Natural Polymers Low VOC Spray Foam
marleyandbowie
| Posted in General Questions on
Has anyone used Natural Polymers line of products? They even have something they are referring to as “organic spray foam.” I’m skeptical but keeping an open mind…
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Replies
"Organic", in the chemical world, means "carbon based". It doesn't have anything to do with being "natural" or anything like that. This company may have a low-VOC product, but if it's a urethane foam, which is what spray foam is, then it's going to be pretty similar to other products in regards to chemical composition.
There are some things out there that are a bit different than people might expect. Polyethylene, for example, is usually made using natural gas as a feedstock in North America, not oil. Polyethylene can also be made from ethanol though, in which case it's usually called "biopolyethylene". The final product is the same, there is no difference, it's just using a different feedstock.
I'm always cautious when anyone makes "green claims", because there is a lot of sneaky and misleading stuff out there. You have to be sure what you're looking at, and be careful to see if a product meets your goals. If, for example, you want to build using materials that will naturally break down over time, biopolyethylene is no different from "regular" polyethylene, since the product is identical in terms of molecular makeup. If your goal was to use materials not sourced from oil and gas, then biopolyethylene has an advantage for your particular project.
It is unfortunate, but many manufacturers try to cash in on people wanting green(er) products, and they aren't always honest about what they're selling.
Bill
You have to enter information to get their data sheet, which I didn't do. I don't know of any high-VOC spray foams. As Bill said, "organic" has a specific meaning in chemistry but they are also using the term "bio-based." I'd assume they are using soy-based resin to replace part of the petroleum-based resin that makes up the bulk of the foam. While that's probably a good thing, it has no bearing on occupant health, and it makes an almost unmeasurable difference in the carbon footprint (embodied carbon) of the final product.
I used this and my house smells of chemical paint smell 2 months later. I have not gotten voc report back yet of what the smell is.