RTI International/EPA
April 2013
EPA Contract EP-C-05-060/TO56
NRMRL-RTP-460
Environmental and Sustainable Technology
Evaluation: Mold-Resistant Amerrock
Insulation -Amerrock Products, LP, Premium
Plus™ Rockwool Insulation
BRTI
INTERNATIONAL
Prepared by
Research Triangle Institute
For
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Office of Research and Development- Environmental Technology Verification Program
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RTI International/EPA
April 2013
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RTI International/EPA
July 2011
THE ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY VERIFICATION PROGRAM
Environmental and Sustainable Technology Evaluation (ESTE)
&EPA
INTERNATIONAL
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Research Triangle Institute
ESTE Joint Verification Statement
TECHNOLOGY TYPE: Mold-Resistant Insulation Product
APPLICATION: Insulation
TECHNOLOGY NAME: Premium Plus™ Rockwool Insulation
COMPANY: Amerrock Products, LP
ADDRESS: Nolanville, Texas
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has created the Environmental Technology
Verification (ETV) Program to facilitate the deployment of innovative or improved
environmental technologies through performance verification and dissemination of information.
The goal of the ETV Program is to further environmental protection and sustainability by
accelerating the acceptance and use of improved and cost-effective technologies. ETV seeks to
achieve this goal by providing high quality, peer-reviewed data on technology performance to
those involved in the purchase, design, distribution, financing, permitting, and use of
environmental technologies. This verification was conducted under the Environmental and
Sustainable Technology Evaluation (ESTE) element of the ETV Program that was designed to
address agency priorities for technology verification.
This ESTE project involved evaluation of the mold resistance of Amerrock Premium Plus™
Rockwool insulation. Tests for emissions of VOCs and formaldehyde were also performed. For
this project Research Triangle Institute (RTI) was the responsible contractor for EPA Office of
Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory (NRMRL).
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RTI International/EPA
July 2011
This verification statement provides a summary of the test results for Amerrock Premium Plus™
Rockwool insulation.
TECHNOLOGY DESCRIPTION
The following description of the product was provided by the vendor and was not verified.
Amerrock Premium Plus™ Rockwool insulation is a 100% natural spray insulation. It is made
from trap rock and steel slag and contains no chemicals other than annealing oil for dust
suppression. When sprayed in place, the interlocking fibers permanently bond to the sheathing
material. Premium Plus™ insulation is used in new and existing construction in both the exterior
and interior walls.
Figure S-l shows a representative piece of the material.
Figure S-1. Premium Plus™ Rockwool Insulation
VERIFICATION TEST DESCRIPTION
Verification testing of the Amerrock Premium Plus™ Rockwool insulation began on November
10, 2010 at the microbiology laboratories of RTI International and was completed on February 3,
2011. All tests were performed according to the ETV Program's "Test/QA Plan for Mold-
Resistant Building Material Testing." Mold resistance testing was performed following the
guidelines outlined in ASTM 6329. ASTM 6329 provides a quantitative endpoint for growth in a
well-controlled, static chamber environment. The method has been successfully used to evaluate
fungal resistance on a variety of materials including ceiling tiles and HVAC duct materials.
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RTI International/EPA
July 2011
In overview, the Premium Plus™ Rockwool insulation roll was pulled apart in small clumps for
use. Because of the type and structure of the material, the test piece sizes were made as similar
as possible. The material was not autoclaved or sterilized prior to inoculation. Therefore, in
addition to the test organism inocula, any organisms naturally on both the top and bottom
surfaces of the material had the opportunity to grow if conditions were favorable for growth. The
test organisms were inoculated by pipette directly onto the surface of each test material piece in
sufficiently high numbers to provide an adequate challenge, but at a level that is realistic to
quantify. The tests ran for 12 weeks. During the 12 week test period, data from four test dates,
labeled Day 0, Week 1, Week 6, and Week 12, were evaluated. Day 0 samples provided the
baseline inoculum level. A sufficient number of test pieces were inoculated simultaneously for
all four test dates. All pieces for one material and one test organism were put in the same static
chamber. Because ASTM D6329 calls for a reference material similar to the test material, the
reference material chosen for comparison was blown-in insulation purchased from a local home
improvement chain store.
Two test organisms, Stachybotrys chartarum and Aspergillus versicolor were used. The static
chambers were set to 100% equilibrium relative humidity (ERH) for the tests with S. chartarum
and to 85% ERH for A versicolor. On each test date (including Day 0), five replicates of the test
material pieces were removed from the chamber, each was placed separately in a container with
sterile buffer, and extracted by shaking. The resulting suspension of eluted organisms was plated
and microbial growth on materials was quantified by manually enumerating colony-forming
units (CPU).
The numbers of CPU eluted on test dates Weeks 1, 6, and 12 were compared to the baseline at
Day 0. The numbers of CPU were expressed as logic. The results are reported as the logic
change in CPUs between Day 0 and Week 1, Day 0 and Week 6, and Day 0 and Week 12.
Additional measurements included VOC and aldehyde emissions; these were performed by RTI
following ASTM D5116-06.
VERIFICATION OF PERFORMANCE
The results for the Mold Resistance tests are presented in the Figures S-2 and S-3. Growth is
measured by sporulation and is defined as at least a 1 logic increase in culturable organism over
the baseline which was determined on Day 0.
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RTI International/EPA
July 2011
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Figure S-3. Log change in Stachybotrys chartarum
inoculated on the test material over 12 weeks on the
insulation reference material and Amerrock.
The quality assurance officer reviewed the test results and the quality control data and concluded
that the data quality objectives given in the approved test/QA plan were attained.
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RTI International/EPA
July 2011
The emissions of VOCs and formaldehyde test results are presented in Table S-l.
Table S-l. Test results for VOCs and formaldehyde emissions from Amerrock
VOCs and Formaldehyde Emissions*
Emission Types
Total VOCs
Formaldehyde
Individual VOCs
Minimum emission results
<0.5mg/mJ
<0.1 ppm
<0.1 TLV
*Individual pollutants must produce an air concentration level no greater than 1/10 the threshold limit
value (TLV) industrial workplace standard (Reference: American Conference of Government Industrial
Hygienists, 6500 Glenway, Building D-7, Cincinnati, OH 45211-4438.
This verification statement discusses two aspects of Mold-Resistant Building Material Testing,
mold resistance and emissions of VOCs and formaldehyde. Users of this technology may wish to
consider other performance parameters such as fire resistance, service life, and cost when
selecting a building material. According to the test/QA plan, this verification statement is valid
for 3 years following the last signature added on the verification statement.
Details of the verification test design, measurement test procedures, and Quality
Assurance/Quality Control Procedures can be found in the Test Plan titled Test/QA Plan for
Mold-Resistant Building Material Testing (RTI 2008). Detailed results of the verification are
presented in the Final Report titled Environmental and Sustainable Technology Evaluation:
Mold-Resistant Amerrock Insulation - Amerrock Products, LP, Premium Plus Rockwool
Insulation (NRMRL-RTP-460). Both can be downloaded from the ETV Program website
(http://www.epa.gov/etv/este.htmltfmrbmgw).
Signed by Cynthia Sonich-Mullin 4/1/2013
Cynthia Sonich- Mullin
NRMRL Laboratory Director
Office of Research and Development
United States Environmental Protection Agency
Signed by Grace Bvfield 4/1/2013
Grace Byfield
Center for Microbial Community Systems &
Health Research
Research Triangle Institute
NOTICE: ETV verifications are based on an evaluation of technology performance under specific, predetermined
criteria and the appropriate quality assurance procedures. EPA and RTI make no expressed or implied warranties as
to the performance of the technology and do not certify that a technology will always operate as verified. The end
user is solely responsible for complying with any and all applicable federal, state, and local requirements. Mention
of commercial product names does not imply endorsement.
EPA REVIEW NOTICE This report has been peer and administratively reviewed by the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency, and approved for publication. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not
constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.
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