EPA Hosts Webinar on Spray Foam Initiative
The Environmental Protection Agency hosted over 300 spray foam industry professionals and concerned viewers in an online seminar to introduce the agencies’ collective concerns and involvement with the safety practices and health risks associated with the handling, application, and life cycle usage of spray polyurethane foam.
Involvement included:
- EPA
- OSHA
- NIOSH
- CPSC
- The Center for Polyurethanes Industry, and
- Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance (SPFA) trade associations
The SPFA reports market growth of up to 40% since 2004. The EPA sited a report indicating that over 400 million pounds of polyurethane foam were consumed in North America during 2008.
The presentation several goals of the EPA initiative:
- Improve Availability of Safety Information
- Communicate Best Safety Practices
- Address Inaccurate and False Marketing Claims
- Exposure Assessment
According to information made by the EPA, another webinar will be held regarding Spray Foam due to demand. Stay tuned to OHShub.com for more information.
Source: Sprayfoam.com
Mary Cushmac, from the EPA opened up the meeting with comments about the current situation in the industry as it relates to the government agency’s perspective. She indicated that both the A-side product and B-side products contain both primary and intermediate chemicals of concern, especially if they are mis-handled, or applied incorrectly.