Frequently Asked Questions

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Q: What is fiber glass? A: Fiber glass is composed principally of natural ingredients such as sand and recycled glass from sources like old windows and used beverage bottles. The ingredients are melted and spun to create thin glass strands that form fiber glass insulation. Fiber glass is the most widely used home thermal insulator. Fiber glass is also used as an acoustical insulator to reduce noise transfer room to room. Q: Is fiber glass insulation safe? A: Yes, fiber glass insulation is safe to manufacture and use when appropriate work practices are followed to avoid irritation. When handling fiber glass, installers should wear protective eyewear and gloves to prevent irritation due to the mechanical properties of the product. What's more, according to a number of major scientific studies, including a review recently conducted by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), fiber glass does not increase the risk of serious illness, including respiratory system cancer and non-malignant respiratory disease. In fact, IARC in 2001 removed fiber glass from its list of carcinogens. Q: When did Johns Manville introduce JM Formaldehyde-free™ insulation? A: In March 2002, Johns Manville became the first, and today is still the only, fiber glass insulation manufacturer to stop adding formaldehyde to building insulation as a binder. Instead, Johns Manville uses an acrylic binder that eliminates all binder-related emissions of formaldehyde during manufacturing. The acrylic binder also reduces concerns about formaldehyde in the indoor environment once installed. Q: Why did Johns Manville decide to switch away from the phenol-formaldehyde binder for all its fiber glass building insulation products? A: Quite simply, because it’s just a smart thing to do. Johns Manville is committed to research and development of the industry’s most innovative building solutions. Concern about indoor air quality has continued to be expressed by governmental regulators, health research organizations, architects, specifiers, builders, and consumers. And Johns Manville has been responsive to those concerns. Overall, the change reflects Johns Manville’s dedication to addressing concerns about indoor environmental quality and offering its customers the most advanced products available. Q: Is there formaldehyde in ordinary fiber glass insulation? A: Yes. Glass fibers will not stick together unless they are glued or bound together. Formaldehyde has typically been used as one of several ingredients to make this kind of binder – an adhesive that holds fibers together allowing them to keep their shape and overall form. Ordinary fiber glass insulation is made by spraying a phenol-formaldehyde binder on the glass fibers. Q: Is formaldehyde hazardous? A: Yes. Formaldehyde is a colorless, pungent-smelling gas. According to the US EPA, formaldehyde can cause watery eyes, burning sensations in the eyes and throat, nausea, and difficulty in breathing in some humans exposed at elevated levels (above 0.1 parts per million). High concentrations may trigger attacks in people with asthma. Formaldehyde is also listed by the US National Toxicology Program as "reasonably anticipated to cause cancer." Q: Can formaldehyde from ordinary fiber glass insulation enter my home? A: Yes, according to the California Air Resources Board (CARB - a division of the California Environmental Protection Agency), "Formaldehyde emitted from [formaldehyde-containing] insulation materials installed in the ceiling or walls can enter living spaces in the home." Q: Is formaldehyde required in the binder for fiber glass building insulation? A: Ten years ago formaldehyde was required but it is not today and hasn’t been for several years. That’s because we’ve found a better way to make fiber glass building insulation. We asked ourselves some tough questions, conducted research and made some important decisions. As always, Johns Manville places the highest premium on innovation, so we changed the way we do business. Q: Does formaldehyde contribute to fiber glass insulation product quality? A: No. Formaldehyde itself does not contribute to insulation product quality, either thermal or acoustical. Q: What does formaldehyde-free mean? A: Formaldehyde-free means that there is no formaldehyde used in the making of the binder for these products. This means that unbonded fiber glass insulation products like loose fill are also considered formaldehyde-free. We have had Rohm and Haas, our binder supplier, certify to us that the new acrylic binder is not made with formaldehyde or formaldehyde-generating chemicals. Rohm and Haas has also certified to Johns Manville that the binder will not release formaldehyde in normal service conditions. The removal of formaldehyde also means that there are no binder-related emissions of formaldehyde during the insulation manufacturing process, either to the outdoor environment or to the indoor working areas. Q: What has been the response to Johns Manville Formaldehyde-free™ insulation? A: The public response to Johns Manville Formaldehyde-free™ has been overwhelmingly positive. Builders, contractors and architects recognize that using JM Formaldehyde-free™ products gives them a competitive edge when it comes to improving overall comfort and improving indoor environmental quality for building occupants. The trend toward healthier indoor environments and tighter-built, energy-efficient homes has created unprecedented demand for our full line of formaldehyde-free fiber glass building insulation products. Q: Has anyone raised a concern about what products can be called "formaldehyde-free?" A: Only Johns Manville competitors were concerned about this innovation and several actually objected to Johns Manville’s decision to market formaldehyde-free insulation products. It is important to note that, prior to converting its entire line of building insulation to a formaldehyde-free formulation, both Johns Manville and another major fiber glass manufacturer had been using the "formaldehyde-free" language to describe formaldehyde-free products since at least 1997. Q: How does Johns Manville plan to support the increased demand for Johns Manville Formaldehyde-free™ insulation? A: In response to the strong market demand for JM Formaldehyde-free™ fiber glass building insulation, Johns Manville announced in late 2004 that it will increase capacity by 200 million pounds over the next two years as customer demand increases. Q: What is Johns Manville using in place of formaldehyde? A: Johns Manville has partnered with Rohm and Haas, a leading supplier of specialty resins, to provide a binder composed of an acrylic resin, thus eliminating the need for phenol-formaldehyde binder. Johns Manville is purchasing the Rohm and Haas acrylic binder on a non-exclusive basis so other manufacturers can offer similar acrylic-bonded formaldehyde-free insulation products if they wish. Q: What is an acrylic resin or binder? A: The acrylic binder performs the same function as a phenol-formaldehyde binder in ordinary fiber glass products: it binds fiber glass together while providing the strength, durability and resiliency required by the insulation industry. Due to their low toxicity, acrylic materials are now used in a wide variety of building products, including paints and adhesives. Rohm and Haas also makes its Plexiglas® product from acrylic compounds. The acrylic binder used by Johns Manville is related to these proven products. Q: Is the new acrylic binder proven to be safe? A: Yes. The acrylic binder is not made with and does not contain any carcinogens. Acrylic materials are now used in a wide variety of building products, including paints and adhesives; there have been no reports of significant adverse effects with any of these products. The acrylic used in the JM Formaldehyde-free™ fiber glass insulation is very similar to that used in a number of consumer products. Q: Should I be concerned about acrylic acid in acrylic-bonded fiber glass insulation? A: No. acrylic acid (AA) is a component of unreacted polyacrylic binder and can cause irritation at levels as low as 2 parts per million. Johns Manville has tested its formaldehyde-free insulation to verify that there is no detectable AA present in the finished product. Q: Do I need to worry about formaldehyde-free fiber glass insulation off-gassing at high temperatures and humidity? A: No, not from Johns Manville Formaldehyde-free™ fiber glass insulation. The acrylic binder is stable at the high temperatures and humidity found in attics in summer. In contrast, ordinary formaldehyde-bonded insulation could off-gas formaldehyde at higher rates when temperature and humidity are elevated. This is especially true if the formaldehyde binder is extended with urea because urea-formaldehyde products tend to release more formaldehyde. Q: Who else makes formaldehyde-free fiber glass insulation? A: All major manufacturers make some form of formaldehyde-free product, but Johns Manville was and remains the only manufacturer to offer a full line of formaldehyde-free building insulation. Q: Does anyone else offer the white, acrylic-bonded formaldehyde-free fiber glass insulation? A: Yes, another major manufacturer makes the same white, acrylic-bonded fiber glass insulation product as Johns Manville, but only for appliance insulation and not for building insulation. Q: How did that other manufacturer describe its own formaldehyde-free products? A: That company described its own formaldehyde-free fiber glass insulation as innovative and a benefit to health conscious consumers. Q: Are specifications being written for the formaldehyde-free insulation products? A: Yes, especially as regulatory agencies such as the California Air Resources Board (CARB) express a strong preference for formaldehyde-free building products, more such specs are being written everyday Q: Are formaldehyde-free building products actually recommended by an important regulatory agency? A: Yes. CARB recently updated and revised its important publication Formaldehyde in the Home, wherein CARB declares a strong preference for formaldehyde-free building materials. Q: What does CARB say about Greenguard-certified building products that allow formaldehyde off gassing concentration of up to 50 parts per billion? A: CARB has rejected the State of Washington standard on which the Greenguard 50 ppb standard is based as insufficiently protective of health. Q: What are considered acceptable levels of formaldehyde for home and office environments? A: There is no single, legally enforceable standard. The following are some formaldehyde concentrations recognized by various regulatory agencies. (table) Q: Where else am I exposed to formaldehyde? A: Formaldehyde is used in a number of textiles, building materials, furniture and numerous household and consumer products. In homes, the most significant source of formaldehyde is likely to be pressed-wood products made with adhesives composed of urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins. . Q: How can I reduce my level of exposure to formaldehyde from other sources in my home? A: You can further reduce your exposure to formaldehyde through the purchase of alternative products such as Johns Manville Formaldehyde-free™ insulation. Ask your builder or supplier for details. Q: Were there federal regulations or lawsuits prompting the removal of formaldehyde? A: No. Johns Manville chose to create the entire line of formaldehyde-free line of fiber glass insulation as proof of our commitment to innovation and to address indoor air quality concerns. Q: Was Johns Manville forced to make this change to an acrylic binder in order to meet US EPA hazardous air pollutant regulations? A: Absolutely not. In fact, Johns Manville was already in compliance with these federal regulations (called "subpart NNN" or "subpart triple N") even before the switch to the acrylic binder. Instead, Johns Manville has confirmed with US EPA that, unlike manufacturers of ordinary fiber glass insulation, the subpart NNN regulations no longer even apply to Johns Manville’s building insulation manufacturing operations. This only makes sense because in moving to the acrylic binder Johns Manville has eliminated (through pollution prevention) all binder-related emissions of that regulation’s hazardous air pollutants – formaldehyde, phenol, and methanol – inherent in the manufacture of ordinary insulation. Q: I noticed that the new formaldehyde-free product is a bit softer to the touch than ordinary fiber glass. Do I still need to take precautions against irritation when working with it? A: Yes. Some of our customers have told us that the formaldehyde-free product is softer or "friendlier" to the touch. This does not surprise us because we are using a formaldehyde-free acrylic binder. Nevertheless, you should take the same precautions against irritation you would take for ordinary fiber glass, viz., use gloves, eye protection, and a NIOSH-approved N-90 respirator (available wherever JM Formaldehyde-free fiber glass insulation is sold). In addition, you should continue to wear loose-fitting clothes (long sleeve shirt and long pants), which should be washed separately. Q: Where can I buy formaldehyde-free insulation? A: Johns Manville Formaldehyde-free™ fiber glass insulation is available nationally and can be found at many home improvement or building material retail outlets or through a local insulation installer. Q: Does it cost more? A: Johns Manville Formaldehyde-free™ fiber glass insulation is a premium product that provides superior thermal and acoustical protection while reducing concerns about indoor environmental quality. You would expect to pay much more for the peace of mind, but Johns Manville has priced formaldehyde-free competitively with ordinary, phenol-formaldehyde bonded fiber glass building insulation on the market. Q: Does formaldehyde-free insulation work as well as ordinary phenol-formaldehyde-bonded insulation? A: Yes. Phenol-formaldehyde binders in ordinary insulation function only as an adhesive, and do not uniquely contribute to the energy-saving or sound control properties of fiber glass building insulation. Removing formaldehyde does not lessen these properties at all in Johns Manville Formaldehyde-free™ insulation.