Library

This case study describes the ongoing renovation of a home in Pennsylvania using HempLine, a natural insulation product. The home is designed to be fully disability accessible, making healthy building materials particularly important. The renovation will act as a model for the future of healthy, affordable and accessible housing, and prove to other developers that the radical change this industry needs is possible.

"What's it Made of?" is an environmental health initiative which encourages the elimination of dangerous substances commonly included in furniture production. The initiative involves a simple pledge for manufacturers to ask their suppliers about the substances in their materials and products. "What's it Made of?" was launched in 2016 and instantly gained over 300 signatures, which continue to grow through the efforts of the Sustainable Furnishings Council.

Dublin Crossing is a 50-unit, 3-storey affordable housing development in Minnesota. The specifications for the development were benchmarked against the HomeFree hazard spectrums and incorporated measures such as low-VOC paint, and doors and millwork using NAUF (No Added Urea Formaldehyde) composite wood products. The project was used as an opportunity to explore alternative flooring options to reduce toxins whilst meeting practical requirements such as durability and easy maintenance.

Breathaplasta is a lime-based plaster system designed to be thermally insulating and moisture regulating. The product is made from a bio-aggregate which is engineered to reduce the risk of condensation and mould, reduce heat loss and improve thermal comfort. Breathaplasta is produced by Adaptavate, a UK-based company which aims to support healthier and more resource-efficient buildings.

Safer Consumer Products (SCP) has compiled a list of alternatives to PFASs in carpets and rugs to assist manufacturers looking for substitutes. The alternatives have been grouped into two categories: non-chemical and chemical alternatives. Products and manufacturers are listed but they are not endorsed by SCP and the safety of the alternatives has not been assessed.

A company may choose to substitute a chemical to improve the safety or environmental footprint of a product or material.  In other cases, the primary reason may be to improve functionality, but it is important to ensure that substitute chemicals do not carry unintended health or pollution risks.  This guide form the European Chemicals Agency provides an overview of how to identify harmful substances and ensure that substitution practices are effective in improving safety and reducing chemical impacts.

OECD have compiled a range of frameworks, guides and toolkits are available to support sound chemical substitution processes.

A guide from ChemSec aiming to simplify the process of chemical substitution