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Billy Weber | July 2018 | Newsletter
The JPB Foundation has awarded Healthy Building Network funding to continue and expand the work of our pioneering HomeFree initiative, which improves the health of marginalized communities by advancing and accelerating the adoption of healthier materials in affordable housing. HomeFree connects the dots between the toxics in our built environment and human health implications – like asthma, developmental delays, cancer, and more. This funding will allow us to build capacity through new educational options, co-create actionable solutions with our regional and national partners, and scale our impact.
Rebecca Stamm | July 2018 | Newsletter
Healthy Building Network has introduced a new sealant category on HomeFree, our national initiative supporting affordable housing leaders who are improving human health by using less-toxic building materials. The new recommendations and hazard spectrum were developed by HBN for the Energy Efficiency for All (EEFA) Healthier Affordable Building Materials project.
Tom Lent | July 2018 | Newsletter
The Healthy Building Network (HBN) has rolled out a new tool for identifying chemicals of concern and finding less hazardous alternatives. The Chemical Hazard Data Commons combines the power of HBN’s Pharos Chemical and Material Library with new tools for visualizing hazard scoring, comparing hazards for chemical lists, staying on top of changes, finding safer alternatives, surveying other databases, and tapping the wisdom of the Data Commons community to collaborate on problem solving and solutions.
Michel Dedeo | July 2018 | Newsletter
The Pharos Chemical and Material Library, our flagship database, extends its reach as the unmatched tool for researching chemical hazards with the addition of hazard data for 26,000 previously uncharacterized chemicals. The bulk of this data (almost 50,000 distinct hazards for 25,000 chemicals) are modeled hazard associations using QSAR (Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship) from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency. This type of computer modeled data is used extensively by the pharmaceutical industry to predict beneficial and non-beneficial impacts of chemicals. The hazard data for an additional 1,000 previously uncharacterized chemicals were submitted by manufacturers to the European Chemicals Agency under the EU law known as REACH (European Regulation on Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals).
Rebecca Stamm | July 2018 | Newsletter
Organotins are common additives in a wide variety of building products. They have replaced other toxic stabilizers and catalysts—like lead and cadmium—in plastic products, but have their own issues, and are another emerging example of regrettable substitution.
Bill Walsh | July 2018 | Newsletter
Building product retailers, such as Home Depot and Lowe’s, are showing welcome leadership in the drive toward healthier building materials. Their efforts are important both in scale, which could change the national supply chain, and scope, as these retailers are offering healthier products in all market segments, including lower priced items.
Gina Ciganik | July 2018 | Newsletter
To know better, we need to understand what chemicals and materials are in our products, and the health hazards associated with them. Not that many years ago, it was nearly impossible to obtain this type of information. Fortunately, transparency leaders are emerging within product manufacturers and their supply chains.
