Is Spray Foam Insulation Bad For The Environment?

You want the best insulation available, but you’re trying to be conscious of your environmental impact. Spray foam is a plastic, polyurethane foam. If you had spray foam installed, would you be harming the environment? Does spray foam detrimentally impact the world we live in?

South Central Services has insulated hundreds of structures with spray foam insulation. The question of environmental-friendliness is a bit complex, but this article will walk through all the aspects of spray foam that should be considered.

By the time you’re done reading, you’ll understand:

• Why spray foam cannot be recycled
• How spray foam contributes to energy conservation
• What happens to spray foam after disposal
• Whether or not you feel comfortable working with spray foam

Don't have time to read right now? Check out everything you need to know at a glance.

Spray Foam Insulation Cannot Be Recycled.

Unlike many other insulation products, spray foam insulation is not a recycled product. Fiberglass and cellulose insulations are usually made up of a large percentage of recycled materials. Spray foam is created through chemical manufacturing, which means it cannot be composed of recycled material.

Once spray foam has been sprayed, it cannot transform into another product. Like many other products we use every day, spray foam has a cradle-to-grave design. The foam must be used for its intended purpose, or it has no purpose.

Spray foam also does not break down easily. Unless exposed to UV rays, spray foam will last nearly indefinitely. It is not a simple process to degrade foam.

Spray Foam Insulation Is Meant To Last As Long As A Building.

Although spray foam has a cradle-to-grave design, the lifecycle of spray foam is quite long. When spray foam insulation is installed in a building, the goal is to never need to re-insulate that structure. Spray foam is meant to be permanent.

All products have an expiration date. Shoes wear out. Cars break down. Nonstick pans get scratched. While spray foam will eventually reach an expiration date, it should last as long as the building it is installed in. As long as spray foam is installed correctly and is protected from UV rays, it should have a long lifespan.

While other insulations may be made of recycled materials, most insulations cannot match the spray foam lifecycle. Batt and blown-in products sag and settle over time, which compromises their performance. Installing one of these recycled products most likely means signing up to replace the insulation within your lifetime. Or, accepting that your insulation is not as efficient as it could be.

Spray Foam Insulation Makes Buildings More Energy Efficient.

While spray foam cannot be recycled, it is environmentally friendly in another way. Spray foam is a premium insulation that delivers superior insulating performance. When you insulate with spray foam, you can make your building envelope nearly airtight.

An air-sealed building avoids energy waste from air leakage. Without air-sealing, air (and heat) can exchange randomly between the inside and outside of a building. These air leaks lead to higher energy costs and energy waste. HVAC systems work harder to keep the temperature at equilibrium.

When buildings are air-sealed, air exchange is controlled mechanically. Energy waste drops significantly. Not only does the performance of spray foam mean lower energy bills, but it also helps you to live mindfully. If you are someone who is careful to use cold water for your laundry or who takes shorter showers, the energy efficiency of spray foam should be appealing.

Spray foam is not the most environmentally friendly insulation. Spray foam is a chemically manufactured product, like many others in our daily lives. Despite not being recyclable, spray foam does boast a long lifecycle. During this lifecycle, spray foam also helps make buildings more energy efficient, preventing waste.

But what happens to spray foam when its lifecycle ends? Where does the insulation end up if spray foam cannot be recycled?

Disposed Spray Foam Goes To The Landfill.

When spray foam is disposed of, it ends up in a landfill. But how often is spray foam not being used for its intended purpose? Several situations could lead to spray foam ending up in a landfill. These situations could include:

1. A failed, unstable foam must be removed from a home and disposed of.
2. Excess open cell foam is shaved from wall cavities and thrown away.
3. If open cell and closed cell components mix when switching from foam to foam, the product is unstable and must be disposed of.

As a general rule, landfills are not a great solution for trash and the broken stuff of society. However, spray foam is not the only product that ends up in landfills. There are many other things we use every day that do not have an ideal disposal method.

Spray foam is also not the only chemically manufactured product that ends up in landfills. The soles of your shoes, memory foam mattresses, and car seats are all examples of products created through chemical manufacturing.

The Bottom Line About Spray Foam And The Environment

Everyone has different levels of comfort when caring for the environment. For some, disposable products are worth the convenience. For others, almost any sacrifice is worthwhile to help turn the tides of environmental harm.

Depending on your perspective, spray foam may or may not seem like an environmentally friendly product. The reality is that spray foam, like many other products in our society, is made with chemical manufacturing and cannot be recycled. However, spray foam has a long lifecycle, and its insulation performance helps prevent energy waste.

Now that you understand how spray foam interacts with the environment, your next step is to:

• Discover if spray foam insulation is safe to have in your home
• Find out whether or not spray foam will make your home more comfortable
• Learn more about if spray foam is a wise financial investment