Fibreglass – Myths & Facts

By Author: EPSCO LLC
Total Articles: 16
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For years fibreglass dust has been considered to be a nuisance (irritation) dust which does not cause disease. Now studies show that fibreglass dust can be dangerous, maybe as dangerous as asbestos dust. The implantation of fibreglass into the lining of the lungs of animals has caused cancer in the same way that asbestos does. Scientists now believe that asbestos causes cancer because of the physical shape of the fibre and not because of its chemical make up, This belief raises the concern that all fibrous materials could cause cancer.

What is Fibreglass?

Fibreglass is a part of group called Synthetic Mineral Fibres. Synthetic mineral fibres are fibrous inorganic substances made primarily from rock, clay, slag or glass. These fibres are classified into three general groups: (1) fibreglass (glass wool and glass filament), (2) Mineral wool (rock-wool and slag-wool), and (2) Refractory Ceramic fibres (RCF),

*Glasses are a class of materials made from silicon dioxide with oxides of various metals and other elements that solidify from the molten state without crystallization.

** A fibre is considered ...
... to be a particle with a length-to-diameter aspect ratio of 3 to 1 or greater, respirable fibres have mass medium aerodynamic diameter approximately 3,5 urn or less,

USES

Generally, fibreglass is light, strong, resistant to moisture. odours, rot, and easily formed into complex shapes and they are dimensionally stable. These qualities make fibreglass an excellent material to be used in the construction of buildings and for pluming and air handling systems such as the HVAC insulation. Also fibreglass can be found in a large number of products: It’s used in vehicles bodies, vessels, insulation, fabrics, wire insulation in electronics, and replacement insulation for asbestos.

Health Hazards: A Myth or Fact?

Synthetic mineral fibres are believed to cause respiratory cancers and other adverse respiratory effects, Typical fibres from continuous filament fibreglass are not small enough to travel deep into the lungs. Instead, these larger glass fibres can be very uncomfortable and irritating to the skin. Smaller fibres associated with fibreglass wool have been developed for some industries, and can travel deep into the lungs. Once there, these smaller fibres have shown signs of being potentially carcinogenic (cancer-Causing) in humans,

In 1988 the Internal Agency of Research on Cancer (IARC), a branch of the World Health Organization (WHO), classified fibreglass as a possible carcinogen. However, it must be noted that there are no conclusive facts that show that it does cause cancer.

Evaluating the Exposure

Dermatitis (rash), bad itching, sore throat, painful running noses, and excessive coughing are common complaints of people exposed to fibreglass and indicate the need for additional controls. The primary routes of potential human exposure to glass wool are inhalation and dermal contact. An exposure, which may cause long-term damage to health, such as: exposure to damaged or old dry loose fibreglass wool insulation inside the air conditioning duct system: grinding operation or any other operation causes a visible release of dust into the air. Large diameter (greater than 3.5 micron) glass fibres have been found to cause skin, eye, and upper respiratory tract irritation. While smaller diameter fibres