Environmental and health related criteria for buildings - ANEC

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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
IBO - Environmental and Health related Criteria for Buildings European legislation regarding hazardous substances in building products In POULSEN et al (2010) an investigation on the European legislation regarding chemicals in consumer products was carried out. Two types of legislation were reviewed: product legislation 99 and chemical legislation (i.e. REACH). The authors overall conclusion from the review is “that the current legal framework is insufficient because very few chemical requirements in general exist for consumer products. Chemical requirements are: - missing entirely in the General Product Safety Directive (only “products must be safe”), - inadequate in REACH, Toy Safety Directive and ROHS (too few substances restricted or not strict enough to protect human health), or - just related to regulations in Member States (Construction Products Directive).” Another area of criticism is the use of weak phrases in the product legislations instead of using specific limit values or other more “solid” requirements. Weak phrases like “products must be safe” or “human health may not be endangered” are difficult to act on. They should be replaced by either specific limit values or harmonised standards that set limit values. The following chapters summarise the main findings of POULSEN et al (2010) concerning the European legislation (REACH, Toy safety directing, GPSD, ROHS, CPD and CPR) as far as they touch topics related to construction products. Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) The new European Chemicals regulation REACH 100 stands for the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals. REACH regulates the handling of chemicals, no matter whether they have hazardous properties or not. All substances manufactured or imported in quantities greater than 1 tonne per year must be registered within ECHA (European Chemicals Agency). The adequacy of the registered data and the quality of dossiers is evaluated in three ways (ECHA 2010): - compliance check whether or not the information submitted is in compliance with the law - examination of testing proposals. - substance evaluation whether the use of a substance may cause a serious risk to human health or the environment Substances subjected to authorisation are listed in Annex XIV of REACH (“Authorisation List”). The following substances may be included in Annex XIV (according to article 57 of the REACH Regulation): (a) carcinogenic substances (category 1 or 2 according to 67/548/EEC); (b) mutagenic substances (category 1 or 2 according to 67/548/EEC); (c) substances which are toxic for reproduction (category 1 or 2 according to 67/548/EEC); 99 Product legislation is legislation where products are in focus, like e.g. General Product Safety Directive and Toy Safety Directive. 100 REACH Regulation (EC) no 1907/2006 of 18 December 2006 concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals Final Report 127 31 03 2011
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Environmental and health related criteria for buildings - ANEC

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