Tools & Guides

Research

Searching for information about toxic chemicals, health hazards or how vulnerable groups can protect themselves? Find resources detailing building materials impact on health here.

Materials & Health

17 tools & guides

Summary-level information on the major issues with toxic chemicals in building materials and how they can affect human health.

Better Building Materials

U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC)

Healthy Building Network: Reports

Healthy Building Network (HBN)

The Healthy Building Network advocates to reduce the use of hazardous chemicals in building products to improve human health and the environment.

BuildingGreen Continuing Education

BuildingGreen

Receive continuing education credit for AIA, GBCI and ILFI for reading BuildingGreen's reports and featured articles.

The Story of Stuff

The Story of Stuff Project began in 2007 to examine the underside of our production and consumption patterns. Since then, they have expanded with a series exploring environmental and social issues.

US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Environmental Protection Agency

The EPA is an agency of the Federal government of the United States created for the purpose of protecting human health and the environment by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress.

NIEHS

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

As a publicly-funded institute, the NIEHS is committed to conducting the most rigorous research in environmental health sciences, and to communicating the results of this research to the public.

10 Simple Steps for a Healthier Lifestyle

Small day-to-day decisions have a huge impact. These simple steps to a healthier lifestyle will positively impact your health, the health of your neighbor, and the health of the environment. Day-to-day decisions also send messages to your peers, politicians, brands and to huge corporations. Being a beacon for change post-grad doesn’t have to be complicated. Start small with these 10 simple steps.

Embodied Carbon 101 Series

Boston Society for Architecture (BSA)

As an AEC professional, find out about embodied carbon from this 12 part program presented by Boston Society for Architecture.

Carbon Leadership Forum

Carbon Leadership Forum's supports the elimination of embodied carbon in buildings and infrastructure through resource guides, policy tool-kit and research papers.

Bringing Embodied Carbon Upfront

World Green Building Council (WGBC)

This paper overviews important strategies to revolutionize the buildings and construction sector towards a net zero future, and tackle embodied carbon emissions by 2050.

WATER

Donghia healthier Materials Library

Understand more about the crucial role responsible water management plays in upholding ecological health.

WASTE

Donghia healthier Materials Library

Tackle issues of waste in the built environment through reduction, diversion and elimination of hazardous waste methods.

SOCIAL EQUITY

Donghia healthier Materials Library

Equitable design and ecologically restorative building products are mutually inseparable. Find out why and what role we as designers play in it.

CARBON

Donghia healthier Materials Library

Find out more about embodied carbon with strategies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the built environment.

CIRCULARITY

Donghia healthier Materials Library

Learn how circular models can replace nonlinear - cradle to grave - material systems and what role designers can play.

HEALTH

Donghia healthier Materials Library

Dive into today’s “must haves” such as product transparency to combat the impacts of toxic building materials on human health in this design related overview.

Embodied Carbon in Construction Calculator (EC3) tool

A new Carbon Calculator Tool, called "EC3 Carbon Calculator"

Chemicals of Concern

12 tools & guides

Six Classes: Chemicals of Concern

Green Science Policy Institute

A series of webinars by distinguished scientists about six families or “classes” of chemicals which contain many of the harmful substances found in everyday products.

Red List Chemical Guide

International Living Future Institute

The Red List represents the “worst in class” materials, chemicals, and elements known to pose serious risks to human health and the greater ecosystem.

Pharos: Chemical and Material Library

Healthy Building Network (HBN)

An online catalog of chemicals, polymers, metals, and other substances. It identifies key health and environmental information using authoritative scientific lists for specific human and environmental health hazards, restricted substance lists, and GreenScreen List Translator scores.

Precautionary List

Perkins+Will

The Precautionary List, first published in 2009, includes substances commonly found in the built environment that have been classified by regulatory entities as being harmful to the health of humans and/or the environment.

Chemicals of Concern

Harvard Office for Sustainability

This resource, created by the Harvard Office of Sustainability, outlines the efforts of Harvard’s Sustainability Plan to reduce toxic chemicals in the built environment. It includes information on their efforts as well as guides on eliminating various chemicals of concern.

Green Science Policy Institute

Green Science Policy Institute

The Green Science Policy Institute's mission is to facilitate responsible use of chemicals to protect human and ecological health. They educate and build partnerships among scientists, regulators, businesses, and public interest groups to develop innovative solutions for reducing harmful chemicals in products.

Toxnot

toxnot PBC

Toxnot is a free, open platform that lets anyone share information and hazard data on thousands of chemicals.

Center for Health, Environment & Justice

Center for Health, Environment & Justice (CHEJ)

The Center for Health, Environment, and Justice believes that people have the right to be safe from environmental harm. CHEJ’s Director of Science Stephen Lester and our Science and Technical Department work to research the toxicants you are concerned about in order to distribute accessible scientific information to the public. CHEJ empowers communities to make informed decisions about their own health.

Endocrine Disruptors (EDCs) – ChemSec

ChemSec

ChemSec's page on endocrine disruptors explains the health concerns that endocrine disrupting chemicals present. This resource also includes the ChemSec SIN List which names 32 endocrine disrupting chemicals that should be eliminated from consumer products.

The Top Ten Things You Need to Know About Antimicrobials

Perkins+Will, Healthy Building Network (HBN)

A new white paper by Perkins+Will and the Healthy Building Network explains why antimicrobial products may be causing people and places more harm than good, with the top ten reasons summarized here.

Understanding Antimicrobial Ingredients in Building Materials

Perkins+Will, Healthy Building Network (HBN)

The purpose of this paper is to provide useful information to our colleagues and clients to consider in relation to the use of antimicrobials in the building industry. This paper summarizes our present thinking about the current use of antimicrobials in the building industry, and our conclusion that they should be approached with skepticism and caution at this time.

The Textile Process

ChemSec

Conditions & Diseases

1 tools & guides

Environmental Health Topics

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences

This section provides an A to Z alphabetical listing of major health topics that are related to or affected by environmental exposures. The major categories of topics include Conditions & Diseases, Environmental Agents, Environmental Science Basics, Population Research, and National Toxicology Program Information.

Vulnerable Populations

4 tools & guides

Social Determinants of Health

Nearly everyone is impacted by the social determinants of health in one way or another. Healthy People 2020 organizes the social determinants of health around five key domains: (1) Economic Stability, (2) Education, (3) Health and Health Care, (4) Neighborhood and Built Environment, and (5) Social and Community Context.

Defining Affordable Housing: From Policy to Reality

Healthy Materials Lab

When we talk about affordable housing the central question becomes affordable for whom?

Children’s Environmental Health Network (CEHN)

Children's Environmental Health Network (CEHN)

The Children's Environmental Health Network (CEHN) is a national multi-disciplinary organization whose mission is to protect the developing child from environmental health hazards and promote a healthier environment.

Healthy Babies Bright Futures

An alliance of scientists, nonprofit organizations and donors working to create and support initiatives that measurably reduce exposures to neurotoxic chemicals in the first thousand days of development.

Evidence

3 tools & guides

Toolbox for Exposure Assessors

Environmental Protection Agency

EPA’s EXPOsure toolBOX (EPA-Expo-Box) is a toolbox created to assist individuals from within government, industry, academia, and the general public with assessing exposure. It is a compendium of exposure assessment tools that links to guidance documents, databases, models, reference materials, and other related resources.

Preventing Disease through Healthy Environments

World Health Organization (WHO)

A global assessment of the burden of disease from environmental risks.

National Report on Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals

Center for Disease Control (CDC)

Glossary

Affordable Housing

In general, housing for which the occupant(s) is/are paying no more than 30 percent of his or her income for gross housing costs, including utilities. Please note that some jurisdictions may define affordable housing based on other, locally determined criteria, and that this definition is intended solely as an approximate guideline or general rule of thumb.

Read more at HUD

Alkylphenols (APEs)

Alkylphenols are a large family of organic compounds used in a wide variety of products, including cleaning products, beauty products, contraceptives, coatings, fragrances, thermoplastics, carbonless copy paper, and agrochemicals. Most concerns are focused on alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs), which bioaccumulate and have been shown to cause endocrine disruption in fish. They are in cleaning products that end up in waterways from wastewater treatment effluent. Some alkylphenols, especially nonylphenol, are being phased out in Europe and more research into their impacts is needed. A few governments with environmentally preferable purchasing programs restrict or ban APEs.

Read more at Red List

Anything that causes an allergic reaction, such as pollen, dust mites, or animal dander (skin protein that flakes off).

Read more at CCCEH

Antimicrobials are a class of chemicals used in many personal care and consumer products to kill or inhibit the growth of microbes. Antimicrobials of concern include halogenated aromatic compounds such as triclosan and triclocarban, nanosilver, and quaternary ammonium compounds (quats) such as benzalkonium chloride. These chemicals have biocidal properties when evaluated under lab conditions. However, there is little evidence supporting the benefits of antimicrobials in consumer products. Furthermore, common antimicrobials are toxic to aquatic life and are associated with adverse health impacts.

Read more at GSPI

Area Median Income (AMI)

A term of art used by some federal programs to describe published income standards for various areas of the country that are used as benchmarks for determining households’ eligibility for federally funded programs. For example, homebuyers assisted with HOME or CDBG funds generally must have incomes at or below 80% of area median income. AMIs are calculated and published annually by HUD. “Median” means that half of all households in the area are estimated to have more than this amount of income.

Read more at Enterprise

Asbestos is a mineral fiber that is used in a variety of construction materials for its strength and heat resisting capabilities. It is often found in wall insulation, vinyl floor coverings, paint compounds, roofing, heat resistant fabrics, and automobile brakes. Exposure occurs as asbestos fibers are released into the air during use, demolition, work, building, or repairing asbestos-containing materials. Asbestos is a known human carcinogen, increasing risks of lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis.

Read more at Red List

A substance that causes new cases of asthma.

Read more at USGBC

A component of an adhesive composition that is primarily responsible for the adhesive forces that hold two bodies together. Binders in composite wood products are traditionally made from urea formaldehyde, a known carcinogen.

Read more at Dictionary of Architecture and Construction

Bioaccumulation

Bioaccumulation is the increasing concentration of a toxic substance in a living organism as
it takes in contaminated air, water, or food because the substance is very slowly metabolized or
excreted.

Read more at USGBC

Bisphenol A (BPA)

Bisphenol A (BPA) is used to manufacture polycarbonate (clear, hard) plastics and epoxy resins. The plastics are used in many consumer products, such as drink bottles, DVDs, eyeglass lenses, electronics, car parts, and other products that must not break easily. Epoxy resins are used for lining food cans and water pipes, and for many sales receipts. Most recent testing has shown the largest health-related concern to be potential impacts on the brains, behavior, and prostate glands of fetuses, infants, and small children so most health organizations advise against the use of BPA for baby bottles and related products. BPA has also been found in breast milk.

Read more at Red List

Bisphenols (BPA, BPB, BPS)

Bisphenols are industrial chemicals that have been used to make polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins since the 1960s. Polycarbonate plastics are often used in containers that store food and beverages, such as water bottles. Epoxy resins are used to coat the inside of metal products, such as food cans, bottle tops and water supply lines. Some research has shown that bisphenols can seep into food or beverages from containers that are made with them. Exposure to bisphenols is a concern because of possible health effects to the brain, behavior and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children.

Read more at Wikipedia

The US Department of Health and Human Services and the International Agency for Research on Cancer have determined that cadmium is a known human carcinogen, associated with lung cancer. Additionally, acute and long-term exposures can lead to lung and kidney damage, bone loss, hypertension. In sufficient quantities, cadmium is lethal. Cadmium’s extreme toxicity means that overexposure can occur even when only trace amounts are present, such as during smelting and electroplating activities.

Read more at Red List

Carbon Farming is a new way of farming to sequestrate carbon in the soil. Possible ways can be adjustments on farm level - like applying fertilizers rich in carbon, reduced or no-tillage, or planting cover crops - to changes in the entire farming system - like enriched crop rotation or agroforestry.

A substance that can cause or contribute to cancer.

Read more at USGBC

cathode ray tube (CRT)

Vacuum tube, made primarily of glass, which constitutes the video display component of televisions and computer monitors. These tubes are generally hazardous for lead.

Read more at EPA

CDPH Standard Method (Standard Method, 01350 Standard)

CDPH Standard Method is the "Standard Method for the Testing and Evaluation of Volatile Organic Chemical Emissions from Indoor Sources Using Environmental Chambers” published by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH).

Read more at HPD-C

A substance represented by a single Chemical Abstract Service Registry Number (CAS#).

Read more at C2C

Chemical Abstract Services Registration Number (CAS Number, CAS RN)

Read more at HPD-C

Chlorinated Polyethylene (CPE) and Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene (CSPE)

Chlorinated Polyethylene (CPE) and Chlorosulfonated Polyethylene (CSPE) are Persistent Organic Pollutant Source Materials: due to their carbon-chlorine bases, these products contribute to the creation of dioxins and furans at different points in their life cycle (often manufacturing and/or disposal). According to the World Health Organization, dioxins are some of the most potent toxins known to humans, with no known safe limit for exposure and a strong propensity for bioaccumulation. In addition, dioxins are highly persistent in the environment. Similarly, furans accumulate in animal fat, concentrating as they travel up the food chain. Non-chlorinated polyethylene products are readily available in many product categories.

Read more at Red List

Chlorobenzene is used primarily as a solvent, a degreaser for auto parts, and a chemical intermediary for making other chemicals, so exposures is primarily a risk to workers making or using it. Most exposures are through inhalation of fumes. Shortterm exposure can cause headaches, sleepiness, nausea, numbness, muscle spasms, and in extreme cases, unconsciousness. Chronic (long-term) exposure can cause increased signs of neurotoxicity (numbness, etc.) and irritation of the upper respiratory tract. In animals, chronic exposure has also caused kidney and liver damage. Chlorobenzene is broken down by sun and bacteria in the environment and does not accumulate in the food chain.

Read more at Red List

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

According to USEPA, the depletion of the Earth’s protective ozone layer by chlorofluorocarbons (or CFCs) is responsible for an increased incidence of skin cancer, cataracts, impairment of human immune systems, and damage to wildlife. CFCs have been banned from production in the United States since 1995.

Read more at Red List

Chloroprene (Neoprene)

Chloroprene is a Persistent Organic Pollutant Source Material. Due to its carbonchlorine base, it contributes to the creation of dioxins at different points in its life cycle (often manufacturing and/or disposal). According to the World Health Organization, dioxins are some of the most potent toxins known to humans, with no known safe limit for exposure and a strong propensity for bioaccumulation. In addition, dioxins are highly persistent in the environment.

Read more at Red List

Although chromium is a naturally occurring element and chromium III (trivalent chrome) is an essential nutrient, chromium VI (hexavalent chrome) can cause serious health issues, especially for factory workers who can inhale or ingest it during manufacturing. There has been concern about it in drinking water and, lacking EPA maximum allowable levels, the State of California set a public health goal for it. Chromium VI is used primarily for chrome plating of metals for decorative or protective finishes, making stainless steel, leather tanning, anti-corrosive agents for paints, and in textile dyes and pigments. Long-term or high-level exposure through inhalation can cause nasal irritation and ulcers, breathing problems, and nasal and lung cancer in unprotected workers. Ingestion can cause anemia and/or stomach tumors. Skin contact can cause skin ulcers and allergic reactions.

Read more at Red List

constituent (Intentionally Used Substance)

An Intentionally Used Substance that is intended to be incorporated into the final material/mixture — that is, for which the performance characteristics (including cost reduction) are desired parts of the final material/mixture.

Read more at HPD-C

A general umbrella term for everything in a product or part (homogenous materials and/or chemical substances).

Read more at HPD-C

dermal absorption

A route of exposure by which substances enter the body through the skin.

Read more at USGBC

According to the World Health Organization, dioxins are some of the most potent toxins known to humans, with no known safe limit for exposure and a strong propensity for bioaccumulation. In addition, dioxins are highly persistent in the environment.

Read more at WHO

The reporting by manufacturers about product ingredients, impacts, or other attributes to the public or to third parties.

Read more at USGBC

The practice of recycling a material in such a way that much of its inherent value is degraded (e.g. recycling plastic into park benches) revealing poor design of a lifecycle and the related material flows.

embodied carbon (low embodied carbon)

Embodied carbon refers to the greenhouse gas emissions arising from the manufacturing, transportation, installation, maintenance, and disposal of building materials.

Embodied carbon is a significant percentage of global emissions and requires urgent action to address it.

Read more at Carbon Leadership Forum

endocrine disruptors

A substance that mimics, blocks, or interferes with hormones and their production, metabolism, and excretion causing malfunction of the endocrine system which can lead to malfunction of the reproductive, nervous, and immune systems.

Read more at USGBC

EPD (Environmental Product Declaration)

A standardized format for communicating the environmental effects associated with a product’s or system’s raw materials extraction, energy use, chemical makeup, waste generation, and emissions to air, soil, and water.

Read more at USGBC

Contact with a substance through inhalation, ingestion, or dermal absorption.

Read more at USGBC

exposure pathways

The way in which people are exposed to radiation or other contaminants. The three basic pathways are inhalation (contaminants are taken into the lungs), ingestion (contaminants are swallowed) and direct (external) exposure (contaminants cause damage from outside the body).

Read more at EPA

flue gas desulfurization gypsum (FGD gypsum, synthetic gypsum, pre-consumer recycled gypsum)

Pre-consumer recycled content (synthetic gypsum) is created from environmental control systems installed in the smokestacks of coal-fired power plants. These systems capture particles from coal burning as they travel through the smokestack or flue. This becomes Flue-Gas Desulfurization (FGD) gypsum. FGD in drywall results in the global distribution of mercury, a potent developmental and neurotoxic metal that persists in the environment, accumulates in the food chain, and is highly toxic. The very pollution that is being captured in the flue of the power plant is being released from the smokestacks of wallboard factories that use FGD residuals.

Read more at HomeFree

A by-product of coal burning at electricity plants. It is called "fly" ash because it is transported from the combustion chamber by exhaust gases. Fly ash can be substituted for portland cement in concrete or used as an additive in drywall. In these applications, it presents concerns because of its concentration of heavy metals such as mercury.

Read more at EPA

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

FSC is a global, not-for-profit organization dedicated to the promotion of responsible forest management worldwide. They certify wood products through their Chain-of-Custody Certification and their Forest Management Certification.

Read more at FSC

Formaldehyde is a colorless gas used as a preservative and disinfectant in the building industry, and in the manufacture of polymers. Formaldehyde is carcinogenic, irritates the eyes, nose, and lungs, and is known to react with other atmospheric chemicals to produce the deadly toxin carbon monoxide. Formaldehyde is used in some paints and adhesives, in some fabric treatments, and, significantly, in the manufacture of polymeric binding resins used in a wide variety of building products. Phenol formaldehyde, urea formaldehyde, and melamine formaldehyde are all known to release formaldehyde over time long after product installation in residential and commercial spaces.

Read more at HomeFree

Capable of killing or inactivating microorganisms. Any substance or process that kills germs (bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms that can cause infection and disease).

A non-profit that provides third-party certification for a wide range of products, including paints, adhesives, lamps, chillers, windows, cleaners, and occupancy sensors. Green Seal follows the ISO process for open standard development but is not ANSI-approved. Following ISO requirements, Green Seal considers impacts over the entire life cycle of a product in developing a standard. It then develops criteria relating to the most significant impacts for which roughly 20% of existing products have superior performance. Green Seal reviews its standards every three years and updates them when it sees a shift in the market. Green Seal’s certifications are based on data from accredited laboratories and audits of manufacturing facilities.

Read more at BuildingGreen

GreenScreen (GreenScreen for Safer Chemicals)

GreenScreen is a method for comparative chemical hazard assessment. It is used to assess the inherent hazards of chemicals and their potential effect on human health and the environment. The List Translator score (LT-) is a designation based on initial stand-alone screening of a substance against GreenScreen authoritative hazard lists. The Benchmark score (BM-) is a designation based on a full GreenScreen assessment, which includes a comprehensive review of all available information including 1) measured data from standardized tests and scientific literature, 2) estimated data from suitable analogs and models, 3) hazard lists. Both are free, public protocols; however, a full assessment used for a public claim must be completed by a licensed profiler.

Read more at HPD-C

Halogenated Fire Retardants (HFRs)

Halogenated Fire Retardants (HFRs) are a broad class of flame retardants containing chlorine or bromine that have aroused concern due to their exponential accumulation in human beings in recent years. HFRs are persistent bioaccumulative toxins, meaning that they accumulate in organisms and the broader environment, often reaching alarmingly high concentrations as they travel up the food chain. In addition, certain halogenated products have shown evidence of harm to humans and other animal species. According to the Washington State Department of Ecology, for example, the toxicity endpoints of concern for Penta-PBDE include adverse effects on neurological development, reproduction, thyroid hormone disruption and possible liver toxicity.

Read more at Red List

The inherent capacity of a substance to cause an adverse effect to health or the environment. “Hazard” is not synonymous with “risk” and/or “exposure”.

Read more at HPD-C

health endpoint (Hazard Type)

An effect of exposure to a toxic chemical, such as carcinogenicity or reproductive toxicity. RSEI considers both cancer and non-cancer chronic human health endpoints in calculating toxicity weights.

Read more at RSEI

Health Product Declaration (HPD)

A standardized format, managed by the Health Product Declaration Collaborative, for reporting building product contents and their known associated hazard data.

Read more at HPD-C

We use the term “HempLime” to describe the building material made of hemp hurd, lime powder and water. Many people call this “Hempcrete” but we feel that this term can be confusing because it sounds like a replacement for “concrete”. HempLime is not structural, and cannot replace concrete. It is primarily an insulation material which can be finished with stucco and plaster.

High-Touch Surfaces (High-Contact Surfaces)

Surfaces that are frequently touched by building users and occupants such as door knobs, hand rails and tables.

Read more at WELL

Highly Fluorinated Chemicals

Highly fluorinated chemicals are used in cookware, clothing, outdoor apparel, carpeting, and food packaging to provide oil- and water resistant properties. They are persistent in the environment and have been detected in humans and biota all over the globe. In humans, some highly fluorinated chemicals have been associated with kidney and testicular cancer, thyroid disruption, elevated total cholesterol, and obesity.

Read more at Six Classes

Homogeneous Material

Homogeneous Material is a uniform solid, liquid, or gas composed of one or more substances that cannot be mechanically disjointed, in principle. It may be a chemical formulation or compound; of undefinable composition (UVCB); or a combination of the two. Coatings and finishes such as plating, powder coats, enamels, etc. are considered unique homogeneous materials.

Read more at HPD-C

Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)

Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are potent ozone-depleting compounds. While less destructive than the now-banned chlorofluorocarbons, HCFCs are targeted for gradual phase-out by the US EPA with a total ban going into effect in the year 2030. According to USEPA, the depletion of the Earth’s protective ozone layer is responsible for an increased incidence of skin cancer, cataracts, impairment of human immune systems, and damage to wildlife.

Read more at Red List

An unintended substance present in a material/mixture as manufactured that was not an intentionally used substance in the production of the material/mixture. It may originate from the starting materials or be the result of secondary or incomplete reactions during the manufacturing process. For example, a chemical substance as supplied in commerce that is 99.0% pure is a mixture of the pure chemical substance and 1.0% of impurities.

Read more at HPD-C

A route of exposure by which substances enter the body through the mouth.

Read more at USGBC

A route of exposure by which substances enter the body through the act
of breathing.

Read more at USGBC

intentionally used substance

Any chemical substance that is used in the production of the homogeneous material/mixture, whether or not it is intended to remain in the manufacturer’s finished product. This includes all substances used in production, whether used by the product manufacturer or by an upstream supplier.

Read more at HPD-C

A class of highly reactive chemicals used in the manufacture of flexible and rigid foams, fibers, coatings, and elastomers.

Read more at USGBC

According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the environmental levels of lead have increased more than 1000-fold over the last three centuries, due almost exclusively to human activities. Lead exposure is damaging to virtually every organ and system in the human body, but is particularly damaging to the brain and central nervous system—profoundly so for young children and developing fetuses. Lead exposure is correlated with decreased IQ and delayed learning in children; scientific research has identified no safe level of lead exposure, and effects are irreversible.

Read more at Red List

life cycle thinking

An informal thought process for considering all of a product’s impacts from cradle to grave

Read more at USGBC

Low Income Housing Tax Credits (LIHTC)

A tax incentive intended to increase the availability of low-income housing. The program provides an income tax credit to owners of newly constructed or substantially rehabilitated low-income rental housing projects.

Read more at Enterprise

A group of one or more chemicals that together comprise a component or input to a finished product.

Read more at C2C

Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) or (SDS)

A manufacturer-provided form that contains brief information regarding chemical and physical hazards, health effects, proper handling, storage, and personal protection appropriate for use of a particular chemical in an occupational environment. MSDSs are being replaced by safety data sheets under the Globally Harmonized System (adapted from EPA Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Glossary).

Read more at USGBC

According to the World Health Organization, mercury produces a suite of ill effects, including harm to the nervous, digestive and immune systems, and even death. WHO lists children and developing fetuses as especially vulnerable to damage from mercury. Mercury bioaccumulates in the environment, eventually reaching concentrations thousands of times more intense than ambient levels.

Read more at Red List

Molds are microscopic organisms that play an important role in the breakdown of plant and animal matter. Outdoors, molds can be found in shady, damp areas, or places where leaves or other vegetation is decomposing. Indoor molds can grow on virtually any surface, as long as moisture, oxygen, and organic material are present. When molds are disturbed, they release tiny cells called spores into the surrounding air.

Read more at NIH

A substance that can induce an alteration in the structure of DNA (EPA IRIS Glossary)

Read more at USGBC

A substance intentionally engineered to achieve size-dependent properties and functions with one or more external dimensions or an internal structure measuring less than 100 nanometers.

Read more at HPD-C

A substance that can damage the central nervous system.

Read more at USGBC

no added formaldehyde (NAF)

The NAF standard for No Added Formaldehyde is currently the highest federal standard regulating formaldehyde emissions. NAF certifies that composite wood is free of resins made from urea formaldehyde or phenol formaldehyde, which have the potential to off-gas after installation and are known carcinogens. NAF certification originated with CARB, and has since been adopted by the EPA for the TSCA Title VI regulation.

Read more at CARB

no added urea formaldehyde (NAUF)

NAUF certifies that products have no added urea formaldehyde. As of 2018, this certification is no longer recognized as an exemption to CARB or TSCA Title VI regulations.

Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA)

Outlines current indoor air quality guidelines for the workplace.

Read more at WELL

The production of gases from the chemical deterioration of a substance over time, and the release of gases from materials into the air.

Read more at EPA

The use of human health, environmental, and other product information by project teams to select preferable materials and products, and by manufacturers to improve materials and products

Read more at USGBC

An infectious biological agent such as bacteria, virus and fungus that is capable of causing disease in its host.

Read more at WELL

per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, Perfluorinated Chemicals, PFCs)

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), are a group of man-made chemicals. These chemicals, which include PFOA, PFOS, and PTFE, are widely used to make products more resistant to stains, grease, and water. They are commonly found in nonstick cookware, waterproofed clothing, and stain-resistant sofas and carpets. PFAS are persistent in the environment, and exposure to these chemicals has been linked with adverse health effects. Studies on laboratory animals have shown developmental and reproductive, kidney and liver, and immunological effects. The most common findings from human epidemiology studies link PFAS to increased cholesterol levels, low infant birth rates, immunological problems, cancer, and thyroid hormone disruption.

Read more at EPA

Persistant Organic Pollutant (POP)

A chemical substance that persists in the environment, bioaccumulates through the food chain, and poses a risk of harming human health and the environment (adapted from the United Nations Environment Programme).

Read more at USGBC

Persistant, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic Substance (PBT)

A highly toxic, long-lasting substance that can build up in the food chain to levels that are harmful to human and ecosystem health (EPA PBT Chemical Program).

Read more at USGBC

A general term that describes the chemical substances used to destroy or control insect or plant pests. Many pesticides are manufactured and do not occur naturally in the environment. Others are natural toxins that are extracted from plants and animals.

Read more at EPA

Chemicals used to soften plastics in many consumer products, including children’s toys, plastic containers, and personal care products. Phthalates can seep out of these products, and studies have shown that phthalates can disrupt the endocrine system, which is the body’s system of regulating hormones.

Read more at CCCEH

Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether (PBDE)

One of a class of bromine-containing organic chemicals used as ﬂame retardants.

Read more at USGBC

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)

PCB manufacturing in the US stopped in 1977 but the compound is long-lasting in the environment (mostly in soils) around old manufacturing and disposal sites, in old electrical transformers and electrical devices, and in fish and their predators. PCBs make good coolants, lubricants, and insulators for electrical equipment of all kinds. They are known to cause cancer in animals and are probable human carcinogens, but exposure tends to be limited to people who worked in the electrical industry many years ago, lived close to manufacturing sites, and/or ate contaminated fish. Health effects also include acne-like skin conditions and neurobehavioral and immunological changes in children.

Read more at Red List

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)

Small particles of pollution that get into the air when fuel is burned. PAH are carcinogenic. They are generally inhaled and can also enter the body when eating charred or blackened food.

Read more at CCCEH

Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)

PVC’s vinyl chloride monomer building block is a known human carcinogen, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. In addition, PVC is a Persistent Organic Pollutant Source Material. Due to its chlorine content, PVC often contains other Red List ingredients, such as cadmium, lead, and phthalates. The manufacture and disposal of PVC can result in the production of dioxins and disposal phases. Dioxins, specifically TCDD, accumulate in human and animal tissue and are associated with immune system impairment, damage to developing nervous systems, and damage to the endocrine and reproductive systems. TCDD is listed as a “known human carcinogen” by the International Agency for Research on Cancer.

Read more at Red List

Postconsumer Recycled Content (PostC)

Waste materials generated by households or by commercial, industrial and institutional facilities in their role as end-users of the product, which can no longer be used for their intended purpose.

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precautionary principle

An approach to risk management that advocates measures to prevent harm when serious or irreversible damage is possible but scientiﬁc consensus is lacking.

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Preconsumer Recycled Content (PreC)

Post-industrial material diverted from the waste stream during a manufacturing process. Excluded from this category is re-utilization of materials such as scrap that are generated in a process and capable of being reclaimed within the same process.

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Priority Hazard List

Authoritative chemical hazard list to be referenced when screening substances for hazard warnings, as compiled by the Health Product Declaration Collaborative. Selections are primarily based on criteria developed for the GreenScreen® for Safer Chemicals.

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A finished good composed of homogeneous materials that are in turn made up of chemical substances. A product may be made of one or more homogeneous materials. A product may also be organized into parts, which are in turn made up of one or more homogenous materials. A product may also function as part of another product.

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To collect and reprocess a material so it can be used again to make a new product. An example is collecting aluminum cans, melting them, and using the aluminum to make new cans or other products.

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Practice of recovering or diverting content from the solid waste stream, either during the manufacturing process (pre-consumer/post-industrial) or after consumer use (post-consumer). A material can technically be recycled at least once after its initial use phase. At a minimum, the material’s physical and mechanical properties allow it to be re-melted or size reduced and used as filler with similar materials.

Reproductive and Developmental Toxicant

A substance that damages fertility, sexual function, and normal prenatal or early childhood development.

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An Intentionally Used Substance that may be present in the final material/mixture but is not intended as a constituent. For example, this may refer to substances included in a manufacturing process to aid processing, as well as inputs to a reaction process such as reagents, catalysts, monomers.

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Restricted Substances List (RSL) (Red List, Priority Hazard List)

A list of substances that a given organization has determined to avoid based on regulation or evidence of potential human health or environmental harm.

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The likelihood that a living organism will be harmed if exposed to a hazard.

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Semivolatile Organic Compound (SVOC)

A carbon-containing (organic) substance that volatilizes relatively slowly at typical ambient conditions.

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The process of becoming allergic to a substance to which a person has been exposed. This process can occur before birth, during childhood, or in adulthood.

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Short Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (SCCPs)

SCCPs are most commonly used as lubricants and coolants in metal cutting and forming operations and are also used as secondary plasticizers and flame retardants in plastics, such as PVC. Human exposure can be occupational, via inhalation of metalworking mists, or through contaminated food and dermal contact. Environmental exposure is usually from manufacturing activities, such as production, disposal, incineration, spills into waterways, and sewage effluent. SCCPs are persistent and very bioaccumulative in sediment. They have been found in marine mammals, other biota, and human breast milk in both industrial and remote areas. Toxic effects on mammals can include liver, hormone, and kidney damage that over a long term could lead to cancer in those organs.

Read more at Red List

Styrene is a colorless, flammable liquid, which has a sweet odor and is highly volatile. Styrene is widely used to make plastics and rubber, which are used to manufacture a variety of products, such as insulation, pipes, automobile parts, printing cartridges, food containers, and carpet backing.

Read more at NIH

Matter of constant composition best characterized by the entities (molecules, formula units, atoms) it is composed of and by its physical properties such as density, refractive index, electric conductivity, melting point, etc.22 (i.e., intentionally used substances, intentional reaction products, impurities).

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Supportive Housing Program

This program is authorized by title IV of the Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Act (the McKinney Act) (42 U.S.C. 11381–11389). The program is designed to promote the development of supportive housing and supportive services, including innovative approaches to assist homeless persons in the transition from homelessness, and to promote the provision of supportive housing to homeless persons to enable them to live as independently as possible.

Read more at HUD

surfactant (surface active agent)

These chemicals reduce the surface tension of oil and water; in detergents, surfactants help dirt to drop out and stay out of clothing or other items being cleaned. Surfactants in detergents are toxic to aquatic life, persist in the environment and break down into additional toxic byproducts, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The reduced surface tension of water also makes it easier for aquatic life to absorb pesticides, phenols and other pollutants in the water. The EPA also advises that surfactants can disrupt the endocrine systems of humans and animals.

Read more at EPA

Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI)

In 1994, the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&PA), the primary U.S. trade association representing the wood products industry, launched SFI and required that all association members self-certify their compliance with its policies. SFI has gradually distanced itself from AF&PA and become a third-party certification program managed by an independent nonprofit, with accredited auditors carrying out certification. SFI’s current 2010–2014 standard is more rigorous than previous versions and considers most of the issues addressed by its principal competitor, FSC. SFI generally is less prescriptive, however, which has been a source of criticism from the environmental community

Read more at BuildingGreen

toxic (Toxicant)

A poisonous substance that is naturally occurring (e.g., arsenic), synthetic (e.g., bisphenol A), or produced by a living organism (i.e., a toxin).

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The degree to which a substance can cause harm.

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A poisonous substance produced by a living organism, such as a snake, bee, or fungus. Toxins are a subclass of toxicants.

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Open, comprehensive and understandable presentation of information.

Read more at EPA

ultra-low emitting formaldehyde (ULEF)

Products with a ULEF certification have ultra-low emitting formaldehyde resins which have been shown to have formaldehyde emissions below the limits established by CARB Phase 2. The ULEF certification originated with CARB, and has since been adopted by the EPA for the TSCA Title VI regulation.

Read more at CARB

ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI)

the use of ultraviolet (UV) energy to kill viral, bacterial, and fungal organisms. A common process used to control the spread of dangerous microbes.

Read more at CDC

Materials are applied with respect for their intrinsic value and their useful afterlife in recycled or even "upcycled" products, which have value and technological sophistication that may be higher than that of their original use. Upcycling is any measure and activity in the design phase targeting at optimal handling of products as nutrients

Urea Formaldehyde (Formaldehyde (Added))

Formaldehyde is classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and the State of California as a known human carcinogen. Common health effects at low levels of exposure to this volatile organic compound include irritation and sensitization as well as acting as an asthma trigger. Long-term exposure is associated with nasal cancers and leukemia.

Read more at Red List

refers to the band of UV light between 100 nm and 280nm. This range of light has germicidal properties.

Read more at ASHRAE

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

VOCs are members of a large group of organic chemicals that can evaporate into the indoor air under normal temperature conditions and into the outdoor air, causing environmental impacts such as photochemical smog. Their health effects vary widely, from respiratory irritants to human carcinogens (such as formaldehyde), which is a concern since they are ingredients in many products in the built environment. On-site wet applied products (paints, adhesives, and sealants) are of particular concern because they can directly impact the health of installers who may not be using breathing or dermal protection, unlike in-factory wet applied materials that are (usually) applied with worker and environmental protections in place.

Read more at Red List