Green Architecture & Building Products

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Material or Product

Johns Manville Fiberglass Insulation

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In 2002, Johns Manville converted its entire line of building insulation to formulations that do not contain added formaldehyde. Because we’ve removed the formaldehyde from all of our building insulation products, we’ve also eliminated binder-related formaldehyde emissions during manufacturing. In fact, our building insulation plants are so low emitting, they’re the only ones in our industry exempt from EPA Hazardous Air Pollutant Regulations (as of February 2011). These pollution prevention measures have reduced Johns Manville’s hazardous pollutant emissions by more than 200,000 pounds annually.

JM Formaldehyde-free™ fiber glass insulation – as a smart alternative to formaldehyde-based building materials – helps achieve a healthier and safer building by reducing overall indoor formaldehyde exposure. JM Formaldehyde-free™ fiber glass insulation also helps meet California EPA recommendations to use building materials (including insulation) with no added formaldehyde and US EPA recommendations to minimize your exposure to formaldehyde. 80 percent of our Insulation Systems products without added formaldehyde.

JM’s Formaldehyde-free™ fiber glass products have been tested by an independent, nationally recognized laboratory to determine emissions of toxic volatile organic compounds. In contrast to “certified low-emitting products,” Formaldehyde-free™ insulation achieves non-detect for formaldehyde in rigorous IAQ testing.

Fiber glass insulation is the largest secondary market for recycled glass containers. The recycled glass used

in fiber glass insulation saves more than 27 million cubic feet of landfill space every year. That’s 2.2 billion

pounds of recycled post-consumer glass. What’s not made from recycled materials is made mostly from sand, an abundant and rapidly renewable resource. When a building is remodeled or demolished, fiber glass batts and loose fill can often be reused. Because fiber glass is made with a readily available resource and recycled content, it can be locally or regionally produced.

Mold requires an organic material as a food source. As an inorganic fiber, fiber glass is naturally resistant to mold growth. In addition, several Johns Manville fiber glass products are treated with an EPA-approved mold inhibitor to protect them from mold-related damage. Unlike many organic insulations, fiber glass does not require toxic fire retardants. Certified by an independent testing laboratory (Scientific Certifications Systems), many of our insulation products contain a North American average of 25 percent recycled glass content with at least 20 percent being post-consumer glass. We also recycle our own glass, though the amounts are not included in these figures. JM building insulation products contain more certified post-consumer recycled content than any other fiber glass insulation.