[Greenbuilding] Bamboo flooring -- no magic bullet

[William Updike]

If you look at their (Plyboo's) MSDS sheet:

http://www.plyboo.com/MSDS-Plyboo%20Bamboo%20Flooring.pdf

you'll see that there is urea-formaldehyde in their
products.  Even some companies that claim to have
formaldehyde-free flooring (like some that were
mentioned in an earlier e-mail on this listserv)
aren't truly because they aren't required to declare
it if the product's formaldehyde content is under a
certain number.  

Just like many MSDS's (in particular with paint) if
it's under a certain number, say of VOCs, the
manufacturer does not have to list it.

The other interesting thing that folks on this list
may or may not know is that in the U.S., the EPA only
regulates VOCs based on how they produce smog, not for
direct contact human health factors.  In fact, there's
a list of more than 50 "exempt compounds" that you
don't have to declare.  Things like acetone, which is
a nasty, are on that list.  It's my understanding that
you could actually have a low- or no-VOC paint that
has some of the exempt compounds (as well as
formaldehyde).

In addition to that, all VOCs are not created equal.  
 Natural oils for example have high VOC content, but
they're not the human-made nasties.  

I think it's important for builders to understand all
this so that they can explain it to their clients.

Hopefully I explained this accurately.  If not please
correct me!

Cheers,
Bill Updike
  

    
--- David Bergman <bergman at cyberg.com> wrote:

> At 09:07 AM 6/15/2007, William Updike wrote:
> >As an FYI, EcoTimber sells bamboo flooring with no
> >added urea formaldehyde.  It's one of the few if
> not
> >the only one (though Teragren is moving in that
> >direction I'm told).
> 
> 
> I'd understood that Smith & Fong Plyboo was the
> leader in this??
> 
> David
> DAVID BERGMAN ARCHITECT / FIRE & WATER LIGHTING +
> FURNITURE
> architecture . interiors . ecodesign . lighting .
> furniture
> bergman at cyberg.com    www.cyberg.com
> 241 Eldridge Street #3R, New York, NY 10002
> t 212 475 3106    f 212 677 7291  



       
____________________________________________________________________________________
Boardwalk for $500? In 2007? Ha! Play Monopoly Here and Now (it's updated for today's economy) at Yahoo! Games.
http://get.games.yahoo.com/proddesc?gamekey=monopolyherenow