Question from Bonnie Johnson
Hi Debra,
Do you know anything about the company called Retro Foam. They are advertised as being toxic free for brick homes in many areas.
Debra’s Answer
I didn’t find much information on the main company website, but there is a lot more at one of their dealer websites: http://mwretrofoam.com/faq
They say the foam is “a tri-polymer, water-based, plastic foam; it contains a resin, foaming agent (catalyst) and pressurized air (200psi). The three components remain separate until the time of injection. The actual foam is mixed in the 10’ vinyl hose we use for installations.” aminoplast acid based air
So this tells me nothing. I called the main office and they told me the foam is three parts: aminoplast plastic, acidt-based resin and air. Combined they make foam.
I looked up “aminoplast.” but there isn’t much information.
An search for aminoplast MSDS resulted in an MSDS that says the synonym is “aminoplast polymer” and the chemical name is “urea-formaldehyde polymer.”
Yet Retro Foam’s MSDS is very different (see below).
I’m hesitant to say anything about this one way or the other. The company says it’s not hazardous, but I can’t confirm that, even with another MSDS.
They say “Does it contain formaldehyde? Yes, a very small amount: .016 ppm, which is well below EPA restrictions. Formaldehyde is also naturally produced in very small amounts in our bodies as a part of our normal, everyday metabolism and causes us no harm. It can also be found in the air that we breathe at home and at work, in the food we eat, and in some products that we put on our skin. For example: lotions, shampoos, sunblock, body wash, toothpaste, cosmetics… The point: Is formaldehyde dangerous? It depends on the amount. Is RetroFoam™ dangerous? No.”
This sounds like they are trying to make us think formaldehyde isn’t harmful.
They say “Is it safe? Yes. It’s environmentally friendly. It’s non-toxic, odor free, safe for everyone involved.”
I asked customer service about substantiation for these claims and she sent me their specifications sheet, which says
ENVIRONMENTALLY “GREEN” CHARACTERISTICS
RetroFoam is an environmentally safe and friendly product made from nitrogen-based organic polymers. The foam is non-toxic and contains no solvents or petro-chemicals. Other “green” characteristics of Polymaster foam are:
- Biodegradable—no disposal problems
- No CFC’s
- No ozone depleting off-gassing
- No container disposal problems
- Does not require potable water
- Ships dry—utilizes less energy for transportation
- Pollution prevention alternative to rigid foam boards
- No residues following incineration
The MSDS sheet lists no hazardous chemicals.
Thanks so much Debra. After reading that I think I may be going with the denim batting they sell at Home Depot. I have a small crawl space of an attic that the birds have broken into. After that discovery we discovered mold on the beams up there that also have to be dealt with. So when all that is done I will put the insulation in.