The Hidden Dangers in Building Materials and Our Home
The Green Dilemma in Interior Design
The increase in ‘green buildings’ has had a positive impact on the environment by decreasing energy consumption in comparison to traditional buildings.
However, modern constructions (including green buildings) are also frequently built from materials that include toxic substances.
Increasingly, studies illuminate the correlation between environmental exposure and health detriments (Goodwin Robbins et al., 2020). Yet, there is a disconnect in ‘holistic sustainability’ and the health of the building’s occupants.
If you care about your health, here’s what you need to know about the risks in your home environment:
Toxic home materials impact the air we breath
Indoor air quality (IAQ) is affected by:
Natural ventilation. While beneficial, it also allows infiltration of outdoor pollutants, including smoke, pollen and nitrogen dioxide.
Common indoor risks. These include dust, dust mites, mycotoxins, pet dander, nitrogen dioxide from combustion appliances (Vardoulakis et al., 2020).
Off-gassing substances. Yes, even your walls and couch are risks! (Kumar et al., 2016).
Dangerous substances in building materials
It’s been a while since the asbestos debarcle. More recently, the fabrication of stone bench tops has made headlines with the terrible impacts of silicosis making headlines. But if we wait for the headlines, we are too late.
These substances are on our radar:
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs):
Formaldehyde,
Benzene,
Xylenes, and,
Toluene;
Phthalates;
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); and,
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs).
But if it’s new, it should be better. Shouldn’t it?
Interestingly, newer building materials and furnishings typically off-gas at a higher rate than those that have been installed longer term.
A study, which assessed IAQ within buildings around the world over a two-decade period, identified newly-built residences within their Melbourne examination group displayed much higher concentrations of VOCs and formaldehyde than the established residences – albeit still four times greater than exterior concentrations (Mannan & Al-Ghamdi, 2021).
There is a misperception that any toxin within a material or product will remain safely ‘encased’ within it, and therefore, not cause us harm.
Yet, VOCs are notorious for off-gassing. Similarly, phthalates, PCBs and PBDEs are not chemically bound to their polymer chain, meaning they can readily leach out of their material into the air around us, exposing us via inhalation, ingestion and absorption pathways.
In addition, many can bioaccumulate into the environment.
Newer can be better. But not always.
It’s vital to research all components to understand the holistic impact of substances in our homes.
Here’s where these home pollutants are commonly found:
FORMALDEHYDE: Adhesives, caulking, soft furnishings and upholstery, carpet, ceiling tiles, particle board, plywood, paints, varnishes and stains;
XYLENE & TOLUENE: Adhesives, floor polishes, ceiling tiles, paints, particle board, wallcoverings and floor coverings;
BENZENE: Paints, stains and lacquers, wallcoverings, particleboard, floor coverings, adhesives and caulking;
PHTHALATES: Many PVC-associated products including wall and floor coverings, artificial fragrances and textiles;
PCBs: Plasticisers including adhesives, caulking and sealants (though prohibited from the 1980’s, legacy PCBs still exist in older buildings and require specific handling and disposal or encasing);
PBDEs: Products, such as furniture and bedding, which are treated for fire-resistant properties.
How to avoid toxins in your home
If building a new home or renovating, opt for low-VOC (or zero-VOC) materials.
This can range from your selection of paint, through to the substrate of your cabinetry, and to the composition and applied finish of floor boards.
On a side note, a friend of mine and her family had to vacate her home for a few months, as a result of the toxic off-gassing from their new bamboo floor boards. Despite being a natural and renewable product, this particular selection had high concentrations of formaldehyde in the adhesives of each ‘board’ as well as the finishing lacquer.
Avoid phthalate-containing PVC materials, including some vinyl flooring and wall coverings.
If you’re searching for vinyl flooring for its durability, look for phthalate-free options (just be careful of the plasticiser substitute used in the product!). Or alternatively, perhaps more renewable options may suit your requirements instead, such as marmoleum or sustainably-sourced timber.
If searching for wallcoverings, keep an eye out for more sustainable options that do not contain phthalates (or VOCs). There are some really interesting products around now, incorporating paper, timber veneer, and the like (though be careful of formaldehyde and other VOCs here too).
On another side note, I avoid wall coverings to wet areas or locations subject to temperature variations (where vinyl or PVC-based products are often seen), as they can lead to a hidden condensation build-up behind the covering… and mould!
PCBs are mostly evident within older buildings, especially schools and commercial premises.
If renovating, ensure you are working with a qualified builder who is able to assess possible risks (much like requirements for asbestos management nowadays).
PBDEs are most likely to impact your home if you are about to incorporate new furniture or apply new fire-treated finishes (E.g. some carpets).
Some PBDE congeners have been prohibited in Australia. Though some believed to be less-toxic (or their newer alternatives) are found in polyurethane foam (furniture, mattresses, etc.).
In terms of mattresses, natural latex is typically a good alternative.
For bedding and soft furnishings opt for untreated down, linen, bamboo or wool – these are also much more breathable and thermal-regulating than polyester. Cotton, surprisingly, is not as sustainable as one may think – conventional cotton is heavily treated with insectcides and pesticides and its manufacturing process is very water-intensive.
Carpets can be treated with fire-resistant chemicals. Wool is naturally flame-resistant and stain-resistant (of course, red wine isn’t going to go down well with most surfaces, so cleaning is best undertaken immediately). Wool is also naturally insulating, renewable, biodegradable and hypoallergenic.
What to watch out in a DIY sustainable renovation?
If searching for your own materials or products, in the lead up to a new home, renovation or simply an interior furnishing purchase, do your own thorough research. Ensure that any healthy or sustainable claims are backed and not simply ‘greenwashing’ tactics by the supplier (we discussed the term ‘greenwashing’ previously, check it out here).
It is quite the ‘can of worms’ when these harmful substances are exposed. And what needs to be remembered, is that most studies that do link health implications to the built environment examine a singular toxin in a designated test condition – when in reality, we are exposed to a multitude at any one time. This is in addition to stress, diet, and other influences that all contribute to our toxic load or body burden.
The home as our workplace
While we’ve increased energy efficiency, this creates additional health risks. Buildings are more impervious, which contributes to the accumulation of allergens and toxins within our homes (Underhill et al., 2020). Many homes are constructed without sufficient systems for indoor air renewal, ventilation and thermal comfort, which has been reported to have had increased consequences (Domínguez‐amarillo et al., 2020). When you consider that before the pandemic, we were already spending (on average) 90% of our time indoors, it becomes clear that we need to take the health of our homes seriously.
Passive House design reduces these risks by incorporating air filtering with energy efficiency, through mechanical ventilation heat recovery. While it’s still important to minimise off-gassing, this is one way we seek to improve the health of your home environment, and in-turn, your own health (Moreno-Rangel et al., 2020).
Sustainable design and efficiency at The Paradigm Room
It can all be quite mind-boggling! At The Paradigm Room, we have the ambition to minimise toxins from the very beginning of a project, so that we can progressively ‘design out’ the need for materials and furnishings that can negatively impact your health and wellbeing.
Our end goal is to hand-over a healthier, energy efficient, and sustainable project to you that you will enjoy for many years to come.
REFERENCE LIST
Domínguez‐amarillo, S., Fernández‐agüera, J., Cesteros‐garcía, S., & González‐lezcano, R. A. (2020). Bad air can also kill: Residential indoor air quality and pollutant exposure risk during the covid‐19 crisis. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 17(19), 1–34. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17197183
Goodwin Robbins, L. J., Rodgers, K. M., Walsh, B., Ain, R., & Dodson, R. E. (2020). Pruning chemicals from the green building landscape. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol, 30(2), 236–246. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-019-0174-x
Kumar, P., Skouloudis, A. N., Bell, M., Viana, M., Carotta, M. C., Biskos, G., & Morawska, L. (2016). Real-time sensors for indoor air monitoring and challenges ahead in deploying them to urban buildings. Science of the Total Environment, 560-561, 150–159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.04.032
Mannan, M., & Al-Ghamdi, S. G. (2021). Indoor Air Quality in Buildings: A Comprehensive Review on the Factors Influencing Air Pollution in Residential and Commercial Structure. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 18(6). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063276
Moreno-Rangel, A., Sharpe, T., McGill, G., & Musau, F. (2020). Indoor Air Quality in Passivhaus Dwellings: A Literature Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 17(13). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17134749
Underhill, L. J., Dols, W. S., Lee, S. K., Fabian, M. P., & Levy, J. I. (2020). Quantifying the impact of housing interventions on indoor air quality and energy consumption using coupled simulation models. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol, 30(3), 436–447. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-019-0197-3
Vardoulakis, S., Giagloglou, E., Steinle, S., Davis, A., Sleeuwenhoek, A., Galea, K. S., Dixon, K., & Crawford, J. O. (2020). Indoor Exposure to Selected Air Pollutants in the Home Environment: A Systematic Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 17(23). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17238972