Denver, CO — Because Johns Manville has discontinued manufacture of formaldehyde-bonded fiber glass insulation and instead uses an alternative acrylic binder, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that manufacturing facilities are no longer subject to the Clean Air Act hazardous air pollutant regulation. EPA reported that the Clean Air Act restrictions on ordinary fiber glass manufacturing facilities no longer apply to Johns Manville plants.

“Based on the information provided by Johns Manville, including data demonstrating the switch to the acrylic binder eliminates all binder-related emissions of formaldehyde, phenol, and methanol, the principal hazardous pollutants (HAPS) regulated in Subpart NNN, EPA finds that Johns Manville no longer meets the definition of an affected facility and is no longer subject to Subpart NNN,” according to an excerpt from a letter from Kenneth Eng with the Air Compliance Branch of EPA’s Region II office.

The Clean Air Act is a federal law to improve air quality, including the air quality around fiber glass plants.

In March 2002, Johns Manville became the first fiber glass insulation manufacturer to stop adding formaldehyde to building insulation as a binder and began using an acrylic binder that eliminates all binder-related emissions of formaldehyde. The acrylic binder also reduces concerns about formaldehyde in the indoor environment once installed, the company says.