Bill Walsh Executive Director Healthy Building Network

Red List Materials 101: Avoiding Chemical Hazards In Building Materials

Ted Schettler MD, MPH Science & Environmental Health Network

A Case for Healthier Building Materials:

Lifecycle Concerns, Data Gaps, and Precautionary Decision-making

Ted Schettler MD, MPH Science and Environmental Health Network

Green and Healthy Homes Initiative Jan. 21, 2015

Topics

• Consider health-related consequences throughout the product life cycle

• Exposures to chemical ingredients • Hazard information; examples • Conclusions

Who/what is at risk of exposure? • Raw materials extraction—workers, communities • Materials and product manufacturers • Fence line communities • Construction workers • Building occupants • End-of-life (discarded construction debris,

recycled material) Workers, families, communities,

wildlife, general environment

Who/what is at risk of exposure?

Exposure pathways

• Dermal contact and absorption • Inhalation • Ingestion

– Hand to mouth transfer – Dust ingestion: especially children – Diet

Synthetic Building Materials

• Adhesives • Sealants • Caulks • Paints/coatings • Foams • Binders • Insulation • Wood composites • Wallpapers • Carpets • Plastics • New kinds of concrete

Examples of Chemicals of Concern

Material Chemicals Life-cycle hazard concerns

Foam Insulation: polystyrene, polyurethane

styrene Isocyanates

Reasonably anticipated to be a carcinogen; asthmagen asthmagen

Paints, coatings cadmium, cobalt, VOCs developmental toxicants, neurotoxicants

Binders, laminates, particle board

Phenol-, urea-, melamine-formaldehyde resins

carcinogen, neurotoxin, skin irritant, asthmagen

Sealants, adhesives Various resins, curing agents, solvents

Likely carcinogens, endocrine disruptors, reproductive/developmental toxicants, asthmagens

Carpets, windows, doors, wall coverings

Phthalate plasticizers, flame retardants

developmental toxicants, endocrine disruption

Roofing, flashing lead reproductive -, neuro-toxicity

Textiles, furnishings, insulating foam

brominated flame retardants endocrine disruption, neurodevelopmental toxicity

Determinants of indoor environmental quality

• Temperature; temperature gradients; microenvironments

• Heating and ventilation • Dampness and humidity • Chemicals in building materials • VOCs have received most attention until now • SVOCs and others; multiple exposure pathways • Maintenance: e.g. cleaning materials and

practices; pest control

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)

• Aliphatic hydrocarbons, aromatic hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbons, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, esters, ethers, terpenes

• Examples: formaldehyde, toluene, xylene, benzene • Generally highest soon after manufacture and

construction • Novel compounds formed by chemical reactions on

site • Contribute to building-related symptoms; “sick

building syndrome”

Indoor sources of VOCs

• Consumer and commercial products—cleaning agents, pesticides, office supplies, etc.

• Paints and associated supplies

• Adhesives

• Building materials

• Furnishings and clothing

• Combustion appliances

• Outdoor air pollutants

Flame retardants—lessons learned? • Halogenated flame retardants (with bromine or

chlorine) • Phosphorus based • Nitrogen based • Inorganic (e.g. aluminum,

magnesium oxides)

Halogenated flame retardants • Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)

– In humans, associations with: • Neurodevelopmental toxicity • Thyroid disruption • Abnormal reproductive tract development • Increased time to pregnancy

– decaBDE: possible human carcinogen (EPA)

Replacement HFRs

• hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD): developmental neurotoxicant; used in polystyrene foam insulation; worker/occupant exposures [dust]

• Chlorinated tris and related compounds: neurotoxic, probably carcinogenic, inadequately tested (used in foam, furniture)

• Newer flame retardants showing up in household dust (Dodson, EST, 2012)

• Regrettable substitutions

Insulation

Painted Surfaces

Adhesives

Flooring

Carpets

Ceiling Tiles

Wallboard

Composite Board

Lacquers

Common Sources of Asthmagens

Priority asthmagens in building products

• Acid anhydrides (alkyd coatings, epoxy resins, engineered

wood, insulation, carpet backing, rubber flooring) • Acrylates (paints, insulation, solid surfaces, adhesives,

fluid applied and engineered wood flooring, flooring finishes)

• Ammonium hydroxide (chalkboard paint, adhesives) • Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether [BADGE] (epoxies [coatings,

adhesives], dry erase paint, grouts and mortars) • Ethanolamines (adhesives, engineered wood, batt

insulation, SPF insulation, chalkboard paint)

Full Disclosure Required -Healthy Building Network

Asthmagens in building products (cont’d)

• Formaldehyde (laminate, thermal insulation, mineral board, wallboard, engineered wood, acrylic/latex adhesives)

• Isocyanates (SPF insulation, paint, engineered wood, fluid applied flooring, carpet backing urethane spray foam, flooring finishes)

• Phthalates (* - suspected) (PVC flooring, fluid applied flooring, wall coverings, adhesives, lacquer, carpet backing, roofing membrane)

• Polyfunctional aziridine (flooring finish, high performance coatings)

• Styrene (high performance coatings, XPS/EPS insulation)

Formaldehyde Meta-analysis (7 studies of homes & schools in several countries) found: •Asthma risk in children increased 3% to 17% for every 10 µg/m3 (8.1 parts per billion [ppb]) increase in formaldehyde in indoor air. •Formaldehyde levels varied from very low to > 80 µg/m3 (McGwin, EHP, 2010).

Spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation

Manufacturing insulation, toxic ingredients, inside homes and other buildings.

Part B: Amines, flame retardants, polyols, etc.

Part A: Isocyanates.

SPF Insulation

● Isocyanates: respiratory tract sensitizers; MDI less volatile than TDI; respiratory exposures, dermal absorption (workers, occupants).

● Curing time is variable

(hours to days or more); residents may be at risk.

toluene diisocyanate (TDI), methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI)

Phthalates—asthma • PVC flooring, wall coverings, phthalate levels and

asthma, wheezing, allergic symptoms. (Jaakkola 2004; Oie 1999; Bornehag 2004; Tuomainen 2004; Shu 2013)

• Prospective study shows increased risk of asthma associated with higher prenatal exposure to certain phthalates (BBzP, DBP). (Whyatt 2014)

• Based on laboratory studies, multiple mechanisms may be involved.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals • Mimic or interfere with hormone function in a

variety of ways; often at low levels of exposure • Examples:

– Triclosan (antibacterial in many products) • Widespread exposures; house dust, consumer products • Disrupts thyroid hormone levels and interacts with

estrogen and androgen receptors: animal tests; limited human evidence

• Little evidence of efficacy in consumer products – Alkylphenol ethoxylates (mixtures, degrade into

nonyl-, octyl-phenols) • Estrogenic; present in house dust; aquatic toxicity

Can we rely on government standards?

• EPA and OSHA regulations and standards only cover a small proportion of chemicals in products; many out of date

• CPSC concerned mainly with physical safety • Most standards that do exist are risk-based relying

on exposure controls rather than hazard prevention • Government enforcement is limited

Hierarchy of hazard controls: A basic principle of occupational safety and health

• In order of decreasing effectiveness: – Elimination – Substitution—safer material or process – Engineering—e.g., ventilation, encapsulation – Administration – e.g., training, certifications – Personal protective equipment

Avoid regrettable substitution!

An upstream, precautionary approach to safer materials

• When possible, eliminate hazards in chemicals, materials, and products by preferentially purchasing safer alternatives.

• Consider entire lifecycle • Untested chemicals and materials should not

be presumed to be safe; require data • Act on early warnings; learn from old lessons

Bill Walsh Executive Director Healthy Building Network

Red List Materials 101: Avoiding Chemical Hazards In Building Materials

Ted Schettler MD, MPH Science & Environmental Health Network

Single Attribute:

Lead Formaldehyde;

VOCs

Classes: Red Lists;

Precautionary Lists

Disclosure Assessments Optimization

The Definition Of Healthy Materials Is Evolving

Single Attribute:

Lead Formaldehyde;

VOCs

Classes: Red Lists;

Precautionary Lists

Disclosure Assessments Optimization

Single Attribute:

Lead Formaldehyde;

VOCs

Classes: Red Lists;

Precautionary Lists

Disclosure Assessments Optimization

Single Attribute:

Lead Formaldehyde;

VOCs

Classes: Red Lists;

Precautionary Lists

Disclosure Assessments Optimization

Rule of Thumb: Paints

VOCs Nonylphenols Anti-Microbials

Avoid

Prefer

GreenSeal 11

Rule of Thumb: Insulation

Isocyanates – spray foam Formaldehyde - batt

Avoid

Prefer

Cellulose / Fibers Formaldehyde Free Fibe

Rule of Thumb: Board Insulation

Styrene Halogenated Flame Retardants

Avoid

Rule of Thumb: Flooring

Vinyl – phthalates Anti-Microbials Recycled Rubber

Avoid

Rule of Thumb: Wallboard

Anti-Microbials Synthetic Gypsum Recyled Content FGD

Avoid

Rule of Thumb: All Products

Bio-based/Healthier

Be Skeptical Of

Rule of Thumb: All Products

Industry Standard vs. 3rd Party Different Levels

Understand All Certifications

Rule of Thumb: All Products

Health Product Declaration (HPD)

Prefer

Material Stream Optimization: Product Content Disclosure via HPD

Coming Soon !

Online Demonstration.

FORMALDEHYDE

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