Green Products Protect People As Well As The Planet

The report from the University of Stirling’s Occupational & Environmental Health and Study Research Group says up to 1,000 deaths annually may result from exposure to the silica dust through working with materials such as concrete, plaster or stone. It also underlines the importance of specifying more environmentally-and worker-friendly products wherever possible, such as have been developed by Tremco.

Considered second only to asbestos as the cause of workplace-related deaths, crystalline silica has been linked by an academic paper to such diseases as silicosis, tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary condition and even arthritis or kidney disease.

The report from the University of Stirling’s Occupational & Environmental Health and Study Research Group says up to 1,000 deaths annually may result from exposure to the silica dust through working with materials such as concrete, plaster or stone. It also underlines the importance of specifying more environmentally and worker-friendly products wherever possible, such as have been developed by TREMCO.

Continually investing to expand its offering of eco-conscious and compatible products, Tremco has developed SX200 Green Smoothing Compound as an EC1-compliant underlayment that is free of harmful and energy-intense Portland cement.  As well as being harmful to breathe in, cement’s high alkalinity also makes it very aggressive to the skin and eyes.

Instead, SX200 is formulated from a blend of natural and mainly recycled materials to reduce its environmental impact by as much as 30%. Importantly, though, cement and protein-free underlayment remains extremely popular with flooring contractors who value its positive application characteristics and rapid drying time. Indeed, it can be walked on in two to four hours and allows floor coverings to be laid the next day.

Frequently specified for such sensitive locations as schools, hospitals or food processing plants and other challenging situations, SX200 can be utilised as part of a fully BREEAM compliant system which can also include the manufacturer’s ES600 Moisture Vapour Suppressant, SF108 Pressure Sensitive Adhesive or SF200 Carpet Tile Tackifier.