Product Emissions and Indoor Air Quality Panel Discussion, 1994 Nonwovens Conference Proceedings

Michael Madden

Today, buildings and homes are being built and operated for greater energy efficiency by reducing infiltration and the use of outside air. The use of synthetic materials in building products, furnishings, consumer products and office equipment used in the home and the workplace has also increased. This has resulted in increased levels of organic compounds (VOCs) in the indoor air. The increase amounts of VOCs has caused increased sensitivity to the compounds and have potential long-term health effects. Indoor air quality and low concentration VOCs are now being recognized as a significant health problem. The nonwovens industry as a supplier of materials used in these products needs to reduce its contribution of VOCs to the indoor environment. Session 7 will address current and future direction of indoor air quality requirements, how manufacturers can determine the offgassing of their products and realistic assessment of the impact of those products on indoor air quality through the use of environmental chambers. An update on recent studies by the EPA on characterizing indoor air quality and their large building study will be presented. OSHA has issued a new exposure limit on formaldehyde reducing permissible exposure levels to 0.75 ppm. The concern over formaldehyde continues and efforts to determine formaldehyde associated with airborne dust will be discussed.