Indoor Air Emissions / VOC

INDOOR AIR EMISSIONS

 What are they?

They are all the emitted gases:

• dangerous or not
• with or without smell

 Where are they?

Mostly in transport, industry, forestry and housing

EMISSIONS OF NEWMAT STRETCH CEILINGS

Like any construction or decorating product stretch ceilings can be a source of indoor emissions.

How to Measure Them?

The measurement protocol is realized according to the standard ISO 16000 in 3 steps:

• 1^st step: Selection of the sample material according to the standard protocol NF EN ISO 16000-11
• 2^nd step: Device selection for the emission collecting
  • – the FLEC emission cell (NF EN ISO 16000-10)
  • – or the emission test chamber (NF EN ISO 16000-9)
• 3^rd step: Emission analysis/dosing according to the standard protocol NF ISO 16000-6

 The TVOC emissions for NEWMAT stretch ceilings

The TVOC (Total Volatile Organic Components) emissions for the NEWMAT stretch ceilings were measured 28 days after installation with an emission chamber according to the standard Pr EN 15052.

The measurements prove that the NEWMAT PVC stretch ceiling emissions:

• – Are highly inferior to the existing standards and regulations.
• – Decrease during the first month and are insignificant later on.
• – Do not contain any SVHCs categories 1 & 2 nor any formaldehyde.

REGULATION ON INDOOR AIR EMISSIONS

Some emissions, and in particular some VOCs, may have a direct impact on human health.
Because of this, they are more and more strictly regulated.

As to the working staff

The Labour Law fixes chemical product exposure limits not to be exceeded. They are called the OELs (occupational exposure limits).
This regulation is one of the strictest in Europe.
The Labour Inspection and the Occupational Medicine ensure that the limits are respected by regular controls in the factories.

As to the consumers

Since January 1st, 2010 there is a mandatory regulation stating that construction and decorating products must not emit more than 1 µg/m³ of trichloroethylene, benzene, DEHP, DBP in the indoor air

Health labelling of the construction and decorating products
In the Grenelle 1 law, published on July 24th 2009, construction and decorating products must be labelled with their Total Volatile Organic Components (TVOC) and 10 other priority substances.

Who is concerned?

According to the decree n°2011-321 of March 23rd, 2011, the labelling requirement of the products applies to all the construction companies, the manufacturers, the importers, the dealers and buyers of the following construction and decorating products following:

• – floor, wall and ceiling coverings
• – partitions and suspended ceiling;
• – insulation products;
• – doors and windows;
• – products made for the installation or the preparation of the mentioned products:glues, joints, adhesives, mastics, varnish…)

When does it apply?

• – starting January 1st, 2012 for the products marketed after this date
• – starting September 1st, 2013 for the products marketed before January 1st, 2012

How does it apply?

With an individual labelling on the products according to their emission category: The application decree published in the Official Journal on May 13th 2011 defines categories from A+ to C rating according to indoor emission levels.

There are 2 kinds of emissions:

• – Quantity: Total Volatile Organic Components (TVOCs) emission
• – Quality: list of the 10 priority substances

Categories of TVOC and the 10 priority substances emission