United Bonded Fabrics managing director Jim Liaskos said a US report had found formaldehyde and inhalable glass wool to be carcinogenic substances.

“Yet, labelling fibreglass insulation as carcinogenic is not required in Australia,” he said.

“In the USA, fibreglass insulation packaging carries a carcinogenic warning, however, these same products when repackaged for the Australian market are not required to carry such warnings.”
In some instances, he said little was known about the fibres or the level of formaldehyde used in imported product as they had not been tested or been required to declare their content, while Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) were also not available for reference.

“The last thing you would want to do is ‘feel’ fibreglass insulation,” he said.

With many of these imported products sold to the DIY market, Liaskos suggested purchasers were unaware of the risks and the precautions that should be taken when installing them.

“On building sites, there is a protocol for fibreglass insulation to be quarantined and for people to wear safety protection when handling it,” he said.

“There is a real disparity here with Occupational Health & Safety requirements in Australia.”

Liaskos argued consumers needed to be fully informed about the products they purchased, particularly, when there were potential health risks.