only chance that something mighthappen is if members of the two major parties stopbickering amongst themselves and act as twoparties instead of three or four. TSCA reform islikely the only environmental issue tackled by thisCongress, if at all.
Until next time, happy expanding! Contact me [email protected] if you have anyquestions.
Perlite Today—SPRING 2015 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 12
Why Perlite Rocks continued from page 11
Many perliters aregeographically well suitedto providing filter aids forbiofuels, as opposed to DEsuppliers that are tied tothe locations of theirdeposits.
See page 13 for Ken Wiener’s Competition News.
Increases in the cost ofgasoline take money outof the hands ofconsumers, possiblythreatening the ongoingeconomic recovery.
Perlite Today—SPRING 2015 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 13
A little bit of effort to discover materials useful in thecleanup of contaminated land showed many of theusual suspects: Calcined clay, diatomaceous earth,volcanic rocks, polymers and vermiculite. (Seehttp://sundineenterprises.com/?page_id=675.)To me, the interesting part is that the company copieda paragraph from the Perlite Institute’s work todescribe what perlite is, then proceeded to add somehalf truths and misconceptions about perlite in the verynext paragraph. The page does provide some usefulinformation on desired properties of a bioremediationcarrier: Something that provides open pores larger than1 micron, neutral pH, dimensionally stable over manycycles of freeze/thaw and water absorption/release,good water release, low cation exchange capacity,medium particle size and the ability to combat soilcompaction. Aside from a low crush strength (but eventhen, any perlite is still there doing its job), andblinded by my years of experience in our industry, theauthor seems to be describing a perlite product ofsome sort.
Many of us provide cryogenic perlite. Gaz Transport &Technigaz (GTT), a French company devoted to thetransport of LNG, has designed a system bringing theboil-off rate from sea-going containers below 0.1percent per day. Previously, the best that could beachieved with perlite insulation was around 0.10 – 0.12percent. GTT replacedperlite (in their NO96system) with glass wool inits NO96GW design andhas now come up with itsNO96Max design thatfeatures some differentgeometries within theinsulation. To put thesenumbers into perspective,1970s insulation materialsand designs achieved boil-off rates of about 0.25percent per day. The 1980s saw those values drop toabout 0.15 percent per day. That was a relatively fastdrop, probably dependent on factors other than thenature of the insulation materials themselves. Now,approximately 30 years later, technology has cut thatrate by about 40 percent more. Will GTT’s technology put pressureson perlite expanders? What effects do time andvibration have on the long-term insulation
performance of glass wool versus perlite? Please letthe Perlite Institute Research Committee know if youwould like us to answer these and other insulation-related questions.
An investment company, Wickbury Investments, hasbeen putting money into developing vermiculitedeposits and enrichment technology in Zimbabwe.Wickbury was created in 2011 when foreign miningoperations had to be divested to local ownership. Mineworkers received 10percent equity in the firmat that time. They havealso been funding researchinto the combination ofvermiculite and fertilizer forfarmers to combatproblems of appliedfertilizer leaching awayduring rains. They claim tohave demonstrated significant improvements in cropyield and hence fertilizer utilization efficiency. Thearticle I found did not indicate whether they haveattributed the findings to vermiculite’s cation exchangecapacity or its water-holding capacity, so if vermiculite,why not perlite? The use of perlite in agriculture isanother one of my research ideas. If anyone knowsprofessors with interests in researching native, mineralsoils (as opposed to soilless media based on peat orcoir), please let me know.
In another vermiculite story, W.R. Grace has made itsfinal $490 million payment to a personal injury trustobligation to settle claims stemming from its Libby,Montana, mining operations. Last September thecompany paid $632 million to settle a deferredobligation. However, these payments do not mean thatthe company is now free of all liability. They have setaside about $30 million to settle property damageclaims. Complicating matters is the fact that thecompany decided to split operations into twocompanies. “New Grace” would concentrate on processcatalysts and specialty silicas, while “New GCP” wouldcompete in the specialty construction chemicals,building materials and packaging market. At the timeof this writing, it is not known whether the remainingLibby liabilities will be split or maintained with onlyone of the companies.
– Kenneth Wiener [email protected]
COMPETITION NEWS
The use of perlite inagriculture is another oneof my research ideas. Ifanyone knows professorswith interests inresearching native,mineral soils, please letme know.
Please let the PerliteInstitute ResearchCommittee know if youwould like us to answerthese and otherinsulation-relatedquestions.
Competitors of Perlite Explore Insulation, Leaching of Fertilizer
Perlite Today—SPRING 2015 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 14
The Perlite Papers Innovative Uses of Perlite Explored
by Kenneth Wiener
Research Explores Filter Aids, Furnace Designs, Plant Growth and Concrete Chemical Attacks
Continued on page 15
I am starting off this quarter’s perlite paper review
by reporting that researchers at Tianjin
Polytechnic University have reported on
something that I have long advocated. Instead of
having filter aid, in this case perlite, replaced by or
competing with membrane separation, why not
have the filter aid prevent membrane fouling?
Membrane Fouling1
In their research, Wu, et al. tried at least two
different grades of perlite as a body feed. With
both the preferred 100- to 150-micron particle size
material and the smaller particle size material,
they found reduced filtration resistance and
improved throughput (25 percent with the
preferred grade). Vibration of the membrane was
able to knock off the accumulated perlite and
present a fresh, clean membrane to start all over
again without the need to take steps to remove
fouling.
Phase Change Materials2
Another set of Hong Kong and mainland China
researchers have looked into another way to
incorporate phase change
materials (PCMs) into
construction. They
impregnated paraffin wax
into perlite and then used
that material as aggregate
in (magnesium
oxychloride cement)
concrete. They then extruded the concrete and
found even higher strengths than in cast materials,
allegedly due to the alignment of fibers during an
extrusion process. I am skeptical about the
survivability of perlite in this process, about the
translation of the technology to other binder and
PCM systems and about the economics of the
system. At the same time, I am glad that others
have recognized the potential of the extrusion
process to make products containing perlite and
am hopeful that refinements will allow market
growth for perlite in the construction sector.
Furnace Designs3
Gürtürk, et al. examines two different perlite
furnace designs and compares exergy and cost
efficiency when making plaster-grade expanded
perlite. Exergy, as I understand it, is a measure of
energy available to perform work. Exergy can be
destroyed, unlike energy, which just changes form.
The key takeaway from this paper is that two
different systems, in this case furnace designs, can
be compared using actual production data and
results. For those of us with only one furnace, it
could be a moot point; however, if the researchers
took on the challenge faced by those of us making
more than one grade from more than one type of
ore, we might learn even more about expansion
thermodynamics.
Plant Growth Medium4
In the research of Promdee, et al., we find another
article reporting on the suitability of fine,
unexpanded (!) perlite as part of a growth medium
for plants. Is this something that can help mining
members with their waste material? See the
photographs below for an idea of what their test
material (the one on the right) looked like:
Nature of perlite samples and ground perlite.
I am glad that othershave recognized thepotential of the extrusionprocess to make productscontaining perlite.
Perlite Today—SPRING 2015 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 15
Concrete Chemical Attack5
The research of Pichór, et al. adds to ourknowledge about how perlite can help concreteresist chemical attack. I have had severalconflicting experienceswith perlite in concrete.On the one hand, it hasbeen alleged that perliteis an aggregate that fallsvictim to the Alkali-SilicaReaction, weakening theconcrete, and on the other hand, it has beentouted as a pozzolanic material. Our PerliteInstitute brochure committee has received acommitment from one of our members to test bothperlite and pumice in Portland cement-basedconcrete as a pozzolan. More details will bereported when available. As far as this paper isconcerned, the use of waste-expanded perlitehelps protect concrete against attack from sodiumsulfate.
Green Roofs6
Since many of the presentations over the past fewyears have involved green roofs, I have includedthe results of a pilot study to evaluate runoffquantity from green roofs. The findings bear outsome results obtained by industry professionals asto the delayed flow from green roofs after rains,but I suspect that the soil supplier (GreenInfra Co.,Ltd.) used larger size perlite. Researchers foundthat water flowed through the 100- or 150-mm (4- or6-inch) perlite layer relatively easily. The testing inthe Seoul, Korea, area measured rainwateramounts and time delays during seven stormsdumping from 3.5 mm (about 0.15 inches) of waterduring two hours to 115 mm (4.7 inches) of waterduring 15 hours of rainfall onto the extensive greenroof. Improved water retention is also a desiredgoal for these green roofs, since one wants them tobe self sustaining without artificial irrigation andbecause leaching of nutrients is a bad thing. If theresearchers could be convinced to try a finerperlite, perhaps they would find even more waterretention and a longer extension of the flood peaktime for all but the highest rainfall amounts.
I continue to look forward to reading about andreporting on innovative thinking out there in boththe literature and the real world.
References:1. C. Wu, Z Li, X. Su, Y. Jia, X. Lu, “Novel ultrafiltration
membrane fouling control method with in-situ filter aid ofperlite particles,” Desalination and Water Treatment,Published online: Jan. 27, 2015.
2. Z. Lu, J. Zhang, G. Sun, B. Xu, Z. Li, C. Gong, “Effects of theform-stable expanded perlite/paraffin composite oncement manufactured by extrusion technique,” Energy,Available online: Jan. 24, 2015.
3. M. Gürtürk, H. F. Oztop, Arif Hepbasli, “Comparison ofexergoeconomic analysis of two different perlite expansionfurnaces,” Energy, Vol. 80, Feb. 1, 2015, pages 589–598.
4. K. Promdee, P. Wathanakul, I. Kheoruenromne, “Suitabilityof Fine Perlite for Conditioning Some Physical Propertiesof Soils for Multiply Onion,” Journal of Natural SciencesResearch, Vol. 5, No. 1 (2015).
5. W. Pichór, M. Barna, E. Kapeluszna, A. Łagosz, Ł. Kotwica,“The Influence of Waste Expanded Perlite on ChemicalDurability of Mortars,” Solid State Phenomena, Vol. 227,pages 194-198, 2015.
6. J. Y. Lee, M. J. Lee, M. Y. Han, “A pilot study to evaluaterunoff quantity from green roofs,” Journal of EnvironmentalManagement, Vol. 152, April 1, 2015, pages 171–176.
The Perlite Papers continued from page 14
Want to learn more about a certain committeewithout the pressures of joining? Wishing there wasa way to “test drive” a committee before making acommitment? The Perlite Institute is offeringmembers the opportunity to get to know thecommittees better before deciding to join one.
Sign up to receive reports, minutes and notice ofmeetings from any of the Perlite Institutecommittees. Contact any of the chairs below to beadded to the committee distribution list or to learnmore about the committee and its work:
Join a Committee, Make a Difference
Brochure Task ForceJerry Mishler, Co-Chair, [email protected] Willis, Co-Chair, [email protected]
Communications/Marketing CommitteeMichael Dunlavey, Chair, [email protected]
Horticultural CommitteeKathryn Louis, Chair, [email protected]
Meetings and Membership CommitteeMatthew Malaghan, Co-Chair
[email protected] Willis, Co-Chair, [email protected]
Technical CommitteeRichard Barabé, Chair, [email protected]
Research CommitteeLinda Chirico, Chair, [email protected]
In this paper, the use ofwaste-expanded perlitehelps protect concreteagainst attack fromsodium sulfate.
GETINVOLVED!
Perlite Today—SPRING 2015 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 16
It’s interesting. When I reviewed the list of thisquarter’s patents relevant to perlite, I thought thatthe important ones to write about took advantageof several different perlite attributes. And, I waswrong. Those important ones all involve perlitefines, both expanded and unexpanded.
The Wang ’850 patent, assigned to Imerys, takesadvantage of perlite being a natural glass to makean actual glass. The preferred perlite isunexpanded, with the majority of the particles wellsmaller than 10 microns. Boric acid and soda ashare added as well and mixed together beforeheating. The final product contains pores andqualifies as a low coefficient of thermal expansioninsulator. Additives are specified that change thecolor, the strength and the pore size. Applicationsinclude linings for high-temperature industrialprocesses, such as flue gas desulfurizationequipment.
Surace, et al., ’277, teaches the use of byproductsto make drywall. In particular, they assert thatperlite fines, especially byproducts fromapplications such as horticultural perlite, have alow-embodied energy footprint and the use wouldbe eco-friendly (as opposed to the alternative ofsending the material to a landfill). That works outin practice until the demand for fines exceeds thesupply. Then, all of the product would have thesame relatively high-energy footprint. Anyonewanting to speak with the assignee, SeriousEnergy, Inc., should contact Pabco, as my researchonline indicates that Serious Energy, a start-up,could not survive economically and has sold offassets, including intellectual property such as thispatent.
USG’s Brown ’295 patent is also about fines. Theuse of at least 3.5 percent additional perlite fines(particles smaller than 23 microns) improves thefire resistance of building panels. The rest of theingredients include mineral wool, clay, starch andpaper. He did not explain the improvement, butperhaps it is related to lower air porosity or lowerorganic content of the panel or tile.
Also involving fines is the Provonost ’118 patent,which teaches that the addition of perlite fines
(probably filter aid material) to a compositionbased on hydrophobic-fumed silica providesenough abrasion to clean off rocks, pilings andother objects coated with tar from oil spills. Thewebsite for the assignee is pretty bare bones,indicating that it too is likely a start-up with few orno full-time employees.
Pearce, et al., ’820, teach the use of -30 +100 meshperlite as an absorbent for liquid spills. They likeperlite, as opposed to vermiculite, because perliteis white and will allowvisual detection when thecolor-changing chemicalsincluded in theformulation revealinformation about theabsorption process.Interestingly, a super-absorbing polymer is also present as is a smallamount of water, presumably to keep thecomponents together.
Even if none of the listed patents generate anysales for Perlite Institute members, they keeppushing the boundaries of perlite thinking,production and applications. Thanks forcontinuing this journey with me.
The important patents related to perlite thisquarter involve perlite fines, both expanded andunexpanded.
Patents: Two Thumbs Up for Perlite by Kenneth Wiener
Perlite Patents Focus on Fines, Expanded and Not
The important patentsrelated to perlite thisquarter involve perlitefines, both expanded andunexpanded.
Did you know?The Perlite Institute has an online library featuringan in-depth collection of the research, tests,applicable uses and technical data the PerliteInstitute and its members have compiled andpublished for perlite, grouped by industry:
• Horticulture
• Construction
• Insulation
• Industrial Applications
• Filtration
Check it out at www.perlite.org.
Perlite Today—SPRING 2015 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 17P
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Perlite Today—SPRING 2015 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 18
Technical Q&As Q: Do you have data showing R value with 105density cmu filled with perlite?
A: The R value for perlite-filled block varies
depending on the size of the block and void space.
Perlite Institute has produced a brochure that
provides information that should be of help.
(Thermal Performance of Masonry Walls Insulated
with Perlite: http://tinyurl.com/PerliteInsulated
Masonry)
A standard 6-inch block filled goes from an R value
of 1.45 to 4.25. A standard 8-inch block goes from
1.63 to 5.9. A standard 12-inch block goes from 1.84
to 8.36.
This brochure provides some additional
information on the insulating properties of perlite
block fill. Perlite Loose-Fill Masonry Insulation:
http://tiny url.com/PerliteLooseFill-Insulation
Q: I am a roofer and need to know if perlite cansubstitute for gypsum board in order to complywith International Building Code 2603.4(thermal barrier), reference ASTM E 119? Therequirement is that the top side of theinsulation not rise above 250 degreesFahrenheit after 15 minutes of exposure to aninterior house fire. An acceptable material perthe code is ½-inch plywood. Since plywoodburns and perlite does not and since the R-valueof perlite is more than twice that of plywood, itwould seem reasonable that perlite would meetthe requirement of the code.
A: While the Perlite Institute does not have such
specific board information, it is probable to
conclude that plywood could be replaced with
perlite type boards.
A number of large producers make composite
perlite boards for roofing applications, and there
are many different formulations for such boards.
Their properties would have to be obtained from
such producers.
Q: What type of equipment could pump perlitevertical 70 feet?
A: Lightweight expanded perlite is pretty easy to
convey pneumatically, and it normally is done
with a pressure pot pushing the material into a
conveying line. The driver air is provided by a
roots-type blower. The quantity and density of
what is being moved will determine the size of the
system and air flows.
Q: I am considering using perlite or silicone-coated perlite as wall, floor and roof/ceilinginsulation in a post-and-beam framed house. Ihaven’t found any information on using it thisway. Is there any reason not to use it in woodframing? I only see it used as fill for masonrywalls. Also, I have differing R-values for perlitefrom R-2.7 to R-3.13 per inch. Which is correct?
A: Perlite is not normally used in ceiling
applications like fiberglass mat or loose-blown
cellulose. This material is light and fluffy, plus it
flows like water, which is why when it is used in
block fill, any openings are sealed or the material
will just flow out. A wooden-frame construction
would likely have similar results, especially since
wood frame is not really sealed.
I have tried pouring vermiculite, which is not as
fluid as perlite, down an interior wall that I thought
I had sealed well but found it still wasn’t sealed
well enough. Perlite would probably be even more
challenging.
Our latest data reflects the 3.1 R per inch rating,
which is what the industry reports in both block
fill and underslab applications. Perlite is used
many places as a masonry block fill. It pours down
the open core and fills all the void spaces. These
small glass bubbles give the improvement in R
factor. In some very wet areas, silicone treated
perlite is occasionally used.
Expanded perlite also is used to make lightweight
cements that are used in roof decking. The perlite
lightens the cement plus improves its insulating
capability. Perlite is also used as an underslab
insulation.
Want to see more? Have your own question forChuck Vogelsang, the Perlite Institute’stechnical spokesperson? Visit the Perlite InstituteFacebook page or the LinkedIn Group or [email protected].
Perlite Today—SPRING 2015 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 19
Opening ClosingDate Date Name of Show Location Website
5/22/2015 5/24/2015 Roof India Mumbai, India http://roofindia.com/Bombay Exposition Centre
6/14/2015 6/17/2015 Western Roofing Expo Las Vegas, Nev. http://www.wsrca.com/Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino
6/17/2015 6/20/2015 American Seed Trade Association Washington, D.C. http://www.amseed.org/events/asta-annual-convention/Annual Convention Washington Marriott Marquis
8/13/2015 8/15/2015 Nursery and Landscape Expo Dallas, Texas http://www.nurserylandscapeexpo.org/Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center
8/18/2015 8/20/2015 Independent Garden Center Show Chicago, Ill. http://www.gardencentersofamerica.org/event-1750794Navy Pier
8/19/2015 8/20/2015 Citrus Expo North Ft. Myers, Fla. http://www.citrusexpo.netLee Civic Center
8/26/2015 8/29/2015 Plantarium Boskoop, NL http://plantarium.nl/en/International Trade Centre
8/27/2015 8/29/2015 Farwest Show Portland, Ore. http://www.farwestshow.com/Oregon Convention Center
9/24/2015 9/25/2015 ONLA Annual Convention Oklahoma City, Okla http://www.oknla.org/and Trade Show Cox Convention Center
10/5/2015 10/8/2015 Green Roof & Wall Conference New York, N.Y. www.citiesalive.org/Cities Alive Marriott New York at the Brooklyn Bridge
10/18/2015 10/21/2015 Perlite Institute Annual Meeting Barcelona, ES www.perlite.orgHotel Olivia
11/4/2015 11/5/2015 Penn Atlantic Nursery Trade Show Philadelphia, Pa. http://www.pantshow.com/Pennsylvania Convention Center
11/10/2015 11/10/2015 Tree and Vine Expo Turlock, Calif. www.agexpo.biz/Stanislaus County Fairgrounds
11/13/2015 11/13/2015 Sonoma Grape Expo Cloverdale, Calif. www.agexpo.biz/Cloverdale Citrus Fairgrounds
11/17/2015 11/17/2015 Grape, Nut & Tree Fruit Expo Fresno, Calif. www.agexpo.biz/cvgrexpo.htmlThe BIG Fresno Fairgrounds
11/17/2015 11/19/2015 Filtration Chicago, Ill. www.inda.org/inda-events/Navy Pier
11/19/2015 11/20/2015 Green Industry Show Calgargy, AB, Canada www.greenindustryshow.com/BMO Centre at Stampede Park
2/1/2016 2/5/2016 World of Concrete Las Vegas, Nev. www.worldofconcrete.comLas Vegas Convention Center
11/11/16 11/13/16 Filtech Cologne, Germany www.filtech.de/KoelnMesse
Selected Upcoming Trade Shows and Meetings
Perlite Today—SPRING 2015 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 20
All non-profit organizations rely heavily on its members to assist with activities that are identified as being important for the positive direction of the organization. We are trying to develop active committees within the Perlite Institute and would like to ask you to volunteer your time and talent to the organization.
Committees will meet by conference call and will e-mail and call each other to communicate. The average amount of time committee involvement should take is 1-2 hours each month. The more volunteers we have on committees, the more successful we will be as an organization.
Please volunteer to serve on a Perlite Institute committee today! Just complete the form below and return it to the Perlite Institute office at 2207 Forest Hills Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17112; via fax to 717-238-9985; or by e-mail to [email protected].
WE NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE! PLEASE VOLUNTEER TODAY!
COMMITTEES
Brochure Task Force - Jerry Mishler and Rick Willis, Co-Chairs
Communications/Marketing Committee – Michael Dunlavey, Chair
Horticultural Committee – Kathryn Louis, Chair
Meetings and Membership Committee – Matthew Malaghan and Rick Willis, Co-Chairs
Technical Committee – Richard Barabe’, Chair
Research Committee – Linda Chirico, Chair
Your Name:
Company:
Phone: E-mail:
THANK YOU!
WILLINGNESS TO SERVE FORM
Perlite Today—SPRING 2015 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 21
ADVERTISING OPTIONS
ABOUT THE PERLITE INSTITUTEThe Perlite Institute is an international organization founded in 1949. Our mission is to further thesuccess and growth of the perlite industry worldwide by providing its members networkingopportunities, education and research; foster customer driven marketing, promotion and productdevelopment; and increase the public’s awareness and knowledge of perlite and its current andpotential uses. Members of the Perlite Institute are decision makers for their companies. If you arelooking to reach this industry, you need to advertise with the Perlite Institute!
RIGHTS OF THE PUBLISHERThe Perlite Institute reserves the right to refuse or to edit any advertisement for any reason it deemsnecessary.
ACCEPTANCE TERMS FOR ADVERTISING No implication of endorsement by the Perlite Institute of product or advertisement may be made.
The Perlite Institute must approve all ads and placement of the ads. The Perlite Institute reserves the right to reject, cancel or remove at any time any advertisement for
any reason. In such a case, prompt notice and a prorated refund will be provided. These guidelines are intended to provide general guidance. They are not inclusive or exhaustive and
are subject to change at the discretion of the Perlite Institute at any time. Advertising contract must be used and payment received prior to running advertisement. Ads are non commissionable. Net due 10 days. 1% interest charged after 30 days. No refunds will be granted for cancellations of advertising after the stated deadline for the
publication.
Perlite Today• Digitally distributed on a quarterly basis to members of the organization.• Contains editorial features, industry related articles and items of pertinence to the membership• Ads available in full color.• Deadlines: March 7 (For Spring issue)
June 6 (For Summer issue)September 5 (For Fall issue)December 5 (For Winter issue)
File Format: We accept the following file formats: PDF or linked PDF. Formatting needed for bothright and left facing.
Resolution: All file formats must have a minimum of 300 dpi (dot per inch) resolution or greater. Fonts: For readability, it is highly suggested no fonts be smaller than 14 pt.
Perlite Today—SPRING 2015 PERLITE INSTITUTE, INC.PAGE 22
Advertising Contract
Advertiser/Company Name: Date:
Contact Person:
Address:
City: State: Zip: Country:
Phone: E mail:
Perlite Today Ad Size (from chart below) Amount Due
Spring issue
Summer issue
Fall issue
Winter issueArtwork: Enclosed To follow (e mail [email protected]) Use previous artwork on file
Rates (per issue):
Ad Size Ad DimensionsMember Non Member1x 4x 1x 4x
Full Page 7.5” w x 9.5” h $360 $310 $400 $350½ Page Horizontal 7.5” w x 4.6” h $270 $220 $300 $250½ Page Vertical 3.6” w x 9.5” h $270 $220 $300 $250
¼ Page Horizontal 7.25” w x 2.15” h $135 $85 $150 $200¼ Page Vertical 3.6” w x 4.6” h $135 $85 $150 $200
Method of Payment: Check (payable to Perlite Institute) Visa MasterCard Discover
Total Amount Due: $
Name on Card:
Billing Address:
Credit Card Number:
Expiration Date: 3 Digit Security Code:
Signature:
Please return this form to:The Perlite Institute, 2207 Forest Hills Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17112
717 238 9985 (fax)[email protected]