Fiber Glass and The Indoor Environment

What fiber glass is
Sources of fiber glass
Health problems associated with fiber glass
Decreasing exposure to fiber glass

What Fiber Glass Is

Fiber glass, or fibrous glass dust, is a soft wool-like material. It comes from a group of materials called man-made mineral fibers or MMMFs. Glass fibers are made from molten sand and inorganic materials, and they are very useful because of their physical properties. Products made from fiber glass can absorb sound, control heat, reinforce materials with extra strength, and help control water condensation. Glass fibers range from one to more than nine micrometers in diameter. In comparison, a human hair is about 70 micrometers in diameter.

One of the most common applications of fiber glass is glass wool or fiber glass insulation that is usually pink or yellow. The glass fibers are thinned, coated with a thermal binder, cured in ovens, and formed into blankets or loose fill insulation materials that are used in weatherproofing, and as a textile material. It was originally used as a "safe" substitute for asbestos, but since it can cause its own health problems, some substitutes like refractory ceramic mineral fibers, are being used. However, the health effects of these fibers are still under study.

Sources of Fiber Glass

• Attics and inside walls and sometimes as a liner inside air supply ducts and air handler compartments of the ventilation system of homes and buildings built from the early 1960s through the late 1980s. It was used in ventilation systems as an insulator to prevent loss of hot/cold air and to reduce the noise from the fan.

• Ventilation systems duct liner or duct board.

• Ceiling tile.

• Synthetic textile products, synthetic composting.

• Acoustical panels, in equipment and materials requiring acoustical protection.

Health Problems Associated With Fiber Glass

Health problems caused by fiber glass are generally acute, which occur immediately or within a few days of exposure. Exposure to fiber glass can result in:

• Skin irritation, redness, swelling, itching, and a rash. The skin around the fingernails may become red and swollen. Some people get "fiber glass warts," a type of skin inflammation.

• Eye irritation. Fiber glass may cause eye injury if not properly treated.

• Nose and throat irritation

• Inhaling fibrous glass dust may cause coughing, bronchitis, or shortness of breath.

• Long-term exposure to high concentrations of these fibers may possibly lead to permanent lung disease.

• There is limited evidence that fiber glass causes cancer in animals.

In addition to these direct health problems caused by fiber glass, there may also be health effects from mold if fiber glass linings have been used in the ventilation system. This is because fiber glass sheeting is an excellent moisture retainer and has been found in laboratory experiments to hold moisture for up to 16 days. ¹ As dust gathers in the ducts, mold and fungi will begin growing in them. Some inspectors have found mushrooms several inches tall growing inside ventilation systems!

Decreasing Exposure to Fiber Glass

• Try to find a safer substitute.

• Work in a well-ventilated area if possible.

• Stop what you are doing if you notice symptoms.

• Keep fiber glass and similar products off your skin and out of your eyes. Wear long sleeves, work gloves, and eye protection. You may also need to wear a dust mask.

• Wash any exposed skin frequently with cold-water-this keeps your pores closed to minimize the dust getting in.

• Wear clean work clothes every day. (If you take your contaminated work clothes home, wash them separately from other laundry to keep your family from being exposed).

• Do not eat, drink or smoke on the job. Anything you put in your mouth could be contaminated by fibers.

• Wash your hands well before eating, drinking, smoking, or using the bathroom.

• If there is a fiber glass lining inside your air ducts that gets wet or moldy, remove it right away since these cannot be cleaned well enough to permanently get rid of all the mold.

Reference

1. Samimi BS. The environmental evaluation: Commercial and home. Occupational Medicine: State of the Art Reviews. 1995;10(1):95-118.