Manufacturers of building insulation now have a "green" alternative
to formaldehyde in the production of fiberglass batting. Aquaset(TM) acrylic
thermosetting binders from Rohm
and Haas enable manufacturers to produce high-quality, cost-effective insulation
that is indistinguishable in performance from insulation made using formaldehyde
resins.
Water-based Aquaset acrylic technology represents a sustainable chemistry that
is non-combustible, non hazardous, recyclable and non-flammable - characteristics
earning it a 1-0-0 safety rating from the Occupational Health & Safety Administration
(OSHA). Insulation manufacturers using Aquaset binders can dramatically reduce
or even eliminate exposure to emissions and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).
This is because Aquaset binders produce only water during the curing process,
in contrast to traditional binders that emit compounds such as formaldehyde,
methanol, phenol, and ammonia during cure, and continue to emit formaldehyde
during shipping, storage, installation and throughout the product's lifecycle
in the home.
Additional environmental and production benefits Environmentally advanced Aquaset
technology also offers additional advantages to manufacturers of fiberglass
insulation. Specifically, water- based Aquaset acrylic technology:
- Eliminates the energy, cost and equipment associated with handling emissions
from traditional binders including the need for thermal oxidizers that generate
the greenhouse gases
- Eliminates the need for auxiliary chemicals such as urea, used to control
formaldehyde during the manufacturing process
- Enables production lines to run at the same or higher speed
- Reduces the amount of particulates in the work environment
- Reduces energy consumption and increases convenience, since Aquaset resins
don't require refrigeration, remain stable at room temperature, and are diluted
with just water
- Results in insulation batting with compressibility, moldability and recovery
that is comparable to, or better than, insulation produced with formaldehyde
resins
Successful first-hand experience
A major North American insulation manufacturer has experienced first-hand the
benefits of Aquaset acrylic thermosetting technology. After adopting the Aquaset
technology, they became the only manufacturer in the United States exempted
from the EPA's National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for
Wool Fiberglass Manufacturing. The firm reduced plant formaldehyde emissions
by more than 200,000 pounds, ammonia by more than one million pounds, and eliminated
phenol and methanol emissions completely. Canadian environmental agencies have
also taken note: insulation made using Aquaset resin became the only bonded
fiberglass insulation eligible for Environment Canada's prestigious Environmental
Choice EcoLogo Program.