How harmful is basalt wool to the health of people living in the house?

Basalt wool is designed primarily to serve as insulation and retain heat in our homes in winter and keep cool in summer. The remarkable properties of the material allow it to be used on a large industrial scale, as well as in civil engineering. Basalt wool is widely used when carrying out work on thermal insulation of objects, and in addition serves as an excellent soundproofing tool.

Modern designers, when creating a new project, are very wary of new advertised building materials. This is due to past mistakes, when the construction complex sought to produce square meters in accordance with the tasks of the planned economy, without caring at all about the materials used, and without thinking about their impact on humans.

Recently, doctors have been sounding the alarm, expressing the opinion that the use of low-quality materials in the housing complex leads to asthma or, even worse, causes cancer problems. Particularly sensitive is the issue of using various heat-insulating materials; as a rule, they are covered with building structures and can affect us completely unnoticed.

Is basalt wool harmful to health?

Gaining enormous popularity as a heat and sound insulating material, we increasingly argue: is basalt wool harmful to human health or is its use absolutely harmless? The question is not an idle one, and our review is intended to understand how realistically the use of such material can be dangerous to human health.

City residents are increasingly thinking about the environmental safety of our living environment. Outside the windows of our homes, dozens of factories produce products, burning tons of gas and oil products, polluting the atmosphere with harmful substances. What can we say about the endlessly growing fleet of cars that undergo annual maintenance, but strangely leave behind clouds of black smoke exceeding all imaginable CO2 standards.

Nevertheless, all these harmful exhausts are carried somewhere into the distance by the wind, CO2 evaporates into the vast atmosphere and generally happens somewhere in the city with them, and not with us - our brain is lulled into a stream of consciousness. We worry much more about ourselves and our loved ones, we monitor proper nutrition, counting the numbers of preservatives on jars.

We are concerned about what the tiles, wallpaper, floors, and furniture in our home are made of. When planning the construction of a cottage or intending to carry out a long-planned renovation, we are increasingly taking a more responsible approach to the choice of noise and heat insulation materials. Understanding that we will have to live and come into contact with these substances for many years. For example, everyone knows that careless handling of glass wool leads to serious consequences, ranging from discomfort from needles to allergic reactions.

Here it’s probably worth taking a break and saying a few words about what this prickly material, familiar from childhood, is like.

Safety precautions - basic recommendations for work and material selection

When purchasing thermal insulation, it is necessary to take into account the scope of its application, which will determine the density of the material. For example:

• for insulation of facades, products with a density of 45 to 100 kg/m3 are used (for subsequent decorative finishing - from 100 kg/m3 and higher;
• for laying under laminate, a density of 30-45 kg/m3 is suitable;
• for sound and thermal insulation of the roof, builders recommend lightweight stone wool with a density of 30-35 kg/m3, this is foil insulation for walls;
• When installed on internal walls and partitions, insulation is used, the density of which ranges from 30 to 45 m3.

If you work with a material intended for external insulation during interior work, you may encounter a significant reduction in area, difficulty in installation, and heavier construction.

When working, we must not forget about protection

When working with thermal insulation, it is important to follow simple rules to minimize the risk of health problems. The recommendations are as follows:

1. Work only in a well-ventilated area.
2. The material should be cut with a very sharp knife so as not to damage the structure of the wool on the cuts.
3. Closed clothing, gloves, a respirator, and special glasses will help provide better protection.
4. If microparticles come into contact with the skin, it is necessary to rinse your hands with cold water and remove the cotton wool from other areas of the face and body.
5. After work, clothing must be removed to minimize contact with construction dust that has settled on it.

Glass wool or basalt wool, which is better?

Glass wool is a fibrous mineral material. Nothing more than one of the types of mineral wool. In the production of glass wool, raw materials are used that are exactly the same as those that serve as a component of ordinary glass. Often recycled, collected material or waste from the glass industry is used. But wait, if this is a mineral material, then where is the danger, please explain to me, glass wool or basalt wool, which is better?

We know of three modifications of fibrous heat insulators made from mineral components:

1. glass wool;
2. basalt wool;
3. slag.

If everything is clear with the first, there are no problems with the third either, it is made from molten blast furnace slag, and in fairness, we note that it is rarely found on construction markets, then I think it’s time to find out what the second is made of.

Basalt wool or mineral wool, which is better?

Basalt wool is an artificially produced, inorganic material. It is made by melting natural minerals and further forming them into a fibrous structure. Natural mineral - volcanic stone of basalt rock. That is why we can often hear the definition of mineral stone wool . Accordingly, the question of basalt wool or mineral wool, which is better, after finding out that they are the same thing, disappears by itself.

What consequences might arise?

Direct interaction with basalt mineral wool in the human body can cause:

• disruption of the respiratory system;
• the occurrence of cancer;
• the appearance of skin and allergic diseases;
• the occurrence of problems with the mucous membrane of the eyes, their excessive traumatization;
• deterioration in general health due to exposure to phenolic toxic substances.

Using high quality basalt insulators has a completely different effect on the body. Thanks to high-quality materials, the harmful effects on the body are minimized. This is due to the fact that they have a durable structure that does not crumble so much, which means it is less harmful to the respiratory system.

Based on this, we can conclude that basalt wool, which was manufactured without complying with technological requirements and standards due to the use of low-quality production raw materials, is harmful to human health. All these errors lead to deviations in quality standards and violation of current regulations. Manufacturers of such products are considered unreliable.

You can be partially confident in the proper quality of materials only if the basalt insulation materials are high-quality and certified copies, information about which must be requested from the seller of these products.

Basalt wool - how do they do it?

The technology for making fiber from stone is “borrowed” from Mother Nature. One day, on the Hawaiian Islands, researchers found strange fibers, which later became known as “Pele’s Hair.” In honor of the beautiful girl Pele, the goddess of fire among the ancient settlers. Fibrous materials were produced as a result of volcanic eruptions. The formations resembled cotton wool made from thin threads of volcanic rocks. It was they who became the “progenitors” of modern heat-insulating material.

For the first time, such a substance was prepared artificially from rocks in 1897. in the United States of America. The production of basalt wool is not far removed from the natural work of the volcano, and to this day is based on the same principle. The rock is heated in furnaces to 1500 °C. As a result, a fiery liquid molten substance is formed, from which the threads that serve as the basis of fibrous wool are drawn.

Okay, we figured it out, all materials are mineral, although they are obtained artificially. What is the difference between glass wool and stone wool? Does using these materials mean we are at risk? Or are there differences? And the most incomprehensible thing is, if the material is mineral, then why is basalt wool harmful to health? What is this, speculation or rumors?

We found out that igneous rocks serve as raw materials. By the way, both dormant and active volcanoes can boast large deposits of basalt. Foreign - Etna and Vesuvius. In Russia - the Kamchatka and Kuril Mountains. These minerals and their derivatives, cotton wool, are truly harmless. But formaldehyde resin is used to bind the fibers together. It is this that contains phenols.

What is stone wool made from?

Stone wool is produced from rocks, usually the basalt group, by melting at temperatures above 1500 degrees and then spraying onto the fibers under the influence of a powerful air flow. During the production process, special water-repellent and binders are added. After this, the material is pressed into a dense carpet so that the mineral wool acquires the required density.

Synthetic substances are used as binding components. As a rule, these are phenol alcohols, phenol-formaldehyde, and urea resins. Bitumen and bentonite clays are also used. Currently, a composite synthetic binder consisting of phenol-formaldehyde resins and water-repellent additives is most often used. It provides the best thermal insulation performance.

The final stage of production is cutting basalt wool into slabs and mats of the required sizes; molded products (cylinders, segments) can also be produced.

Basalt wool phenol formaldehyde

Phenol production in the world amounts to more than 10 million tons/year. Phenol is considered one of the strongest industrial pollutants. Phenol is a toxic substance dangerous to animals and humans. Phenol is very difficult to undergo even biological purification. With all this, it serves as an indispensable component in the production of phenol-formaldehyde and epoxy resins, widely used in construction and everyday life.

It is phenol, being exposed to the destructive effects of drafts, precipitation moisture and temperature changes, that negatively affects the physical condition of a person. Of course, the fibrous structure also makes its contribution: when exposed to certain factors, cotton wool contributes to the formation of fine and sharp dust, which in turn negatively affects our lungs and mucous organs during breathing.

Summarizing

So, what are the health hazards of rock wool insulation? The main negative impact can be caused by microscopic dust from basalt fiber. Protective clothing and compliance with safety rules will help prevent it from getting on the skin, mucous membranes and respiratory tract during work; during operation, competent design of the insulation system; in both cases, purchasing high-quality material from a certified manufacturer.

The best basalt wool

Now that we have identified the main “enemy,” everything falls into place. It turns out that the matter is not in the material, but in the absolutely precise ratio of components and following the established technological process. And the question of what is the best basalt wool can be answered with confidence - the one that was produced in compliance with the technological chain and complies with quality certificates.

In this case, the main rule for purchasing material is to carefully check the origin of the product. Any product has maximum permissible standards for the content of harmful substances, so do not be afraid to use basalt wool where they are not exceeded. The main well-known manufacturers today:

• Rockwool (Rockwool Scandic thickness 50mm, Rockwool Light Butts thickness 50mm), light butts 1000x600x50 mm
• TechnoNIKOL Rocklight thickness 50mm, Technolight extra 1200x600x100 mm
• Paroc thickness 50mm
• Isover thickness 50mm
• Knauf thickness 50mm
• Ursa thickness 50mm
• IZOVOL thickness 50mm
• Beltep thickness 50mm
• BASWOOL thickness 50mm

Precautionary measures

Since microscopic particles of stone wool, as an inert material, cannot be removed from the body, and they can provoke serious cancer, the only way not to harm your health when working with it is to strictly adhere to safety precautions and work in protective clothing, including:

• workwear;
• respirator;
• protective glasses;
• mittens.

Upon completion of the laying, transportation and installation of stone wool materials, the set of protective clothing is disposed of, as it will be covered with dusty basalt fiber.

If during work stone wool comes into contact with the skin or mucous membranes, so that the fibers do not penetrate deeper, do not itch. The dust is shaken off the hair over the surface of the water with the eyes tightly closed. It is necessary to take a cool shower under strong water pressure, and it is forbidden to use detergents, washcloths, and then dry with a towel.

After the body has dried, take a shower again, this time with detergent. If dust gets into your eyes, rinse them with a stream of cold water under pressure. If a cough occurs after working with insulation and does not stop within a couple of days, you need to go to a medical facility.

Precautionary measures are the main protection against possible negative health effects when working with stone wool.

Basalt wool characteristics

A few words about the characteristics of the volcanic rock basalt. In the future, this will help to get a better picture of the remarkable properties of mineral wool produced from its raw materials:

• Hardness on the Mohs scale from 5 to 7
• rock density 2.60 - 3.10 g/cm3
• specific gravity 2.6-3.11 g/cm3
• specific heat capacity 0.84 J/kg•K at 0°C
• abrasion 1-20 kg/m²
• rock melting from 1100-1250°C
• The compressive strength of rock stone reaches 400 MPa

Production of crushed stone, production of basalt wool, stone casting, paving slabs, paving stones, decorative facing elements, concrete mix filler, this is not a complete list of magma uses. Building materials made from basalt have become widespread and have gained immense popularity.

Material composition

Basalt insulation is environmentally friendly, as it does not pollute the environment with harmful emissions. The percentage of stone content in the insulation is 97%. The binder of basalt insulation does not contain phenol, which was the sin of mineral heat insulators of the previous generation - mineral wool and glass wool. The absence of flammable compounds in the slabs makes the material fire resistant - it does not burn and does not support combustion.

But if everything is so good, on what basis did the myth arise that stone wool (another name for insulation made from basalt rocks) is harmful to health? It's all about the often invisible dust from particles of basalt fiber: as a substance of mineral origin, they are inert, and therefore are not excreted by the body. When settling in the lungs, getting on mucous membranes or skin, basalt fiber particles can cause:

1. Damage to the respiratory system.
2. Itchy skin.
3. Irritation of the mucous membranes, which can gradually lead to cancer.

What is the difference between glass wool and stone wool?

Let’s go back and clarify again: what is the difference between glass wool and stone wool, if these are two similar mineral materials? In the first case, the source is glass, in the second, stone. The difference, as they say, is obvious. In addition, in glass wool, the fiber particles are longer and more likely to break off and end up on the skin and in the human respiratory tract.

Basalt wool has a shorter fiber length; they are interconnected randomly and break less. The structure is more dense with high strength, with less shrinkage, holds its shape well and does not crumble.

Pros and cons of the material

The structure of the material resembles solidified lava, but more airy. In fact, basalt is lava, which is processed to produce cotton wool. During volcanic eruptions, huge amounts of small rock particles are released into the air.

If ecowool is produced according to technological standards and has the appropriate strength, then it will not crumble, and accordingly, the number of its particles in the air will be minimal, which is safe for health.
And when using low-quality material, fine dust floats in the air, gets onto the body, mucous membranes, and also into the lungs, provoking the development of chronic respiratory diseases. This is useful: basalt or mineral wool.
Under no circumstances should you save money by buying low quality material. Cheap insulation materials crumble upon direct contact with a tool or human hands. The negative impact begins with the following sensations:

• eye irritation;
• difficulty breathing, shortness of breath;
• itching on exposed skin.

In case of prolonged interaction with stone wool, harm from it can cause vision problems and even cancer. And technologically correctly manufactured basalt wool does not cause the above problems, since it has good strength and does not crumble. It has the following positive characteristics:

• long shelf life;
• additional sound insulation;
• increased fire resistance;
• the lowest possible thermal conductivity values.

Therefore, you should set your priorities correctly and buy safe, certified insulation.

Harmful fumes

In addition, in case of improper processing and non-compliance with technical standards, the produced ecowool contains additional resins . These are various chemical compounds, phenols and formaldehydes, used to bind fibers more effectively. When heated, they can evaporate and enter the human lungs, which is harmful to health. And long-term work at facilities with excess harmful substances in the air leads to the appearance of oncology and other diseases.

Therefore, production standards are mandatory to comply with. If everything was done correctly, then the material will be of high quality.

Basalt wool application

German designers from EDAG have developed a concept car

, basalt fiber was used in the production of the body. According to experts, the material turned out to be light, durable and environmentally friendly, and most importantly, it is cheaper than aluminum and even carbon-plastic.

Mineral wool, which is based on basalt threads, acquires truly irreplaceable qualities: the wool is porous, temperature-resistant, excellent vapor permeability and neutral to chemical environments.

Properties

• basalt wool has a porous composition, the pores reach 70% by volume, often even more. When the pores are filled with air, wool is characterized by low thermal conductivity.
• temperature resistance is considered almost the most basic indicator of heat-insulating materials; this is of great importance in the thermal insulation of equipment used in industry. Operation of which often occurs during elevated temperature conditions. Temperature resistance is determined by the temperature at which the material is exposed, without changing its technical parameters.
• Vapor permeability - there is a good microclimate in the home and it is easy to breathe when the material allows water vapor molecules to pass through the pores. As we mentioned, basalt wool is a tangle of interconnected pores. They do not trap air or steam. Vapor permeability allows the cotton wool to always remain dry.
• basalt wool is neutral to oils, solvents and other organic compounds. Alkalis and acids also do not have a destructive effect, which indicates the high chemical resistance of cotton wool.

Thanks to its remarkable properties, the scope of application of basalt wool is constantly expanding and is finding wider application each time:

• heat and sound insulation;
• basalt wool for the chimney;
• fire protection in civil and industrial facilities;
• for a bath, for a sauna, for a change house;
• thermal insulation of power machines, pipelines;
• as a means of insulation in public catering: gas, electric stoves, frying ovens;
• insulation during the reconstruction of buildings, in work with flat roofs;
• insulation of high and low temperature mechanisms;
• interlayers for household and industrial refrigerators;
• in multilayer sandwich panels during the construction of light buildings

Purpose and production

Basalt wool is better known as “ecowool” and is used as a thermal insulation material for walls and pipes. It is made from natural rocks - basalt. Its technical and physical properties allow it to retain heat under any climatic conditions. As a result of industrial processing, it becomes resistant to any temperature, does not conduct heat and is excellent for thermal insulation. And it could be considered the most effective insulation option, if not for such a factor as the harmfulness of stone wool to human health.

In modern industry, ecowool is used as the main material for sound insulation and thermal insulation. But the problem is that daily contact with it can have a negative impact on a person. But this is all the opinion of experts, which is not confirmed by any research.

In this video, we’ll look at what’s “hidden” under basalt wool and find out the whole truth about it:

Basalt is an environmentally friendly material, so basalt insulation can only be harmful if various harmful components are added to its composition. Thus, all accusations are erroneous and have no scientific support.

How to identify low-quality and harmful material:

1. Significantly low cost.
2. Unpleasant poisonous odor.
3. Unknown origin of the material.
4. Non-compliance with technical standards.

Only low-quality products are considered hazardous to health. The quality of production, composition, degree of purification of basalt - all this is very important. The same applies to glass wool, which is practically no longer used in industry.

Basalt wool without phenol and formaldehyde

The buyer wants to receive basalt insulation completely free of phenol and formaldehyde. The production of mineral wool, unfortunately, cannot yet abandon synthetic resins, which are an integral binder. But science does not stand still, and today the introduction of new technologies helps to completely neutralize harmful phenol.

Increasingly, manufacturers are using mineral and biopolymer binders, which, although leading to higher prices for products, are in high demand among the literate population. Producing cotton wool without any violations does not cause harm to health or the environment. Such binders do not pose any danger. A certificate or sanitary-epidemiological report will help you find out the composition of the binder.

Never buy homemade stone wool. The savings will be insignificant, and your physical condition may deteriorate irreparably. When purchasing cotton wool, choose factory companies with a good reputation. Choose trusted stores; a good solution would be to buy basalt wool in Leroy Merlin.

Study the product certificate. In Rus' there is a saying: “You can’t buy health,” but you must admit, you can buy a product that is not harmful to health! Once you are convinced of the quality, make a purchase, insulate the house, in this case basalt wool will last a long time and will maintain comfort and coziness in your home. Watch the video about which insulation is better:

Should we be concerned about phenol formaldehyde?

Mineral wool is safe for health.

The main arguments in favor of the fact that mineral wool is harmful to health are based on the presence of phenol-formaldehyde in it. It is part of the binder. In its pure form it is a poison and very strong, but is it really that dangerous in the composition of mineral wool, which allegedly stinks of formaldehyde?

If the manufacturer follows all the rules for the production of mineral wool, no harmful substances are released, except perhaps a small (minuscule) part, which will not affect health in any way. In this regard, the harm of mineral wool is too exaggerated. In addition, there have long been materials where the binder is made on the basis of acrylic. For example, Knauf insulation, made using the latest ECOSE technology, or the Ursa PureOne line of mineral wool. This is an absolutely safe insulation for the home.

The danger of phenol-formaldehyde in mineral wool is far-fetched.

This synthetic resin is part of many items without which our life is simply impossible:

• sockets, switches, plugs for electrical appliances, electricity meters;
• mobile phone, camera, computer housing;
• handles of knives, pots, pans, etc.

Not to mention adhesives, varnishes, impregnating compounds for plywood and wood boards. In other words, formaldehyde is everywhere, so why is so much attention focused on the dangers of mineral wool? You need to solve the issue either comprehensively, or not bother yourself with trifles.

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