insulation - keep it natural for you and the planet
If you are renovating or are installing new insulation in your home you should read this.
Professor Tom Woolley in his book Building Materials, Health and Indoor Air Quality explains the following: Ninety-eight per cent of all insulation sold in the UK is made from petrochemical or synthetic materials. ‘Some insulation products contain formaldehyde… and fibres such as fiberglass which can irritate the skin, eyes and respiratory tract… when inhaled.’ When choosing fibreglass insulation Professor Woolley recommends using a formaldehyde free brand. Formaldehyde remains ‘a major indoor air pollutant of concern’ and is a known carcinogenic’. Foam insulation ‘can be a serious health risk in fires…synthetic insulation releases hydrogen cyanide, which is deadly. This is sadly what happened at the `Grenfell Tower fire. Professor Woolley strongly advises not to use synthetic petrochemical or mineral based insulation.
Although we imagine that insulation is hidden behind plasterboards (which are increasingly vapour permeable) once installed Professor Woolley writes that ‘VOC emissions from insulation products, and the chemicals used to make insulations, are found in indoor air quality (IAQ) tests where there is no other possible source’. ‘Chemicals… from flame retardants and… synthetic insulation products have been found in surprisingly high concentrations in blood tests’. ‘The World Health Organization issued guidance in 2008 warning of domestic exposure to VOCs as a cause of asthma in young children’
A 2003 paper in the British Medical Bulletin warned of the dangers of exposure to chemicals and makes a clear link between increasingly airtight buildings, construction chemicals and health problems. ’Everyday exposure to multiple chemicals, most of which are present indoors, may contribute to increasing prevalence of asthma, autism, childhood cancer, medically unexplained symptoms, and perhaps other Illnesses’.
natural insulation is the healthy alternative.
Natural materials can ‘modulate air quality…handle moisture levels’ and provide acoustic properties. Importantly they do not emit harmful toxins in the home, or into the environment and are easy to install for DIY purposes. ‘Natural fibre insulations have an equivalent or better thermal performance than conventional quilt insulation’. Wool is also known to have the ability to absorb certain toxins. At the Healthy House we used sheep’s wool for the insulation. The installers were over the moon doing it – the only side effect for them was their soft hands. They were used to getting rashes, tickly skin and sneezing when installing chemical insulation.
there are various types of natural insulation currently on the market
· Sheep’s wool – be aware that some is ‘heavily dosed with borax’ which can cause respiratory problems. Both sheep’s wool and hemp insulation can contain synthetic glues and binders.
· Wood fibre – available as flexible wood fibre insulation slabs and quilt insulation.
· Paper/cellulose – uses fibres from recycled paper. Tom Woolley writes that there is a Natureplus certified cellulose insulation that claims to be borax and ammonia free – both of which can be irritants.
· Hemp – hemp fibre quilt insulation is a strong, durable material and can absorb up to 20% of its weight in moisture without reduction. The Hempcrete Book cites the benefits of ‘negative net carbon emissions for hemp due to the carbon dioxide taken up during the growing process’ Due to the strength of hemp fibres the insulation keeps its structure over time compared with synthetic quilts’.
· Suppliers of these natural insulation products are listed below.
Tom Woolley (2017) Building Materials, Health and Indoor Air Quality.
22 Jun 2017 - King's College Hospital confirmed to Sky News that three of its 12 Grenfell patients were treated with Cyanokit, the hydrogen cyanide antidote. ... “When ignited, the PIR foam insulation gives off toxic gases, including hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide, which cause rapid incapacitation when inhaled, preventing escape.
13 Sep 2017 - Insulation used at Grenfell Tower - which releases cyanide if burned - is ... after the Grenfell fire, in which victims suffered cyanide poisoning.
World Health Organization (2008) Children’s Health and the Environment, WHO Training Package for the Health Sector, Geneva.
Indoor asthma triggers at home | Asthma UK
celticsustainables.co.uk
William Stanwix & Alex Sparrow (2014) The Hempcrete Book