Fiberglass Insulation (Respirable Glass Fibers) — household safety profile
Moderate riskFiberglass batt, blown, and rigid board insulation made from spun glass fibers bonded with phenol-formaldehyde or acrylic resin.
What is this product?
Fiberglass batt, blown, and rigid board insulation made from spun glass fibers bonded with phenol-formaldehyde or acrylic resin. Respirable glass fibers (<3 μm diameter) are IARC Group 2B (possibly carcinogenic — glass wool). Larger fibers cause mechanical skin and respiratory irritation. Formaldehyde binder off-gasses from new fiberglass insulation, contributing to indoor formaldehyde levels. Formaldehyde-free fiberglass (Owens Corning EcoTouch, Knauf Ecose) uses bio-based binders.
What's in it
Click any compound name for its full safety profile, regulatory consensus, and exposure data.
Binder
Fiber Class Ref
Red flags — when to walk away
- Exposure without required PPE or engineering controls — Risk of acute injury or chronic disease.
Green flags — what to look for
- OSHA-compliant engineering controls and PPE in use — Exposure controlled to below permissible limits.
Safer alternatives
- Formaldehyde-free fiberglass — Owens Corning EcoTouch, Knauf Ecose
- Mineral wool batts — Rockwool — naturally fire-resistant, no formaldehyde
- Cellulose insulation — recycled paper, borate-treated
Frequently asked questions
Are there safer alternatives to Fiberglass Insulation (Respirable Glass Fibers)?
Yes — consider: Formaldehyde-free fiberglass; Mineral wool batts; Cellulose insulation. See the Safer alternatives section above for details.
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Open in home View raw API dataReference data, not professional advice. Aggregates publicly available regulatory and scientific information. Why we built ALETHEIA →