United States Environmental Protection Agency Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 Research and Development EPA/600/SR-93/108a September 1993 Project Summary Catalog of Materials as Sources of Potential Indoor Air Emissions, Volume I. Insulation, Wallcoverings, Resilient Floor Coverings, Carpet, Adhesives, Sealants and Caulks, and Pesticides A. Leininger, K. A. Scott, E. C. Sarsony, L. C. Huff, C. R. Blackley, and M. B. Stockton This report discusses and presents data on constituents and emissions from products that have the potential to affect the indoor air environment. It is a tool to be used by researchers to help organize the study of materials as potential sources of indoor air emis- sions. Included in it are sections on seven product categories: insulation, wallcoverings, resilient floor coverings, carpet, adhesives, sealants and caulks, and pesticides. Each section presents a classification scheme for the prod- uct, sales and usage volume data, quali- tative data on product composition, and quantitative and qualitative data on emission rates to the indoor air. Emis- sions information is presented only for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) be- cause these are the compounds most likely to be emitted from materials found in homes and office buildings. Data tables summarizing available emissions and constituent data are provided and are organized according to the classifi- cation scheme present for each prod- uct category. This Project Summary was developed by EPA's Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory, Research Triangle Park, NC, to announce key findings of the research project that is fully docu- mented in a separate report of the same title (see Project Report ordering infor- mation at back). Introduction The report gives information on con- stituents and emissions from products that have the potential to contribute to indoor air contamination. It is a tool to be used by researchers to help organize study of ma- terials as potential sources of indoor air emissions. The materials addressed in Volume I include adhesives, caulks, and sealants, carpet, insulation products, pes- ticide products, resilient floor coverings, and wallcoverings. Additional products will be addressed in Volume II. Information on product usage volumes, volatile organic compound (VOC) constituents, and VOC emissions data are included. The emis- sions information presented focuses on VOCs. Information on the volatile constitu- ents in products gives an indication of pollutants that could potentially be emitted. Finally, a summary compilation of existing emissions data indicates how well-charac- terized different products are in terms of their contribution to indoor air emissions. Classification of Materials as Sources Prior to development of this catalog, a classification system was developed to identify all products that could potentially ) Printed on Recycled Paper ------- be brought into homes and office build- ings. The system identifies and classifies material of all types brought into or used to construct and renovate homes and office buildings. The classification study was de- signed to lay a foundation for a systematic analysis of the role of materials in influenc- ing indoor air quality. The products in- cluded were organized based on the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) sys- tem. Sales information was included for each product. From this list of materials, a subset was developed that represented those products thought to contribute to indoor air pollution. Three factors were used to develop this list: The quantity of product produced: How pervasive is the product in the environment? Compositional information: Based on readily available published in- formation, what volatile compounds could potentially be emitted? The nature of its use: What is the likelihood of human contact with emissions from these materials? The categories presented in this cata- log were chosen from the classification scheme based on the above criteria. Each category studied was further defined to make data gathering efforts and presenta- tion of data useful. Individual classification schemes were developed for each cat- egory with two goals in mind: to develop a useful scheme to present the variety of products in the category; and to present usage and constituent and emissions data for the various products in each product category in a manner that allows easy comparison of available information. Sources of Information A wide variety of information sources were identified that provided data on chemi- cal constituents and emissions from the materials under study. Table 1 summa- rizes the information source type used to develop the catalog. In addition, several databases were identified that contain in- formation potentially useful to the catalog. Table 2 summarizes these databases. While data-gathering efforts were not ex- haustive because of time constraints, they were extensive for each product category studied. Information presented in this cata- log is a good representation of the current state of knowledge regarding constituents and their emission rates. Note that the data presented in this catalog did not go through EPA quality assurance. Rather, data from published sources are assumed to have undergone quality assurance and peer review checks prior to publication. For information and assessment of the quality of any particular study presented here, the reader should refer to the originally cited reference. Data Management Data gathered for each product include sales data, emissions data, and constitu- ent data. Because of the large volume and diversity of the data collected, data man- agement tools were developed to assist in tracking, sorting, searching, and summa- rizing the collected information. Pertinent data from each reference were recorded on data entry forms and entered into a simple database to store, sort, and report the information. Use of a standard data entry form ensured that all data obtained from each reference were recorded in the same manner and could be reported in a manner that allows easy comparison across products. Data identified in the literature did not undergo extensive quality assur- ance as part of this project, and the techni- cal accuracy of the data presented in the catalog may vary from source to source. Complete reference citations for all data presented in the catalog are included. Readers are encouraged to refer to origi- nal references to learn more about the studies for which data are presented. VOC Emission Rates from Mate- rials An appendix to the catalog includes tables presenting information on emission rates from materials included in the cata- log. The emission rates presented in these tables were determined through test cham- ber experiments and headspace studies. The data are sorted by compound and, for each compound, a list of materials that were found to emit that particular com- pound is given. In some cases, qualitative data on compounds emitted are given. In these cases, the information is often de- rived from a headspace study where it is possible to identify the chemicals emitted, but not at what rate. For example, all mate- rials that were found to emit formaldehyde are listed in one table. Conclusions The approaches used to identify and collect relevant constituent and emissions information for building materials, fixtures and furnishings, and consumer products were successful for most product chap- ters. Literature surveys and telephone con- tacts with trade associations proved lucrative in all product chapters. Industry studies, in which manufacturing processes were examined and retailers/wholesalers contacted, were good sources of informa- tion for products that were not well charac- terized elsewhere. For example, many formulary references describe the constitu- ents in most adhesives, but no such refer- ence was identified for wallcoverings. Information presented in each product chapter allows determination of a product's potential to emit VOCs to the indoor air. How a product is formulated often deter- mines its potential to emit. Determination of the extent to which each product in a product chapter influences indoor air qual- ity varied from chapter to chapter based on the extent of constituent and emissions data available for that product chapter. This catalog represents a valuable resource for developing emission testing plans, ex- perimental design parameters, and proto- cols. For example, the sealants and caulks chapter describes the emission mecha- nisms for chemicals that are emitted, and the insulation chapter describes differences between wet and dry samples. Finally, the information presented in this catalog provides a clear message that many product categories are not well stud- ied with respect to their potential impact on indoor air quality. The data gaps that are evident in the catalog provide useful infor- mation for organizing future studies on emissions from materials found in homes and offices. Table 1. Summary of Data Sources Literature Searches Industry Contacts Other Sources Published Technical Studies Conference Proceedings On-line Technical Databases Journals Trade Publications Manufacturers Trade Associations Retailers/Distributors Architects Contractors Installers Independent Researchers State and Federal Agencies Academic Institutions Databases ------- Table 2. Databases Identified Database Name Responsible Organization NASA Lockheed Engineering and Sciences Company Concentration of Indoor Air Pollutants Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories (CIP) Building Performance Theodor Sterling Associates Navy U.S. Department of the Navy NIOSH National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health FIFRA and TSCA Enforcement System, Radian Corporation (FATES) Non-occupational Pesticide Exposure Study, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency/Atmospheric (HOPES) Research and Exposure Assessment Laboratory Eco-Search Eco-Search GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 19*3 - 750-071/MOS4 ------- A. Leininger, K. Scott, C. Sarsony, L. Huff, C. Blackley, and M. Stockton are with Radian Corp., Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. James B. White is the EPA Project Officer (see below). The complete report, entitled "Catalog of Materials as Sources of Potential Indoor Air Emissions, Volume I. Insulation, Wallcoverings, Resilient Floor Coverings, Carpet, Adhesives, Sealants and Caulks, and Pesticides," (Order No. PB93- 212041; Cost: $36.50; subject to change) will be available only from: National Technical Information Service 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161 Telephone: 703-487-4650 The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at: Air and Energy Engineering Research Laboratory U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park, NC 27711 United States Environmental Protection Agency Center for Environmental Research Information Cincinnati, OH 45268 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300 BULK RATE POSTAGE & FEES PAID EPA PERMIT No. G-35 EPA/600/SR-93/108a ------- |