Question from jacinta
Hi Debra, I’m struggling with finding information on offgassing of polyester insulation batts. I read one site “ecospecifier’ saying of one brand ‘tontine’ that the offgassing is low – do you agree with this? or even if you don’t know about insulation batts just with polyester in general.
this is a great site and I am so pleased to find it.
thanks
Jacinta
Debra’s Answer
Some years ago, I read that NASA measured the offgassing of various synthetic materials because they were having problems with film buildup on the inside of windows on spacecraft (like the film that builds up on the inside of car windows). I wrote about this in some of my earlier books, but don’t see it in Home Safe Home. I’m not at home where I have all my past books, but one of you reading this has an old copy of The Nontoxic Home, I think it’s in there and maybe you’ll write in with the info.
Anyway, if I remember correctly, polyester outgassed the most of all the synthetic materials they tested. As far as I know, polyester is polyester, and it doesn’t matter what the brand is.
Also in the past I’ve written about a study done by John Ott, which showed that polyester can cause impotence in men. Again, I don’t have the exact reference here with me at the moment.
Regardless of the offgassing, polyester is made from nonrenewable crude oil, and doesn’t biodegrade. You’re in Australia. I believe they sell wool wall insulation there.
