Chemical and

Used in Construction Toxic Substance

and Manufacturing
Republic act 6969
Toxic Substances and Hazardous Wastes Control act of 1990
• DENR Administrative Orders (DAO)
 DAO 1992-29 Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act of 6969
 DAO 1997-38 Chemical Control Order for Mercury and Mercury
Compounds
The big 5 construction
chemicals:
• There are five chemicals the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) will likely assess first, all of
which play a significant role in the construction
industry:

• Asbestos
• Formaldehyde
• Di-isocyanates
• Halogenated Flame Retardants
• Silica
Asbestos
• The history of the use of asbestos culminated in one of the greatest public health
tragedies of modern times.
• These days, asbestos fibers are found in these common building products:
 Joint compound
 Floor tile
 Cement board
 Pipes
 Shingles

• Exposure to asbestos can lead to pulmonary diseases (diseases of the lungs) including
something you may hear on a commercial: mesothelioma, a form of lung cancer that is
usually fatal.
Formaldehyde
• Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen according to the World Health Organization
 (WHO).
• It is an irritant to the mucous membranes, the thin tissue inside your nose and other
respiratory passages and inside your gut. Long term exposure can cause asthma-like
respiratory problems and skin irritation such as dermatitis and itching.
• Formaldehyde is commonly found in polymers used in plywood and carpet manufacture
as well as resins important to the manufacture of paper products and polyurethane foam
insulation manufacturing.
Diisocyanates
• Di-isocyanates (die-i-so-sie-uh-nates) have been in use since the 1940s, mainly in
polyurethane products:
• Rigid and flexible foams
• Coatings
• Adhesives
• Sealants
• Elastomers
• The occupational risk and hazard of these chemicals is limited to people who come into
contact with it in its vapor or liquid form that occurs as a byproduct of manufacture. The
actual chemical does not pose a direct risk to construction workers, but you may be
impacted because polyurethane foam building insulation, paints and coatings, and other
products will probably become heavily regulated or eliminated after the EPA review.
Halogenated Flame retardants
• Flame retardant is a term used for a group of chemicals that are used to inhibit the
ignition or spread of fire. Halogenated flame retardants are related to PCBs, another
potentially harmful substance, and have been linked to:
 Cancer
 Birth defects
 Endocrine disruption
 Developmental problems in children

• It can be found in thermal insulation boards and many textiles.

Silica
• When silica dust is inhaled, it can travel deep into the lungs and cause disabling or fatal
lung problems including silicosis and lung cancer. It can also cause kidney cancer.
• Silica is a component of bricks, glass, and concrete, and OSHA regulates the dust with
Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs). With the new law, the EPA may place even more
stringent restrictions on silica.
Other Chemicals used in construction and
associated products:
• Alkylphenol (PFCs)
• Bisphenol A • Polychlorinated Biphenyls
• Cadmium (PCBs)
• Chlorinated Polyethylene (CPE) • Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
• Chlorobenzene • Polyvinylidene chloride
• Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC) (PVDC)
• Chloroprene • Phthalates
• Chlorosulfonated polyethylene • Short-chain chlorinated
(CSPE) paraffins (SCCPs)(aka
• Hexavalent chromium (aka Chlorinated alkanes)
Chromium-6)
• Lead
• Mercury
• Perfluorinated Compounds
Other Chemicals used in construction and associated products:

Chemical Definition Bad effects

Alkylphenol Alkylphenols are a component in
phenolic resins, but they can also
be found in adhesives, paints and
coatings and high performance
rubber products..

Bisphenol A Bisphenol A is used as a • Cancer,

hardener in making • infertility and fatal
polycarbonate plastics and epoxy development
resins. Common BPA products • brain function
include water bottles, baby • heart disease and diabetes
bottles, food storage containers, • weight problems
household electronics, plastic
lenses and DVDs.
Other Chemicals used in construction and associated products:
Chemical Definition
Cadmium Most commonly used in the
production of nickel-cadmium (Ni-
Cd) rechargeable batteries and as a
sacrificial corrosion-protection
coating for iron and steel. Other uses
include alloys, coatings
(electroplating), solar cells, plastic
stabilizers, and pigments.
Chlorinated CPE is a versatile material that when
Polyethylene compounded with other materials,
(CPE) achieves different properties and
products. It is widely used as a
thermoplastic elastomer (TPE),
rubber and modifier for resins (PVC,
PE and ABS)
Bad effects
• Cancer
• acute inhalation exposure (high
levels over a short period of time)
to cadmium can result in flu-like
symptoms (chills, fever, and muscle
pain) and
• can damage lungs
• Chronic exposure (low level over
an extended period of time) can
result in kidney, bone and lung
disease
Other Chemicals used in construction and associated products:
Chemical Definition
Chlorobenzene Chlorobenzene's most high-profile
application was in the production of
the pesticide DDT. Modern uses are as
a solvent in the manufacture
of adhesives, paints, paint removers,
polishes, dyes, and drugs.
Chlorofluoro- Any of several simple gaseous
carbons (CFCs) compounds that contain carbon,
fluorine, and sometimes hydrogen,
that are used as refrigerants, cleaning
solvents, and aerosol propellants and
the manufacture of plastic foams.
Bad effects
• Workers exposed to high levels
of chlorobenzene complained of
headaches, numbness,
sleepiness, nausea and
vomiting.
• However, it is not known if
chlorobenzene alone was
responsible for these health
effects since the workers may
have also been exposed to other
chemicals at the same time.
• Are believed to be a major
cause of stratospheric ozone
depletion.
Other Chemicals used in construction and associated products:

Chemical Definition Bad effects

Chloroprene CR is used mainly in the rubber
industry but is also important as
a raw material for adhesives and
has different latex applications
such as molded foam, rubber
sheeting, sound insulation and
gaskets.

Chlorosulfonated CSPE’s weatherability, UV

polyethylene stability and adhesion capability
(CSPE) have made this material very
popular as a commercial roofing
material. Other applications
include wire and cable sheathing
and paint.
 Chemical Definition Bad effects
Perfluorinated PFCs are used to make stain, heat
Compounds (PFCs) and water-resistant products
including fire protection agents,
floor polishes and paints. They are
also used to manufacture non-stick
coatings.
Hexavalent It's corrosion resistance make it a
chromium (aka first choice as an alloy or plating in
Chromium-6 ) the production of stainless
steel. Hexavalent chromium is used
to produce CCA (chromated
copper arsenate) that is applied as a
preservative in the treatment of
structural timber.
Lead Lead comes with a long history of
use, but in recent times we have
become aware of its potential to
render harm to humans. However,
it still plays a role in the
construction industry, primarily in
roofing applications.
Mercury Though previously applied to a
 Chemical Definition
Polychlorinated Biphenyls PCBs are synthetic organic chemicals that were manufactured for
(PCBs) use in various industrial and commercial applications - including
oil in electrical and hydraulic equipment, and plasticizers in paints,
plastics and rubber products. Usage has become severely restricted
in recent years.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Such is the height of the PVC industry's economic profile, that
criticism from Greenpeace and others has provoked the producers
of PVC into a series of intense and acrimonious confrontations.
Polyvinylidene Chloride Polyvinylidene Chloride is synthesized from ethylene dichloride.
(PVDC) Introduced by DOW Chemicals in 1939, the PVDC monomer is
used in the manufacture of barrier coatings, fibers and plastics.
Phthalates Phthalates are esters of phthalic acid and are most commonly
found in plastics, and primarily, in PVC as plasticizers to increase
their flexibility, transparency, durability and longevity.
Short-Chain Chlorinated SCCPs are found world-wide in the environment, wildlife and
Paraffins (SCCPs) (aka humans. They are bio-accumulative in wildlife and humans, are
Chlorinated alkanes) persistent and transported globally through the environment