building materials

VOC’s in Carpet

Carpet is an almost omnipresent feature in many homes and while it has its benefits, many ordinary carpets also have some issues. Health and environmental concerns associated with many carpets include indoor air quality (IAQ), chemical emissions from manufacturing and disposal operations, short lifespan of broadloom carpets particularly in rental properties and solid waste impacts due to their difficulty in recycling and most ending up in landfill at the end of their lives.

As far as IAQ is concerned, a variety of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can be emitted from some carpet materials, typically in the backing. Remember that ‘new carpet smell’? That’s them! Although VOC emissions from new carpet seem to fall to low levels within a few weeks after installation when accompanied by good ventilation, this doesn’t mean they are gone, just that you can’t smell them, as they are emitted for quite long periods at progressively lower levels, that can nonetheless keep having an impact on your families health, particularly sensitive children..

Carpet can have a purifying impact on indoor air quality by absorbing and trapping particulates present in indoor air, but then you have to make sure they get removed completely when cleaned, because it can be difficult to get all particulates back out of carpet.

Tretford have a GreenTagCert™ LCARate Silver, GreenRate Level A Certified with low VOC, it is heavy contract cord carpet range with pile made predominantly from goat hair, which is a renewable, durable, low lanolin, inherently anti-static fibre. To achieve a Silver rating the product must not trigger any ‘Red light’ warnings A Silver award indicates a Very Good product in its market category.

Tips for installing new carpet:

  • Buy only carpets that have been certified low VOC by systems like Global GreenTag (all levels and tiers), Cetec, GreenGuard or GreenLabel;
  • The area should be ventilated with fresh air during installation with air-conditioning off to avoid recirculation of air.
  • Vacuum the floor after the old carpet and underlay have been removed
  • Where possible keep ventilating the space for a minimum of 72 hours after installation
  • If carpet adhesives are used, demand a low VOC water-based adhesive
  • If you are sensitive to VOC emissions, leave the premises during and immediately after carpet installation.

 

Explore more about the product ranges that have been eco-certified and listed by Ecospecifier, by using the Product Search Engine on Ecospecifier Global: www.ecospecifier.com.au

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glass technology

Glass: How It Affects You, Your View And Your Energy Bills

Part 1 … Glass Technology

Glass is generally transparent and so common, most of the time we forget that it is even there, but glass can have a major impact on your home’s light and heat levels, making it dark or light, hot or cold, just as a result of the glass choice during construction or renovation. So how do we choose the best glass for our needs? Its best to first understand the basics.

Made from three of earths most basic materials glass is an advancing technology that is constantly taken for granted. The most common glass today is single pane float glass. It is very clear, but also very poor thermally, so homes with single glazing will generally be hotter and colder or use more energy than homes with more advanced glass.

Glass technology has advanced in leaps and bounds in recent years. When fitting out the home or office, there is an array of choices depending on your preferences and needs: if you want to limit sound, increase warmth or keep cool, reduce UV penetration or require safety glass there are literally hundreds to choose from. Glass not only allows natural daylight inside and allows occupants to view out, but the choice of glass can influence energy consumption, personal comfort, the success of indoor plant life and has a large potential cost impact.

It is also important to understand the full lifecycle of glass to identify its impacts on the environment. Different to ‘bottle glass’, the three raw materials used in window glass consist of sand, soda ash and limestone. Glass grade sand is one of the fundamental ingredients in glass and is typically mined in ecologically sensitive environments.

Glass dust, a by-product of manufacturing, can be hazardous to humans if inhaled. However; after manufacturing, glass does not emit any toxics or pollutants and is potentially recyclable (although not often is). Some glass (usually with a slight green tint or darker) contain recycled glass content. Every 1000 kg’s of glass waste recycled into new products saves 315 kilograms of carbon dioxide from being released into the atmosphere during the process of creating new glass.

Explore more about the product ranges that have been eco-certified and listed by Ecospecifier, by using the Product Search Engine on Ecospecifier Global: http://www.ecospecifier.com.au

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The Sick Building Syndrome

Are you breathing toxic air?

A “sick” building is a structure, or room, that has become contaminated with harmful elements or chemicals.

’Sick building syndrome’ (SBS) is a concept that refers to a variety of illnesses that occupants may develop due to exposure to in- building pollution.

Indoor pollution can cause serious health risks although can generally easily be avoided.

A building’s health may be decreased over either a short or prolonged period of time from a variety of causes including:

– External pollution

– Mould and mildew or,

– Product emissions.

Poorly selected finishes in products like fittings and furniture can release gaseous toxins over a period of time, resulting in a prolonged period where a building can be classified as “sick”.

Additionally, certain activities may result in the release of toxins that decrease the health of a building, such as cleaning with products are made with compounds containing volatile toxins.

Health impacts from exposure to a sick building may depend upon a person’s age and health or sensitivity to certain compounds, as well as the level of exposure to a potentially hazardous environment.

The commonly accepted short-term health issues associated to ‘sick building syndrome’ include:

  • Skin, eye and throat irritation
  • Headaches
  • Drowsiness
  • Allergic reactions and asthma

Common long-term health impacts related to the sick building syndrome concept include:

  • Cancer
  • Respiratory disease
  • Heart disease

SICK BUILDING CHECKLIST

A wide variety of factors can reduce the health of a building, below are just a few examples to consider as causes:

  • Biological contaminants such as bacteria, moulds, mildew and house dust mites can cause a range of health effects including hypersensitivity pneumonitis, allergic rhinitis and asthma
  • Stoves, heaters, fireplaces and chimneys can all release carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide, along with a range of other particles, which may impact your health by interfering with the delivery of oxygen throughout the body, irritating the mucous membranes in the eye, nose and throat or cause lung and tissue damage.
  • Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can be released from everyday household products, including carpets and paint, and have the potential to cause a range of health effects including irritation to the eyes, nose and throat, immune deficiency, asthma, headaches, liver and kidney damage and potentially cause cancer
  • Benzene may be present in household products including glues, adhesives, cleaning products and art supplies and may result in a range of health impacts ranging from skin and eye irritation to leukaemia
  • Formaldehyde a toxic chemical present in building materials, clothing and even cosmetics! The health effects of formaldehyde exposure range from nasal and eye irritation to liver and kidney damage
  • Bisphenol A (BPA) is found in plastic products and can act as an endocrine disrupter posing significant health risks especially to the development of young children and babies.

HEALTHY BUILDING ACTION CHECKLIST

Whilst the potential health risks from building products and home fixtures can depend on a wide variety of personal and external factors, there are various steps that can be taken in order to improve the health of a building and reduce any associated health risks:

  • Choose products from a reliable source like the Ecospecifier website (ecospecifier.com.au) which only lists third party certified and verified products that have passed health and eco-toxicity assessments
  • Install weather stripping and caulking to seal the home – this can help to reduce the amount of pollution entering your home and reducing indoor air quality.
  • Prevent and manage issues related to the dampness of a building to avoid the presence of mould in order to decrease the risk of being exposed to hazardous microbes;
  • Eliminate smoking indoors.
  • Ensure adequate indoor ventilation.
  • Avoid products that contain formaldehyde or benzene.
  • Look for Low-VOC paints
  • Buy solid wood, hardboard or exterior grade plywood instead of pressed wood products;
  • Regulate room temperature and humidity to decrease the amount of VOCs emitted;
  • Choose plastic products that are BPA free.
  • Use only third party certified health-safe cleaning products.

Explore more about the product ranges that have been certified and listed by Ecospecifier, by using the Product Search Engine on Ecospecifier Global: http://www.ecospecifier.com.au

Join us in more conversations about green products and sustainability issues on our social media pages:

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