Should Green Buildings Contain Toxic Fire Retardant Chemicals

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Should Green Buildings Contain Toxic Fire
Retardant Chemicals?

• A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO  BUILDING INSULATION
  MATERIALS  Brendon Levitt 15 minutes
• Halogenated FR chemicals in insulation Alex
  Madonik   5 min
• Introduction of other panels members Ten minutes
• Clarifying the problem with Q and A from
  audience  Ten minutes
• What we can do about it?.  General brainstorm 10
  min
• Prioritization, Action steps with owners. Working
  group?  20 minutes

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A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO BUILDING INSULATION
MATERIALS BRENDON LEVITT
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• THERMAL INSULATION

• Batt Insulation (Glass and Mineral Wool)
• Board Insulation (Polyurethane, Polyisocyanurate,
  Polystyrene, Cellulose, Fiberglass)
• Blown-In Insulation (Cellulose, Fiberglass)
• Poured-In Insulation (Perlite, Vermiculite)
• Foamed-In Insulation (Polyurethane,
  Polyisocyanurate, Polyicynene)

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EIFS - Exterior Insulation and Finish System
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INSULATING CONCRETE FORMS
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CONCRETE BLOCK INSULATING SYSTEMS
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STRUCTURAL CONCRETE INSULATED PANELS
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STRUCTURAL INSULATING PANEL SYSTEMS
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DUCTS, PIPES, EQUIPMENT
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CODE
Chapter 26, California State Building
Code 2603.3 Foam plastic insulation shall have
flame spread index of 75 or less and a
smoke-developed index of 450 or less (test ASTM E
84)
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ISSUES

• Question Need for Fire Retardant
• Revise Building Code
• Select Building Components Only
• All Building Components

• Accept Need For Fire Retardant
• Alternative Fire Retardants
• Alternative Rigid Insulation Materials

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Should Green Buildings Contain Toxic Fire
Retardant Chemicals?

• A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO  BUILDING INSULATION
  MATERIALS  Brendon Levitt 15 minutes
• Halogenated FR chemicals in insulation Alex
  Madonik   5 min
• Introduction of other panels members Ten minutes
• Clarifying the problem with Q and A from
  audience  Ten minutes
• What we can do about it?.  General brainstorm 10
  min
• Prioritization, Action steps with owners. Working
  group?  20 minutes

16
Should Halogenated Fire Retardants be in Green
Buildings?

• Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) currently used in
  all polystyrene insulation
• TCPP and brominated FR's Chlorinated phosphate
  esters used in polyurethane foam polyiso(rigid
  spray)
• 1-bromopropane, used as a blowing agent in spray
  foam

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Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)

• Nominated for the first EU list of sixteen
  Substances of Very High Concern by Sweden in
  August, 2008.
• High production volume chemical (3 BFR)
• Persistent, Bioaccumulative, Toxic (PBT)
• Found in household dust, breast milk, sewage
  sludge
• 85 of usage is used in polystyrene insulation
• Currently no non-halogenated substitute

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TCPP (PCF) chlorinated phosphate esters

• Used with polyurethane foam (rigid spray) to
  meet FR requirements for insulation
• Same family as Chlorinated Tris (TDCP) which is
  cancer causing
• Is it found in dust or indoor air?
• What are long term health effects?
• TEP (triethyl phosphate) is a non-halogenated
  phosphate substitute used widely in the EU

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1-Bromopropane

• May cause central nervous system effects in
  humans.
• In animals, effects have been reported on the
  following organs Male reproductive organs.
  Female reproductive organs. Liver.
• Birth Defects/Developmental Effects Has been
• toxic to the fetus in lab animals.
• Reproductive Effects has been shown to interfere
  with
• reproduction and fertility in animal studies.
  
• Normal handling unlikely to result in
  exposure levels of and cutting are 1-bromopropane
  sufficient to cause the listed effects.
• From Material Safety Data Sheet The Dow Chemical
  Company
• Product Name THERMAX(TM) 2.00 Inch BS Heavy
  Duty Insulation Board