caa a22 4500 467987602 CHVBK 20180323112536.0 cr unu---uuuuu 170328e19900601xx s 000 0 eng 10.1007/BF02539035 doi (NATIONALLICENCE)springer-10.1007/BF02539035 Thomas Jean-Claude Communications Economiques et Sociales, 10, Avenue de Messine, F-75008, Paris aut Urea formaldehyde insulating foams: a risk for health? [Elektronische Daten] [Jean-Claude Thomas] Summary: In 1983, the media brought out articies expressing serious concerns as to the use of Urea Formaldehyde Foam Insulation (UFFI). The emission of formaldehyde vapours within UFF insulated homes was held responsible for <<serious health problems>>. A major controversy then started, with on the one hand several consumer associations, and on the other, the UFFI raw materials producing companies, while government departments concerned were called upon to intervene. On careful consideration of facts, it clearly appeared that the number of health-related incidents that could be charged to UFFI was much smaller than uncontrolled rumour would indicate, and that the effects of formaldehyde, although very unpleasant, fortunately did not have the degree of severity reported. Establishing a dialogue between the parties involved seemed possible and a mutually acceptable solution, safegarding the interests of all concerned, within reach... UFFI could be used in homes provided it be implemented by skilled professionals who would accept to redress duly established insulation defects. Unfortunately, the anti-UFFI press campaign had ruined the image of the product in the mind of potential users. Industry gradually withdrew from the market. As for customers with defect ridden homes, they had no redress possibility left to them... Six years have elapsed since then, and it should now be possible to review the issue with a fresh and dispassionate mind, while assessing the causes and effects of the polemics of the past. UFFI is no longer used in France and may well not be for a long time yet, unless of course the value of an effective low cost insulation material well suited to existing buildings, is eventually rediscovered. In any event, it is unquestionably interesting to draw a lesson from this typical example and try to find better approaches to similar situations particularly in the housing sector, in order to best meet the requirements of all concerned. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 1990 formaldehyde nationallicence insulation nationallicence regulations nationallicence Aerobiologia Kluwer Academic Publishers 6/1(1990-06-01), 14-17 0393-5965 6:1<14 1990 6 10453 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02539035 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI 1 research-article jats NATIONALLICENCE 856 40 https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02539035 text/html Onlinezugriff via DOI NATIONALLICENCE 100 1- Thomas Jean-Claude Communications Economiques et Sociales, 10, Avenue de Messine, F-75008, Paris aut NATIONALLICENCE 773 0- Aerobiologia Kluwer Academic Publishers 6/1(1990-06-01), 14-17 0393-5965 6:1<14 1990 6 10453 Metadata rights reserved Springer special CC-BY-NC licence nationallicence BK010053 XK010053 XK010000 NATIONALLICENCE NATIONALLICENCE NL-springer