Urea-Formaldehyde Foam Insulation: Health Effects and Regulation (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Dec. 12, 1983 |
| Report Number |
MB82228 |
| Authors |
Michael M. Simpson |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
Urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI), a synthetic substance which when new is an excellent thermal insulator, has been installed in hundreds of thousands of commercial and residential buildings as a means of reducing heating and cooling costs. At the present time, however, some residents of these buildings are complaining of a variety of health-related discomforts; research indicates that exposure to UFFI may have serious health effects. Four U.S. Federal agencies and several foreign governments have taken different actions in relation to controlling potential human health effects resultant from exposure to UFFI; these actions range from use bans and compensation programs to refusal to regulate in the absence of evidence of significant risk to humans. Public policymakers' concerns currently focus on compensatory relief programs and congressional reviews of UFFI regulations and regulators.
