- #1
kyphysics
- 685
- 445
If something is manufactured in the U.S., is it safe to assume it must undergo some kind of FDA, EPA, etc. safety "test" such that we can reasonably assume it would not have something that knowingly would be harmful to us in its intended use?
Obviously, if you use something other than what it's intended for, then practically anything can be harmful (e.g., you eat glass or plastic for food). But, are there regulatory bodies for U.S. produced products that would examine all the "ingredients" in them and prevent anything that would be known to be harmful to humans to be put in?
I ask, because I have an example of this "theory" in practice. My dad (lung cancer) needs to have a vapor barrier placed in his home (in the crawl space, as the old one has "issues"). In calling around town and Googling, I found that most people use 6 mil, 10 mil, or 12 mil (for non-encapsulation purposes). 6 mil typically doesn't have anti-microbials in them, I was told. That got me interested in what 10 mil+ (the level at which I was told they start to have stuff "added" to them) has in them that is different, so I looked up makes/models of ones used by a company. I got this:
https://crawlspacedepot.com/12-mil-reinforced-crawl-space-liner-wb-roll/
If you click the product specifications tab, it gives this page:
http://archive.crawlspacedepot.com/productDocs/35-DuraSkrim 8-12WB Spec Sheet.pdf
There it says of one of the liners/vapor barriers:
The black outer layers consist of a high-strength polyethylene film containing carbon black. The white sides contain UV and thermal stabilizers.
I didn't know what carbon black was and saw this:
The International Agency for research on cancer classifies carbon black as a possible human carcinogen. Experimental studies in female rats found increased incidence of lung tumors in rats that inhaled carbon black.
Other sources say it is a possible carcinogen.
Animal studies suggest long-term exposure to very high doses of pure carbon black may increase a person's risk of cancer. Carbon black that comes from incomplete burning of hydrocarbons is more likely to contain cancer causing chemicals than pure carbon black.
https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/chemical/carblack.htm
I also didn't know what UV and thermal stabilizers were and saw some Google search result headings/previews discussing whether they were toxic and/or carcinogenic. There were too many results and views to post. I frankly cannot find anything easy enough to understand and conclusive either.
My main question is whether we should ASSUME NO KNOWN harmful substances would be put into products made in the U.S. (w/o a label saying so) for things put to their intended use? Or, do regulator agencies simply not have the scope, man-power, etc. to cover all this stuff and the buyer must beware and research what substances are in products bought (and whether they are safe)?
Obviously, if you use something other than what it's intended for, then practically anything can be harmful (e.g., you eat glass or plastic for food). But, are there regulatory bodies for U.S. produced products that would examine all the "ingredients" in them and prevent anything that would be known to be harmful to humans to be put in?
I ask, because I have an example of this "theory" in practice. My dad (lung cancer) needs to have a vapor barrier placed in his home (in the crawl space, as the old one has "issues"). In calling around town and Googling, I found that most people use 6 mil, 10 mil, or 12 mil (for non-encapsulation purposes). 6 mil typically doesn't have anti-microbials in them, I was told. That got me interested in what 10 mil+ (the level at which I was told they start to have stuff "added" to them) has in them that is different, so I looked up makes/models of ones used by a company. I got this:
https://crawlspacedepot.com/12-mil-reinforced-crawl-space-liner-wb-roll/
If you click the product specifications tab, it gives this page:
http://archive.crawlspacedepot.com/productDocs/35-DuraSkrim 8-12WB Spec Sheet.pdf
There it says of one of the liners/vapor barriers:
The black outer layers consist of a high-strength polyethylene film containing carbon black. The white sides contain UV and thermal stabilizers.
I didn't know what carbon black was and saw this:
The International Agency for research on cancer classifies carbon black as a possible human carcinogen. Experimental studies in female rats found increased incidence of lung tumors in rats that inhaled carbon black.
Other sources say it is a possible carcinogen.
Animal studies suggest long-term exposure to very high doses of pure carbon black may increase a person's risk of cancer. Carbon black that comes from incomplete burning of hydrocarbons is more likely to contain cancer causing chemicals than pure carbon black.
https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/chemical/carblack.htm
I also didn't know what UV and thermal stabilizers were and saw some Google search result headings/previews discussing whether they were toxic and/or carcinogenic. There were too many results and views to post. I frankly cannot find anything easy enough to understand and conclusive either.
My main question is whether we should ASSUME NO KNOWN harmful substances would be put into products made in the U.S. (w/o a label saying so) for things put to their intended use? Or, do regulator agencies simply not have the scope, man-power, etc. to cover all this stuff and the buyer must beware and research what substances are in products bought (and whether they are safe)?
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