Is this pink fiber insulation bad for you?

[Michael Smith]

Hi
If you are worried about the pink stuff, piss it off and change it to either foam sheets or tontine.
This will get rid of the problem.
Regards
Michael

[Mr. Widget]

If you are worried about the pink stuff, piss it off and change it to either foam sheets or tontine.
This will get rid of the problem.

I don't think there is a problem with completed systems... for us DIY types I do think precautions should be taken... As for using alternatives, removal and replacement will disturb the broken glass particles creating more of a potential problem and from my experience fiberglass has a unique damping quality... which I quite like. Replacing it in an existing vintage system will likely alter the sonic qualities of that system.


Widget

[toddalin]

"And if the Blue Sky Mining Company won't come to my rescue... If the sugar refining company won't save me..., who's going to save me?..."

[Ian Mackenzie]

I worked in the safety industry for 10 years and never saw a fatality over fibreglass fibres. The actual fibres dont have barbs on them like asbestos fibres. It tends to more of an irritation than anything else.

A face mask and eye protection is recommended and use a Du pont Tyvek jump suit if you and going to be rolling around in the stuff.

[spwal]

There is a black carpet covering the back near the port. the smell has somewhat subsided. I feel pretty good about running it with the covers on.

Yes, it does smell alot like mothballs now that you mention it...

thanks

[macaroonie]

If you put a fresh prawn in each cabinet you will not notice the musty smell ever again. :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: Just trying to be helpful you understand.

[rpstephen]

I worked for 14 years in research at Owens Corning and never saw or heard of any significant health problems with fiberglass. The smell of new fiberglass is mainly due to the asphalt used to adhere the vapor barrier to the pack. There may also be a small amount of residual ordor from the phenolic binder used to hold the fibers together. I did hear that workers who worked extensively in removing old insulations had increased respiratory problems. That said I would definitely wear a dust mask when working with the material especially if its old and dusty.

[spwal]

Thanks for the great input people. I know im not the only one out there who is curious. there is alot of pink stuff in there and a completely open port. The smell has subsided, its been about a week since i mucked around in there and i was probably smelling some stuff that went into the air and settled around the speakers.

so can we say definitively what this pink stuff is? do you think GPA will know for sure if it is fiberglass or asbestos?

thanks

[Zilch]

It ain't asbestos, and the smell was the glue on the crossovers....

[spwal]

hmmm.... come to think of it you may be right... could have been the glue.

[Valentin]

here is a link of the american lung asosiation where they state this ishu and say fiberglass is safe and does not cause cancer

http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=35439

What is Fiberglass
Is Fiberglass Insulation Safe?
What Steps Do I Take To Reduce Exposure?
Installation and Clean-Up
What is Fiberglass
Fiberglass is a man-made product that is composed of natural ingredients such as sand and recycled products such as window glass and bottles. The ingredients are melted and spun to create small strands of fiberglass that together form "glass wool".
Fiberglass insulation has been used since the 1930s and is now the most widely used home insulator. As an energy saver, fiberglass insulation saves the consumer money and helps keep buildings warm in winter and cool in the summer. Insulation saves energy and reduces the demand for new power plants, which reduces emissions of air pollutants to the environment and helps prevent global warming. To maximize energy efficiency, it is important to reduce air leaks that may occur around any areas in your home that are not sealed. These may include windows; doors; fireplaces; heating, ventilation and air conditioning ductwork; and perimeter joints. Leaks can be controlled with the use of housewrap, caulking and sealing of areas with leaks.
Fiberglass insulation also helps control noise in buildings, cars, and appliances. Fiberglass insulation is commonly used in furnaces and duct systems that deliver air to occupied buildings and homes and effectively minimizes transmission of noise.
Is Fiberglass Insulation Safe?
Yes, fiberglass building insulation is safe when it is properly installed.
Direct contact with fiberglass materials or exposure to airborne fiberglass dust may irritate the skin, eyes, nose and throat. Fiberglass can cause itching due to mechanical irritation from the fibers. This is not an allergic reaction to the material. Breathing fibers may irritate the airways resulting in coughing and a scratchy throat. Some people are sensitive to the fibers, while others are not. Fiberglass insulation packages display cancer warning labels. These labels are required by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) based on determinations made by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the National Toxicology Program (NTP).

• 1994- NTP listed fiberglass as "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen" based on animal data.
• 1998- The American Conference of Govern- mental Industrial Hygienists reviewed the available literature and concluded glass wool to be "carcinogenic in experimental animals at a relatively high dose, by route(s) of administra- tion, at site(s), of histologic type(s) or by mechanism(s) that are not considered relevant to worker exposures".
• 1999- OSHA and the manufacturers volunta- rily agreed on ways to control workplace exposures to avoid irritation. As a result, OSHA has stated that it does not intend to regulate exposure to fiberglass insulation. The voluntary agreement, known as the Health & Safety Partnership Program includes a recom- mended exposure level of 1.0 fiber per cubic centimeter (f/cc) based on an 8-hour workday and provides comprehensive work practices.
• 2000- The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) reported that epidemiological studies of glass fiber manufacturing workers indicate "glass fibers do not appear to increase the risk of respiratory system cancer". The NAS supported the exposure limit of 1.0 f/cc that has been the industry recommendation since the early 1990s.
• 2001- The IARC working group revised their previous classification of glass wool being a possible carcinogen. It is currently considered not classifiable as a human carcinogen. Studies done in the past 15 years since the previous report was released, do not provide enough evidence to link this material to any cancer risk.

[hjames]

Yeah, but proper use of fiberglass building iinsulation, at least Home use, is to put it in the wall between studs and cover it with sheetrock. Its covered and contained, at least, until the wall is breeched.

Not quite the same as putting it in a ported speaker where there is inrush and outflow of air as the spoeaker works.

I'm not saying its cancerous - just saying they are totally different usages.

Here is a link of the American Lung Association where they state this issue and say fiberglass is safe and does not cause cancer

http://www.lungusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=dvLUK9O0E&b=35439

What is Fiberglass
Is Fiberglass Insulation Safe?
What Steps Do I Take To Reduce Exposure?
Installation and Clean-Up

[readswift]

Hello, Im about to redo these 4435's from scratch . So what else can I use ? I want to leave out the fiberglass if possible, is there something more "decent" ? I saw a website claiming their machined Ports give better this&that eg. airflow. Are these claims trustworthy?

[Valentin]

2" open foam like sonex or similar

[readswift]

open foam = open cell ?

http://www.psp-inc.com/

this is the website i found , but can't remember how. Meanwhile some JBL page popped up too when I was looking for optimised ports , soo...
Are the original 4435 ports available tho ?