[Greenbuilding] Bamboo flooring -- no magic bullet

[Tom Angell]

That is what I have heard too.  The VOC's pertain to what is being emitted.

I had checked into EcoTimber's bamboo RE VOC's.  Their tech person said that 
their product has low VOC (probably in the adhesives) but is cured in the 
manufacturing process. After that the product cannot emit any VOC's.

Is it really possible that a fully cured product cannot emit any VOC's? 
What about as the product finish wears down after so many years of use? 
Does exposing the adhesive to air allow it to emit?  At the end of the 
product's life when the flooring is taken up, are the VOC's still there 
waiting to emit when they get the chance?  If not I would have to think that 
they would have had to off-gas earlier in its life.

RE no/low VOC paint, the MSDS usually refer to the base white paint.  Some 
pretty hefty VOC's can get added depending on what color you want. 
Depending on the manufacturer, the darker colors sometimes have more VOC's 
than lighter ones.

Regards, Tom

Thomas W. Angell, Architect, AIA
621 South F Street
Spokane, WA 99224
ph:  509-747-7647
fax:  509-747-5979
www.tomangell.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "William Updike" <updikew at yahoo.com>
To: "David Bergman" <bergman at cyberg.com>; "Keith Winston" 
<keith at earthsunenergy.com>; <greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org>
Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2007 2:36 PM
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] Bamboo flooring -- no magic bullet


> 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
>
>
>
>
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