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The
material content of the
All Tech Insulation Cellulose System consists of 85% recycled content with a
minimum of 80% recovered, post-consumer paper fiber. The
remaining content consists of
fire retardant chemicals and
stabilizing additives.
The
All Tech Insulation Cellulose System may
be used in walls and
attics of residential or commercial
structures, as well as cathedral or flat ceilings, crawl spaces,
basements, and as insulation under floors. There are no slope
restrictions with the
All Tech Insulation Cellulose System. Las Vegas
accepts
the All Tech Insulation Cellulose System at R-22 as equal to an R-30 fiberglass batt in
cathedral ceiling applications.
 Beginning
02/20/1990, all insulation materials installed by agencies using
federal funds must have a minimum content of recycled materials,
according to a ruling by the
Environmental Protection Agency
(Federal Register, 40 CFR Part 248 pages 7328-7369). Mandated by
Section 6002 of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act (RCRA), the ruling cites six types of insulation material
that meet the requirements: cellulose, polyurethane foam,
phenolic foam, rockwool, fiberboard made with cellulose, and
perlite composite boards. The amount of recycled material
required to meet the
EPA regulations varies with insulation
type. Cellulose must have at least 75% recycled material, rockwool 50%, the plastic foams from 5% to 9%. Any organization
or government agency that uses $10,000 or more per year of
federal funds to purchase building insulation must comply with
the regulation. A dominant effect of this ruling will be a
reduction of fiberglass insulation on federal jobs and increased
use of cellulose and rockwool.
According to CIMA’s
Resource Conservation Research Home Insulation Fact Sheet,
recovered newsprint is one of the largest single components of
the residential waste stream. Insulating a typical 1,500 square
foot ranch-style home with cellulose insulation productively
recycles as much newsprint as an individual will consume in 40
years. This is based on data from the
National Solid Waste
Management Association.
If America’s homes
were insulated with cellulose, over 3.2 million tons of waste
newsprint would be removed from the refuse stream every year and
put to productive energy use conserving vital energy resources.
This projection is based on 1.5 million new homes with an
average area of 1,500 square feet, insulated to R-30 in the
attics and R-13 in the side
walls. If more stringent insulation
standards, such as those of the Model Energy Code were followed,
even more recyclable material would be removed from the waste
stream.
Another energy
advantage is cellulose manufacturers require less energy to
produce this product. Cellulose is produced in
electrically-driven mills. Mineral fiber insulation is produced
in furnaces that use natural gas and release greenhouse gases.
These furnaces burn day and night, regardless of how much
insulation is needed.
Called "embodied
energy," cellulose manufacturers consume relatively little
energy when they are operating, and they consume no energy once
the production day ends. Adding to this, is the advantage of
availability of material locally. It is not necessary to
transport feedstock’s long distances to cellulose insulation
plants. There is also potential to reduce energy expenditures
for waste transportation. Many cities and states, especially in
the Northeast are running out of landfill space. There are
serious proposals to transport waste from New England and the
Middle Atlantic Region as Far West as Kansas. If substantial
amounts of newsprint were removed from the transport stream and
recycled locally as cellulose insulation, the amount of waste
moved to distant landfills could be substantially reduced, with
corresponding savings in the amount of energy required to
transport the waste.
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The All Tech Insulation
Cellulose System is treated
with boric acid and/or other
fire retardants to pass the required
fire ratings.
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An adhesive is added
to
the All Tech Insulation Cellulose System to prevent settling after
application.
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All Tech Insulation Cellulose System
contains no
asbestos, formaldehyde, mineral wool or fiberglass.
Cellulose insulation is
covered by the following government and industry standards:
16 CFR Part 1209
– This is the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC)
safety standard that covers four product attributes: settled
density, corrosiveness, critical radiant flux (a measure of
surface burning), and smoldering combustion. It is illegal to
market cellulose insulation that does not conform with this
section of the Code of Federal Regulations.
ASTM Standard C-739
– This is the industry standard for loose-fill cellulose
insulation. It covers all the factors of CPSC plus five
additional characteristics: R-value, starch content, moisture
absorption, odor, and resistance to fungus growth.
ASTM Standard C-1149
– This is the industry standard for self-supported
spray-applied cellulose insulation for exposed or wall cavity
application. It covers the following characteristics: density,
R-value, surface burning, adhesive
strength, smoldering
combustion, fungi resistance,
corrosion, moisture vapor
absorption, odor, flame resistance permanency, substrate
deflection, and air erosion.
16 Part 460
– This Federal Trade Commission regulation, commonly known as
the "R-value Rule," is intended to eliminate dishonest
or misleading insulation marketing claims and to ensure
publication of accurate R-value and coverage data.
State Regulations
– The states of California and Minnesota have state laws and
regulations that apply to cellulose insulation and other
insulation products. In the case of cellulose, both states base
their legal requirements on the ASTM standards.
Contact an All Tech Insulation
engineer today (989-826-9999) for a deeper discussion
about your insulation requirements.
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