US strengthens the safety supervision of diisocyanate

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on April 13 that in order to protect the health of consumers, it will take action on raw materials diisocyanate of polyurethane materials and strengthen supervision.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's action focuses on DIY consumer products containing uncured diisocyanate components such as spray foam sealants, sealants, adhesives, and floor polishes. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, such DIY consumer products are different from fully-reacted polyurethane foam mattress products in that they allow consumers to come into contact with diisocyanates. Therefore, they must be restricted. Diisocyanate can harm the respiratory system and skin and is the “culprit” for occupational asthma. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration has therefore set a workplace exposure limit for this product. But consumers are harmed by such chemicals, there is no corresponding protection regulations.

Steven Owen, deputy director of the US Environmental Protection Agency's agency for chemical safety and pollution prevention, said: "In recent years, people who are keen to do their own repairs have increasingly used such foams and sealants. People are unknowingly in the environment of these chemicals and are harmed without knowing it."

It is understood that the US Environmental Protection Agency is taking actions against two diisocyanates. One is for TDI (** diisocyanate) and its related chemicals, and the other is for MDI (diphenylmethane diisocyanate) and similar chemicals including MDI monomer, its dimer, and trimer And related isomers and polymers. The EPA intends to issue a regulation based on the Toxic Substances Control Act that requires the relevant company to inform the consumer before applying the uncured TDI and related products to consumer products. EPA also said that it plans to work with industry to discuss an initiative to voluntarily phase out such TDI products. If no agreement can be reached, EPA said that it will consider establishing regulations requiring TDI and related product manufacturers to monitor the exposure of such substances used in consumer products. The EPA also plans to require TDI and MDI manufacturers to report to them the various negative effects on humans caused by exposure to these chemicals. At the same time, EPA will also require these companies to submit unpublished health and safety data for these products. “We look forward to exchanging opinions with the EPA on the action plan for such chemicals. The two sides have worked together on this issue for several months, and we are confident that we can adopt the relevant action plan and be able to do so,” said Kasyn John, spokesman for the American Chemical Industry Council (ACC). Further improve the safety of sprayed polyurethane foam."