Polyurethane spray foam insulation, when used correctly and as intended, poses no risk to human, animal or environmental health and safety. It has been safely applied to over 80,000 crawl spaces in the Netherlands in the past 30 years. ISOPA, and the polyurethanes industry, share the view that safety of our products is the prerequisite for a responsible and sustainable business.
ISOPA is aware of health complaints in the Netherlands in the period following applications of polyurethane spray foam in some residential areas, and expresses sympathy with those who have experienced ill health. Despite the direct link made to polyurethane spray foam in the media, it is important to stress that the cause of these health complaints has not yet been determined.
We at ISOPA, however, remain committed to working together with public authorities in order to determine the root cause behind the health complaints in the Netherlands. To that end, in the past months ISOPA has proactively been working on a number of initiatives to ensure applicators follow industry best practices, including the creation of the Kennisplatform Gespoten PURschuim to implement additional measurable improvements in safety standards.
Furthermore, ISOPA offers full support and collaboration in identifying the root cause, and calls on suppliers to make available to relevant stakeholders safety data sheets and other documents related to the safety of its products.
As evidenced from its product stewardship ‘Walk the Talk’ programme launched in 2006, ISOPA considers information, communication and transparency to be key elements to maintaining the industry’s proven health and environmental safety record. ISOPA will look to further continue its dialogue with Dutch authorities and other stakeholders as it always has and maintain the integrity and safety track record of the polyurethanes industry.