About Fiber Glass
Fiber glass is a soft wool-like material that is usually pink or yellow. It is used as insulation, in weatherproofing, and as textile material. It was originally used as a "safe" substitute for asbestos. Fiber glass was used as a liner inside air supply ducts and air handler compartments of the ventilation system of homes and buildings built from the early 1960s through the late 1980s. It was used in ventilation systems as an insulator to prevent loss of hot/cold air and to reduce the noise from the blower fan. Fiber glass liners inside ducts were a problem because if it got wet it could become a breeding ground for microorganisms.
There are a few more problems with fiber glass. One is there are some health problems associated with it. For example, it can cause a skin allergy and there is debate on whether or not fiber glass may cause cancer. It may also trigger reactions in those people who are chemically sensitive since most fiber glass insulation is produced using a phenol formaldehyde binder to hold the fibers together. These binder materials may release offending amine or "dear-fish" odors in high humidity situations.
Another thing that should be considered when choosing insulation are the ingredients that go into it. The largest fiber glass insulation manufacturers all use at least 20% recycled glass in their insulation products to comply with the EPA recycled-content guidelines. One of the raw materials that is used to make fiber glass more flexible and fire retardant is boron. However, there are only two large deposits of boron in the world: one in the southwest United States and one in Turkey. Since the total known U.S. reserves of boron is just 200 years, other renewable alternatives should be considered.
