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Platform with aggregated information on human health and environmental impacts for products from leading manufacturers, vetted by experts against a sustainability criteria baseline.

This study aims to predict human exposure to pollutants and heating load in buildings by developing a numerical model coupling heat and chemical transfers in the building envelope. The study characterizes the effect of temperature and air renewal rate on chemical emissions from building materials and human exposure. The results show that increasing indoor temperature by 10°C doubles the maximum indoor air concentration of volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds, leading to increased human exposure. The study also finds that higher air renewal rates lead to smaller intake fractions of pollutants from building materials. The study highlights the need to guide early design choices towards a good compromise between human indoor exposure and heating load, especially with the increasing emphasis on energy-efficient building design.

This is a pre-print manuscript pending publication in open access scientific journals.

This document has been developed within the framework of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) project ID: 9771 on Global Best Practices on Emerging Chemical Policy Issues of Concern under the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM).

The study examines the near-field exposures and health risks of organic chemicals in interior paints commonly used in Sri Lanka. The researchers developed mass balance-based and high-throughput models to predict chemical emissions during wet and dry phases and integrated these models into the USEtox model for health risk assessment. The models accurately predicted indoor air concentrations and drying time. They found that inhalation is the primary exposure pathway, and exposure is much higher for painters during application than for household members during use. The study identified chemicals of concern and recommended the use of protective equipment for painters and increasing air ventilation rates to reduce exposure for household members.

This is a pre-print manuscript pending publication in open access scientific journals.

This document has been developed within the framework of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) project ID: 9771 on Global Best Practices on Emerging Chemical Policy Issues of Concern under the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM).

The Secretariat of the Strategic Approach to Chemicals Management (SAICM) and the University of Cape Town (UCT) have launched a Community of Practice (CoP) on Chemicals and SDGs to bring representatives from different sectors together and to create a learning network around issues related to addressing Chemicals and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is a summary of the discussion on Environmental Injustice Issues to Consider for Chemical Risk, which took place on 23 November 2022.

Presenters: Rico Euripidou (groundWork)

Pharos provides resources to assess human and environmental health hazards of chemicals and building materials, plus tools to collaborate to find safer alternatives. The goal of this effort is to reduce the use of hazardous chemicals and improve the inherent safety of materials and products.

Pharos provides hazard, use, and exposure information on 178,411 chemicals and 220 different kinds of building products.

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Common contents and hazards of 220 different kinds of building products.

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At face value, cabinetry may seem to be made of one type of wood, but its construction is much more complex. Many prefabricated cabinets are built using a combination of three or more wood composites and veneers, which typically use toxic glues containing formaldehyde, a known human carcinogen.

By comparing the material contents and construction in prefabricated cabinets, we created a spectrum that indicates the relationship between affordability and health. We typically consider the health effects during all phases of product development, but these diagrams are focused on the health effects during installation and inhabitation.

Currently, prefabricated cabinets are composed of 5%-30% healthier materials. Designers can increase this percentage by requesting manufacturers to build with NAF (no added formaldehyde) composite woods. This often comes with an increased price. Our Composite Wood Product and Spec Guidance gives a range of healthier substitutions.