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Safety of Fiber Glass Insulation
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Fiber glass is categorized within a group of man-made materials historically referred to as man-made vitreous fibers, now known as synthetic vitreous fibers (SVFs). It is made from natural ingredients like molten sand and large amounts of recycled glass products such as bottles, window glass, and industrial plate glass. Most commonly used as insulation, fiber glass products help control heat flow, filter impurities from liquids and gases, reinforce other materials, and help control condensation. Fiber glass insulation also helps to reduce pollution, conserve the environment, and save money.
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Fiber glass insulation has been used for nearly 70 years to control temperature and sound in homes, commercial buildings and industrial operations. It is the most widely used home insulation product in the world, keeping our homes and buildings warm in winter, cool in summer and quiet all year long. Other uses include a variety of sound-control products and insulation for air ducts, pipes, roofs, walls, floors, automobiles, mobile homes, refrigerators, domestic cooking appliances, and other appliances and equipment.
FAQs About the Safety of Fiber Glass InsulationIs it safe to live in a home insulated with fiber glass? Do glass fibers contribute to problems with indoor air quality? What does the research show about the health and safety of fiber glass? Does fiber glass cause cancer in people? If fiber glass is safe, why are there health warnings on package labels? Are there safer alternatives to fiber glass? Are there any special handling guidelines for working with fiber glass? |
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Is it safe to live in a home insulated with fiber glass?
Yes.
Do glass fibers contribute to problems with indoor air quality?
Fiber glass insulation products have a positive impact on the indoor environment by controlling heat loss or gain; by reducing condensation which can lead to air pollutants; and by providing sound control. In 1990, the World Health Organization Working Group on Indoor Air Quality reviewed all previous scientific studies and concluded: "Current airborne man-made mineral fiber concentrations in indoor environments are considered to represent an insignificant risk." More than 20 other studies conducted at noted universities and laboratories, examining concentrations of fiber glass and other synthetic vitreous fibers (SVFs) - in residential and commercial buildings, consistently found that SVFs from insulation products in residential and commercial buildings do not significantly contribute to indoor air pollution, and would not be expected to adversely impact the health and/or well being of occupants of such buildings.1
What does the research show about the health and safety of fiber glass?
Fiber glass is one of the most thoroughly tested building products in the world with health and safety research on fiber glass spanning nearly 70 years. This research has been designed to investigate the possible human health effects of fiber glass and other SVFs.
In October 2001, an international expert review by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) re-evaluated the 1988 IARC assessment of glass fibers and removed glass, rock and slag wool fibers from its list of substances “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” All fiber glass and rock and slag wools that are commonly used for thermal and acoustical insulation are now considered not classifiable as to carcinogenicity to humans (Group 3). IARC noted specifically: “Epidemilogic studies published during the 15 years since the previous IARC Monographs review of these fibers in 1988 provide no evidence of increased risks of lung cancer or mesothelioma (cancer of the lining of the body cavities) from occupational exposures during manufacture of these materials, and inadequate evidence overall of any cancer risk.” IARC retained its Group 3 classification for continuous glass filaments and the Group 2B “possible carcinogen” classification for certain special purpose glass fibers.
Still, misinformation about the safety of fiber glass persists. Four areas of research have been especially important in helping to further the understanding about the safety of these products. They include exposure assessments of current production workers and end-users; epidemilogical data; animal inhalation studies; and studies on the biosolubility of glass fibers.
In the exposure studies, airborne levels of respirable glass fibers have been demonstrated to be very low, with occupational exposures less than 1 fiber per cubic centimeter (1f/cc) in most instances, and consumer exposures much lower still.
Studies of more than 40,000 workers over a 40-year time frame have shown no dose-related or causal association between lung cancer or non-malignant respiratory disease and occupational exposure to fiber glass.
Numerous animal inhalation studies using massive doses of insulation glass wool fibers, hundreds to thousands of times greater than human exposures, have not shown a relationship between inhalation of glass fibers and cancer or respiratory disease. In one recent inhalation study, where hamsters were exposed to a very high dose of a special application glass fibers, the hamsters developed lung-scarring (fibrosis) and a single hamster showed a cancer of the lining of the lung (mesothelioma). This result is in contrast with six previous inhalation studies with the same fiber in which no fibrosis or disease resulted. Note: IARC classified special purpose fibers differently from fiber glass insulation.
In research on the biosolubility of glass fibers, studies have shown that building insulation glass fibers generally dissolve in the lung in approximately the same time it takes for clearance of the nuisance dust people breathe every day.
n summary, the safety of fiber glass insulation is supported by 70 years of research, which shows that exposures are low during manufacture, installation, use and removal; manufacturing workers are healthy; and, if inhaled, insulation fibers are quickly removed from the body.
For more details on recent scientific studies on the health aspects of fiber glass insulation, visit the Research section of this siteor visit the NAIMA Literature Library <http://www.naima.org/pages/resources/library/index/n.html> for a complete listing of health and safety literature. .
Does fiber glass cause cancer in people?
No. The International Agency for Cancer Research recently removed fiber glass from its list of possible carcinogens, based on its review of more than 15 years of research. Research conducted over the past 70 years shows that exposure levels are low, and that, even if inhaled into the lung, most fibers disappear quickly with no adverse health effects.
Is fiber glass like asbestos?
Fiber glass is fundamentally different from asbestos, both in its physical and chemical properties. Fiber glass is a man-made material. In contrast, asbestos is a naturally occurring, inorganic fiber. Our bodies can remove most types of fiber glass through a variety of mechanisms (it dissolves in the lungs, for example), while asbestos is more durable and stays in the body a lifetime. “Synthetic vitreous fibers [fiber glass] differ from asbestos in two ways that may provide at least partial explanations for their lower toxicity. Because most synthetic vitreous fibers are not crystalline like asbestos, they do not split longitudinally to form thinner fibers. They also generally have markedly less biopersistence in biological tissues than asbestos fibers because they can undergo dissolution and transverse breakage.”2
If fiber glass is safe, why are there health warnings on package labels?
Manufacturers have voluntarily provided warning labels on fiber glass products for years, even before they were required. Our industry strongly believes in full disclosure of all information related to our products and labels are one of the ways of providing information to workers and the public.
Labels are also required by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as part of its Hazard Communications Standard. Fiber glass industry labels are in full compliance with these regulatory requirements. Many commonly used products including paint, cleaners, and artificial sweeteners also carry warning labels. The primary purpose of the labels is to offer appropriate health and safety warnings and to provide instructions on the safe use of the product.
Are there safer alternatives to fiber glass?
While fiber glass manufacturers have responsibly tested their products for health and safety, the same cannot be said of all other insulation products. Cellulose insulation, for example, is made from shredded newspaper that is naturally flammable and must be treated with toxic, fire-retarding chemicals like boric acid. Fiber glass, made from sand and recycled glass, is naturally nonflammable.
The public should also be concerned about the unknown risks associated with high exposures to cellulose installation. Despite repeated requests by scientists, unions and contractor groups for basic health effects testing of cellulose insulation, cellulose manufacturers have conducted no published study on the health effects of cellulose insulation. In fact, the cellulose insulation industry markets its products as "safe" and as an "environmentally friendly" alternative to fiber glass, despite a lack of testing. Yet, several studies by independent scientists have identified the potential for significant health effects from exposure to cellulose fibers, including lung fibrosis and other respiratory effects. And in 1997, prompted by the lack of health testing by cellulose manufacturers, the Environmental Defense Fund placed cellulose on its list of 100 compounds that should be tested.
Are there any special handling guidelines for working with fiber glass?
Fiber glass, by its very nature, can cause itching during handling, a temporary, "mechanical" irritation that can result when fibers come in contact with the skin. If sufficient amounts of glass fibers are released into the air, some workers may experience temporary upper respiratory irritation. Like skin irritation, upper respiratory irritation is a "mechanical" reaction to the fibers. The irritation will subside after exposure is discontinued. Some people are more sensitive, some less, some not at all.
Fiber glass manufacturers have put together work practices that provide practical safety measures designed to minimize any potential irritation. Click here to see these Work Practices. In all cases, however, manufacturers' safe handling recommendations as outlined in their Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) should be consulted.
For Additional Information
Where Can I Go For More Information?
For more information on the health and safety of fiber glass and rock and slag wool insulations, click here to find out about NAIMA’s Health and Safety Partnership Program (HSPP). Or, visit NAIMA's Literature Library for a complete list of health and safety publications on this Web site. You may also want to visit our members' Web sites for additional information on fiber glass insulation.
See also the related publication - Facts #62: Health and Safety Facts for Fiber Glass: 
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[1] Published consumer exposure data for man-made vitreous fiber insulation products: result of a literature search conducted by NAIMA and submitted to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[2] Toxicological Profile for Synthetic Vitreous Fibers (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Services, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry), September 2004, p. 17.