Dangers Of New Carpet Fumes

Seam sealants release 1 1 1 trichloroethane and toluene.

Dangers of new carpet fumes.

That new carpet smell comes from 4 pc associated with eye nose and upper respiratory problems. The smell of new carpet can not only be hazardous to the health of those exposed but it can also be very irritating to smell in your home. Levels of 4 pc to 20 parts per billion ppb have been mea sured in new carpet. The chemicals that are used in carpeting will release into the air through off gassing that will leave behind a strong odor that will be very noticeable in the environment.

Vocs are what create new car smell new carpet smell and the smell that you probably don t enjoy so much after you paint a room. Carpet adhesive is spread over the entire surface and is usually sb latex. The vocs responsible for new carpet smell are 4 phenylcyclohexene 4 pch and to a lesser extent styrene. You can smell 4 pc down to about 5 ppb.

4 pc is used in the latex backing of 95 of us carpets. Carpets are sometimes labeled as being dangerous to people with chemical sensitivities yet industry persists in using carpet adhesives and seam sealants cushions and pads emitting dangerous toxic chemical fumes. As a new carpet gradually releases or off gasses chemical residue the chemicals enter the air where we can smell them. Within a few days to a few weeks these fumes dissipate and the carpet no longer smells.