Glass wool, also termed fiberglass wool, is one of the most popular insulation materials for building insulation, air conditioning ducts, and insulation for industrial equipment. It has several reasons that customers prefer it over other materials: excellent non-combustibility, sound insulation, and it is not expensive. In addition, however, many end-users and construction workers are concerned with one question when they first encountered it: What are the side effects of glass wool? Will it cause cancer as rumored by older generations?

In fact, the safety of modern high-quality glass wool has been greatly improved. According to EU CE certification and the Chinese GB/T 5480 standard, the fiber diameter of glass wool produced by reputable manufacturers is generally ≥5μm. It is difficult for the human body to inhale this kind of coarse fiber deep into the lungs, and it will not stay in the lungs for a long time. Therefore, it has been removed from the list of "possible carcinogens" by the World Health Organization's IARC (in the same category as caffeine, not classified as a carcinogen).

Common short-term "side effects" are mainly mechanical irritation:

1.Temporary itching and red spots, like mosquito bites, may occur from skin contact, but they usually disappear naturally after a few hours to 1-2 days.

2.The dry throat with slight itchiness, along with the mild cough, may be caused by inhaling small amounts of floating fibers.

3.If fibers reach the eyes, there can be sharp stinging.

These are physical, rather than chemical, toxicities, effects produced by very fine glass fibres on the skin and mucous membranes. Such effects can be almost completely avoided by proper protection.

Correct protective measures are very simple:

- Wear a disposable dust mask (N95 or higher)

- Wear long-sleeved work clothes and protective gloves

- Wear goggles or protective glasses

- Go and shower immediately after construction, change into clean clothes.

United Insulation is a major Chinese exporter of insulation materials, and all of its glass wool products are made of formaldehyde-free environmentally friendly resin. It has the average fiber diameter greater than 6μm and has obtained multiple international certifications like EU CE EN13162, US ASTM standards, and Australian AS4859.1, which far exceeds ordinary product safety standards. We also provide overseas clients with "zero-irritation" glass wool rolls packaged in PE bags, greatly reducing fiber scattering during construction.

In all, the properly manufactured glass wool is a very safe A1-grade non-combustible insulation material, which has far fewer "side effects" compared to the common dust and pollen allergies. Choosing a qualified supplier and taking appropriate personal protective measures provides full peace of mind when using it.

United Insulation: 20 years of professional exporting experience in glass wool and rock wool, products sold to more than 160 countries in the world. Contact us for free samples and safety technical information!