Is soy foam eco-friendly?
Another aspect that is not spoken of by these companies touting the "eco-friendliness" of these foams is the soy used is grown with GMOs, genetically modified crops grown here in the USA. Cargill Chemical Company produces these chemically modified crops of soy then looks for places to sell their crops.
Is spray foam bad for your health?
And given that some spray foam manufacturers have safety manuals as long as 84 pages and multiple hazard data sheets about how to protect yourself against adverse health effects from the chemicals in their "green" spray foam products, we think that’s a good reason to be concerned.
What is soy-based foam insulation?
Soy-based foam insulation is different from other more traditional spray foams because it is partly made from renewable soybean oil, making it more environmentally friendly and a “green” alternative to regular SPF insulation.
Is spray foam insulation eco-friendly?
This created the perfect opportunity to talk up spray foam as an ‘eco-friendly green insulation’, even though quite a few manufacturers just squeaked into compliance with the new regulations at the very last minute.
What is the least toxic spray foam insulation?
Soy – Soy foam insulation works similar to polyurethane spray foam, but without the risk of toxic outgassing. It is moisture, mold and fire-resistant. Cellulose – The most environmentally friendly option there is, cellulose insulation is a blown-in insulation made of recycled paper, mostly newspapers.
Is soy based polyfoam safe?
Polyurethane foam made with small amounts of soy derived materials still exposes human beings to toxic, carcinogenic materials, still relies on oil production, and still poisons life.
Is all spray foam toxic?
No it's not, 24 hours after spray foam has been applied there will be no toxic chemicals present, as the gas is made inert. This makes it perfectly safe for humans or animals to be present in the sprayed area.
What is the most environmentally friendly spray foam?
Due to being produced from entirely recyclable materials, Icynene® spray foam is the best insulation option for preventing global warming and saving renewable energy.
Is soy based foam good?
Nope. Soy-based memory foam mattresses or bio-foam mattresses are actually more expensive than regular memory foam even though they cost less to produce. Companies overcharge since they can promote the “eco-friendly” characteristics. Replacing a portion of the chemicals in foam makes it 5-20% healthier.
What is soy based foam?
In short, soybean foam is primarily made from petrochemicals, not soybeans. No forest green lettering or image of pastoral fields on marketing materials can change the truth: soy foam might contain 20% soy content, but it can also contain as little as 3-5% depending on the product.
Is spray foam carcinogenic?
Current spray foam mixtures containing formaldehyde can produce the airborne MDI against which the EPA warns. Such chemicals can cause cancer and contribute to unsafe air quality.
How long is spray foam toxic?
According to the EPA, occupants must stay away from the building while it cures (and as long as the dust remains) for at least 24 to 72 hours, something they, devastatingly, are not always told. If the spray foam continues to off-gas, the building can be inhospitable to occupants for years.
Is there a safe spray foam insulation?
It is very important to clarify that spray foam insulation, when installed properly by professionals, is a safe type of insulation. In fact, once it has cured properly, it will even contribute to improving the indoor air quality of your home.
Why is spray foam bad for the environment?
This means the higher the global warming potential, the more a gas warms the earth compared to carbon dioxide. A large issue associated with spray foam is the chemicals used in common blowing agents, like HFC-245fa, HFC-365mfc, and HCFC-141b, have an extremely high GWP.
Is spray foam bad for the environment?
While it's true that some spray foams are better than others, all are more damaging to the environment than almost any other type of insulation. If spray foam is the best solution, consider using HFO-blown foam over the more common HFC foams.
What insulation is bad for the environment?
Ozone depletion and global warming are two of our most serious environmental problems—and foam insulation materials containing CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) contribute significantly to both of these problems.
What Is So Different About Soy-Based Spray Foam?
Along with the reputed lowered levels of off gassing, soy spray foam insulation is advertised as greener because of the soy content as the product itself.
What Is The Debate Surrounding Soy Based Spray Foam Off Gassing?
If you’re new to the world of home insulation, then the likelihood is , you’re going to come across some pretty confusing terms, often backed-up by some equally as baffling , and often contradictory claims.
Are There Any Benefits To Choosing Soy Based Spray Foam?
Soy based spray foam is an interesting form of home insulation, but benefit-wise, it holds little sway over some of the other spray foams on the market, and oftentimes, it provides poor insulation in comparison .
What is soybean foam made of?
In short, soybean foam is primarily made from petrochemicals, not soybeans.
Why is soy foam green?
They count on the fact that soy foam sounds healthy. The initial green angle for soy foam was on using renewable plant-based resources* to supplement non-renewable petroleum.
Is soy foam a plant based mattress?
In the mattress world, soybean foam mattresses (both crib and adult) have risen in popularity as “clean” living becomes more mainstream, marketed as a plant-based option. However, the truth about soybean foam (also known as bio-foam, soy foam, and other names combining soy-, bio-, or -eco.) might surprise you.
Is foam mattress bad for you?
With so many different types of foam mattresses now being marketed to sleepers, it’s tough to know the truth about foam. Is it healthy for you? Should you avoid foam entirely? Unfortunately, mattresses that use petroleum-based polyurethane foam are actually very dangerous for your health, but what about soybean foam?
Does growing biofuels harm the environment?
Additionally, a story published March 23, 2014 in The Telegraph claims "The United Nations will officially warn that growing crops to make “green” biofuel harms the environment and drives up food prices...". Environmentalists have been concerned about biofuel crops and their environmental impact for some time.
Is growing crops to make biofuels harmful?
Additionally, a story published March 23, 2014 in The Telegraph claims "The United Nations will officially warn that growing crops to make “green” biofuel harms the environment and drives up food prices..." Environmentalists have been concerned about biofuel crops and their environmental impact for some time. The UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is expected to publish the actual report on March 31, 2014. Read The Telegraph's article at http://bit.ly/1iwMv3K.
Is soy foam flammable?
No forest green lettering or image of pastoral fields on marketing materials can change the truth: soy foam might contain 20% soy content, but it can also contain as little as 3-5% depending on the product. The rest is highly flammable polyurethane foam.
Limited R values, petroleum based. This product could actually cost you more than you think
Green building has taken a massive leap forward in the past ten years, it’s cheaper and more beneficial for the environment for you to have eco friendly products in your home and insulations systems which don’t reflect badly on the environment.
Limited R Values
Soy Spray Foam products are improving, and have currently reached a performance level where they are better at insulating than fibreglass batts.
Other Green Alternatives
Depending on how eco friendly you really want to be, there are other alternatives to Soy Spray Foam Insulation. For example, LogicFoam, a modern and efficient spray foam insulation from United Kingdom has superior insulating qualities and is eco friendly, with the lowest global warming potential achievable for an insulation product.
You Could Actually be Generating more Carbon Dioxide with Soy Foam Insulation
Looking at it from another perspective, if you use a lower R value insulation such as soy spray foam insulation you can actually be contributing more towards global warming.
Problems With Soy Insulation: Final Thoughts
When it comes down to, the facts are that you are not going to get the same insulation and airtightness qualities from green insulations such as soy spray foam than you are from more modern insulations. Products such as straw bales, blue jeans or newspaper insulations are not much better either.
What is soy foam insulation?
Soy foam insulation, as is currently being produced by multiple insulation companies, is a thermoset plastic foam that makes use of soy’s organic form—soy-bean products do not release chemicals or contain urea/formaldehyde. Available in spray-on form which uses water as its main blowing agent, soy foam expands inside the wall like other types ...
What is spray on foam?
Spray-on foam insulation is composed of either isocyanurate (open-cell) or polyurethane (closed-cell). In open-cell foam, the actual cells of the foam are not completely closed, allowing air to fill the remaining empty space. Closed-cell foam is not as soft as open-cell foam but it’s stronger—the cells in closed-cell foam are closed ...
What is soy used for?
Soy is commonly used in many industrial products, including paints, adhesives, and stains. It is also used in resin formulations —after much testing, researchers at the University of Delaware were able to create a soy-based polymer from a soy resin—and has physical properties comparable to polyester. Soon thereafter, soy was infiltrating everything from bio-diesel to powder coatings. Using soy in building construction seemed the logical next step.
Is soy foam a spray on?
Available in spray-on form which uses water as its main blowing agent, soy foam expands inside the wall like other types of spray-on insulation, but has no toxic gas emissions. Soy foam insulation is also available in rigid form, which is much less dense than other kinds of rigid foam.
Is foam insulation green?
Foam Goes Green: Soy Foam Insulation. Although fiberglass and mineral wool insulation are already helping minimize carbon dioxide emissions and saving energy, and efforts such as Foam It Green have attempted to create environmentally friendly foam insulation, most forms of insulation are not environmentally friendly.
Is closed cell foam soft?
Closed-cell foam is not as soft as open-cell foam but it’s stronger—the cells in closed-cell foam are closed and tightly packed, but are filled with an agent that enables expansion.
Is soy foam insulation good for mold?
The insulation properties of soy foam are comparable to those of traditional polyurethane insulation, and it is mold and mildew resistant. It can also limit the amount of outdoor irritants, like pollen, dust, and other allergens. Other benefits include:
Which is better for the environment: memory foam or plant based foam?
Which is Better for the Environment? Plant-based memory foam is possibly better for the environment. However, it’s difficult to know for sure. Even if it is better, it’s probably not by much. As explained above, plant-based foams use materials obtained from plants to replace polyols derived from petroleum.
Why are some manufacturers turning to plant foam?
Because of the concerns with flexible polyurethane foam, some manufacturers and consumers are turning to plant foam.
Why do manufacturers need less petroleum to make polyols?
Manufacturers need less petroleum to produce the polyols, and less energy (from petroleum) to transform petroleum molecules to polyols. Creating polyols from plant oils requires less energy than creating polyols from petroleum, adding another environmental benefit.
Can plant foam mattress be waterproof?
A Final Word of Warning. If you decide to give a plant foam mattress a try, be sure to check out the other components that make the mattress . Manufacturers may still use things like vinyl/PVC as a waterproofing solution, which means the mattress could expose your baby to phthala tes and other chemicals.
Can polyols be 100% plant derived?
No. While polyols can be 100% plant derived, isocyanates can’t be. That means that even in a plant based memory foam mattress, the isocyanates come from petroleum. Because of this, the term plant-based foam is somewhat misleading. For example, if 20% of a petrochemical polyol is replaced by a plant polyol, only about 10% ...
Is there a crib mattress that is non toxic?
If you’d prefer to stick to all natural, there are plenty of organic crib mattresses on the market, as well as solid wood non toxic cribs to use in your baby’s nursery.
Is polyurethane bad for the environment?
In addition to the environmental issues, there are health concerns with polyurethane, too. Some of the chemicals that may be used in manufacturing are carcinogens, and polyurethane foams release volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into your home. Add to that, additional chemicals may be added during manufacturing.
What is the ingredient in spray foam?
The ingredients in spray foam typically include isocyanate and polyol, with a smattering of blowing agent and additives like toxic flame retardants. The polyol, which is mixed with isocyanate to form polyurethane is, in general, a relatively harmless alcohol compound and is primarily added for greenwashing PR reasons as it can be made with soy and other natural oils.
When did spray foam switch to climate safe blowing agents?
The ‘greening’ happened because spray foam manufacturers in Canada were obliged to switch to climate safe blowing agents on January 1, 2021 by the regulatory elimination of HFCs, driven by the Kigali Amendment to the 1987 Montréal Protocol.
Is spray foam recyclable?
Currently, not really no. I’m sure someone somewhere has come up with a creative use for old bits of spray foam, but for the most part it will be heading to a landfill at the end of its life. Wood studs are recyclable, plywood is recyclable, rigid foam insulation boards like EPS are recyclable and even reusable, but anything with spray foam stuck to it is in all likelihood going to the dump. That means any wood, concrete or plastics that it is adhered to that could have been useful will fill up a landfill.
How long does it take for spray foam to cure?
There's no escaping the fact that spray foam is a petroleum based toxic chemical concoction that is sprayed on the inside of walls, making them not just well insulated, but very airtight as mentioned earlier.#N#Different manufacturers and installers of spray foam will insist that occupants vacate their homes - anywhere from 24 to 72 hours are the recommendations we’ve seen - to allow the foam to fully cure and off-gas. Are we to assume then, that after that time period - somewhere between 25 and 73 hours - that the human health risks are all gone?
When did Demilec switch to spray foam?
We do like to give credit where it's due, and we did write about Demilec's switch to the climate-safe spray foam blowing agents back in 2017. That was well ahead of some other well-known insulation manufacturers who just kept on pumping out the old HFC blowing agents, which were as much as 1,430 times worse in Global Warming Potential.
Is spray foam blowing agent eco friendly?
Regardless of the adoption of more eco-friendly spray foam blowing agents, there is still the matters of air quality, building durability and end-of-life disposal of the product itself and anything it touches.
Is spray foam eco friendly?
This created the perfect opportunity to talk up spray foam as an ‘eco-friendly green insulation’, even though quite a few manufacturers just squeaked into compliance with the new regulations at the very last minute.
What company makes soy?
Cargill Chemical Company produces these chemically modified crops of soy then looks for places to sell their crops. These crops infect other nearby farmer's crops with genetically modified seeds and chemical weed killers.
Does adding plant based materials to plastic have long lasting effects?
Also, adding these plant based materials to the plastic can have long lasting effects on the durability of the foam.
Is soy oil based?
What most consumers don't understand is that what is being touted as soy "based" is really just a little bit of soy oil replacing the plastic polyols. It's still polyurethane foam, but using some soy oils instead of completely polyurethane.
Is soy based foam eco friendly?
by Joe Alexander April 8, 2016. There are a few mattress companies out there these days touting the eco-benefits of their foams, saying they are soy "based" or eco-friendly because they contain soy.
Why Do Icynene spray foam contractors wear personal protective clothing?
Ever wondered why your Evergreen Power Icynene spray foam contractor is dressed in a suit that can be referred to a ‘hazmat’ suit?
Why do you need loft spray foam insulation?
It reduces dangers of respiratory distress as allergies, asthma and certain sensitivities can be caused by natural airborne irritants…. by choosing loft spray foam insulation, your home will be sealed from a wide range of pollutants in the air and helps prevent the growth of mould.
Does my home qualify for Icynene Spray Foam Insulation?
At Evergreen Power, we provide premium Icynene spray foam roof insulation problems services available at the most affordable prices. We have worked continuously to provide better-insulated homes and businesses for our customers, making us their preferred choice among spray foam insulation companies in their locations. We are Icynene accredited contractors, and you can take advantage of our free site survey service to get an experienced surveyor to come and inspect your site. After inspection, they would provide you with a FREE QUOTE that would be valid for 12 months.
What is cynene spray foam?
cynene spray foam insulation is a superior air barrier and breathable insulation in one. Developed 31 years ago, Icynene has been the No.1 insulation in North America and has now taken the UK by storm.
What is a personal protective clothing and gear spray foam applicator?
Personal protective clothing and gear ensures that the spray foam applicator: Does not inhale vapours and particulates. Is protected against skin contact with raw materials. Has a measure of safety around high-pressure spray equipment.
What happens if you are exposed to isocyanates?
According to the EPA: “Homeowners who are exposed to isocyanates and other spray foam chemicals in vapours, aerosols, and dust during or after the installation process “run the risk of developing asthma, sensitization, lung damage, other respiratory and breathing problems, and skin and eye irritation. ”.
Does icynene insulation protect your home?
Protect Your Home– I f you want your home to last longer, Icynene spray foam loft insulation can help. It does not provide a source of food for rodents, termites, or other nasty critters. Icynene can also offer extra structural stability to yours walls, and loft which can’t be achieved using other traditional forms of insulation.
