Environmental and health related criteria for buildings - ANEC

IBO - Environmental and Health related Criteria for Buildings
11. CHEMICALS IN BUILDING MATERIALS AND EMISSIONS TO INDOOR AIR
11.1. Background
Overview
High quality of indoor air is an essential condition for the protection of health, both in the
living and working environment. Progress has been made concerning the restriction and ban
of some particularly toxic substances in building materials, such as asbestos and
pentachlorophenol. Nevertheless, the last years have seen increasing complaints about
harmful effects on well-being (e.g. sick building syndrome) caused by the largely unregulated
use of potentially toxic substances in building materials and furnishings. Additionally, saving
energy by making buildings more airtight has had the effect of more effectively trapping
gases released through the use of cleaning products or air fresheners, heating or cooking
and last but not least from furniture and construction materials. In addition, outdoor sources
may contribute to indoor air pollution. Microbiological contaminants also require
consideration.
Hence, indoor air may contain over 900 different chemicals, particles, and biological
materials with potential health effects (SCHER, 2009). The concentrations of these
chemicals are usually higher indoors than outdoors. Since human beings generally spend
more than 90 % of their lifetime indoors nowadays, these circumstances may lead to a daily
intake that is close to or in some cases even higher than the tolerable daily intake value (TDI)
set for these individual substances. The reaction to indoor air pollutants differs within the
population and has been dealt with in a large number of publications. Examples of potential
serious effects are respiratory disorders, including asthma, irritation of the mucous
membranes of the eyes, nose and throat, effects on the nervous system and long-term
effects as cancer. Data suggest e.g. that increased chemical exposure in indoor
environments may be one reason behind the rapid rise in childhood asthma, for example.
Among the sources for indoor air pollutants building materials are of particular importance.
This means that we need chemical requirements also to be set for building materials. This is
especially true when considering the protection of sensitive population groups as children,
old or ill people. But substances contained in or emitted from building materials may not only
- affect the health and productivity of the inhabitants, but may also
- cause health occupational or other acute or chronic diseases of craftsmen and
- have harmful impacts on the environment during manufacturing and disposal (e.g.
toxic red slag disaster in Hungary).
Hence, many organisations occupying themselves with the environmental performance of
buildings believe that it is appropriate to apply the precautionary principle when selecting and
specifying building materials. In principle two different lines can be taken in order to avoid
disadvantageous impacts from hazardous chemicals in building materials:
1. Ban of hazardous substances (ban of classes of substances (CMR PBT)
2. Limits for emissions to indoor air
Building assessment systems as well as programs for improving the environmental
performance of products (ecolabels, green public procurement) pursue both directions.
Final Report 126 31 03 2011