Familiarity with the LBC Red List can help you ensure that your remodeling project is safer and more sustainable. It is a persistent organic pollutant source material that contributes to the creation of dioxins and furans at different points in its life cycle, such as its manufacture in Louisiana’s cancer alley. While neoprene is chemically inert, chloroprene is a carcinogen that can be inhaled and can enter the body through the skin. ChloropreneĬhloroprene is used to make neoprene, the material best known for its use in wetsuits and fishing waders, but it’s also used to waterproof roofing and to seal windows. Other countries have agreed to phase out HFCs. HFCs are not as bad for the ozone layer as CFCs, but both long-lived groups of chemicals are still powerful greenhouse gases. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)Īlthough CFCs were banned in 1987, the hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) that replaced them are still in use in aerosols, refrigerators, and air conditioners. It was discontinued in 2009 due to production safety issues, lead content, and the highly toxic fumes it releases when burned.ĬPE and CSPE are persistent organic pollutant source materials and contribute to the creation of dioxins and furans at different points in their life cycle.

Sold under the brand name Hypalon, it was commonly used for the insulation of wire and cable jacketing.

Like regular polyethylene, it is versatile, used for wire and cable jacketing, roofing, hoses and tubing, and more.Ĭhlorosulfonated polyethylene (CSPE) is the base polymer for synthetic rubbers. Chlorinated Polyethylene & Chlorosulfonated PolyethyleneĬhlorinated polyethylene (CPE) is an inexpensive variation of polyethylene plastic, but with a chlorine content of roughly one-third. Cadmium is also used in pigments that can lead to exposure through chipping paint or paint dust created during construction. Nevertheless, cadmium can be found in cookware, home electronics, and of course batteries. CadmiumĬadmium is a heavy metal associated with flu-like symptoms from acute exposure and cancer, kidney, bone, and lung disease from chronic exposure. It should be disposed of as hazardous waste. Protective equipment is required when working around asbestos. The tiny fibers of asbestos can easily be inhaled and cause mesothelioma and other diseases. banned asbestos in 1991, but the ban was overturned and it can still be found in products from insulation to vinyl tiles. AsbestosĪsbestos is a mineral that has been used in thousands of products, especially from the 1930s to the 1970s, most famously in popcorn ceilings. Learn more with this simplified version of the Red List. For homeowners, the list can inform remodeling projects and help guide you to safer household products.

But the list provides a target for improvement. Eliminating all of them completely from home construction may not even be possible at this time. Updated annually, the LBC Red List encourages builders to avoid the worst materials and chemicals used in construction. The Red List is generated by the International Living Future Institute as a part of the Living Building Challenge, a certification system that requires buildings to achieve net positivity for energy, water, and waste. And even if you are not a construction professional, knowing about these materials and which products are made from them can help you make your home and your home improvement projects safer and more sustainable. The Red List is actually a list of “worst in class” materials, chemicals, and elements the green building industry tries to avoid. But the Red List has nothing to do with politics, and everything to do with chemistry. “The Red List” might sound like something from the Cold War.

Houses with red roofs