Hello hopeful77, and thank you for posting a most interesting
question.
There are two main scenarios that are relevant to the safety of a
product like Ace's Duraflo.
The first, is the safety of the materials during application. This
scenario is primarily of concern to the worker applying the materials,
though it can certainly also be a concern to anyone else in the
vicinity at the time.
The second, is the question of long term safety to the drinking water
supply. As water flows through pipes coated with Duraflo, will
chemicals leach out into the water, and will these chemicals pose any
sort of hazard?
The very quick answers to these questions are that:
(a) Duraflo is considered to have hazardous properties during
application, and should be handled with appropriate caution, and,
(b) Duraflo is considered safe for long-term use as a coating in pipes
that deliver drinking water.
The longer answer, given below, is more involved and -- as is almost
always the case -- more complex. I hope I have presented it clearly,
but if any of the information here is unclear -- or if you need
additional information -- just let me know by posting a request for
clarification, and I'll be happy to assist you further.
pafalafa-ga
======================
APPLICATION OF ACE DURAFLO:
Professional plumbers and others using Ace Duraflo are provided a
document known as a Material Safety Data Sheet (commonly called by its
initials, MSDS), which summarizes known hazard information for the
chemicals in Duraflo.
If you call Ace directly at 888-775-0220, they will mail (or email) a
copy of the MSDS to you. I received a copy by email just five minutes
after I spoke with them, and will summarize the key points here...note
that all text below is extracted from the MSDS directly [except text
in brackets, which are my own comments].
[the MSDS begins with a caution]
HEALTH AND SAFETY:
Before use all operators and applicators must consult the Material
Safety Data Sheet (Parts A and B). Wear Protective clothing, gloves,
goggles, and organic vapor respirator.
[Parts A and B of the MSDS refer to the two components of Duraflo that
are mixed together before application to form the epoxy coating. Part
A is described as:]
EPOXIDE RESIN
No toxic chemical(s) subject to the reporting requirements of section
313 of Title III and of 40 CFR 372 are present.
Prop 65 Warning: DETECTABLE AMOUNTS OF A CHEMICAL KNOWN AS CARCINOGEN
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA MAY BE PRESENT.
[Uh Oh...the "C" word...I'll discuss this more below. The MSDS also
notes other potential hazards:]
--SPECIAL FIRE FIGHTING PROCEDURES: RESPIRATORY EQUIPMENT SHOULD BE
WORN TO AVOID INHALATION OF FUMES.
--UNUSUAL FIRE AND EXPLOSION HAZARDS: HANDLE AS A FLAMMABLE LIQUID.
VAPOR MAY FORM AN EXPLOSIVE MIXTURE.
--MAY CAUSE DIZZINESS, BREATHING DIFFICULTY, AND/OR HEADACHES.
--SKIN: OVEREXPOSURE CAN CAUSE SENSITIZATION AND REDNESS OF AFFECTED
AREAS. EYE: SEVERE EYE IRRITATION WILL CAUSE TEARING, REDNESS AND
PUFFINESS. IF SYMPTOMS PERSIST SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY.
--SKIN: MAY CAUSE IRRITATION, REDNESS, OR BLISTERS, IF SYMPTOMS
PERSIST SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY.
--IF SWALLOWED, GIVE 3-4 GLASSES OF WATER. DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING. DO
NOT GIVE ANYTHING BY MOUTH TO AN UNCONSCIOUS OR CONVULSING PERSON.
CALL PHYSICIAN IMMEDIATELY!!
[The MSDS gives a few other precautions for Part A, mostly having to
do with safe handling, then goes own to describe Part B:]
REPORTABLE COMPONENTS [for Part B]
POLY-AMINE MIXTURE TRADE 40-60%
TITANIUM DIOXIDE 30-50%
SILOXANES 1-3%
No toxic chemical (s) subject to the reporting requirements of section
313 of Title III and of 40 CFR 372 are present.
Prop 65 Warning: DETECTABLE AMOUNTS OF A CHEMICAL KNOWN AS CARCINOGEN
IN THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA MAY BE PRESENT.
[The remaining language regarding inhalation and skin contact is very
similar to the Part A precautions].
=====================
Well, there you have the main warnings from the MSDS. The epoxy
components, before they are mixed and set, look like pretty nasty
stuff. However, the MSDS also makes clear that Duraflo does not
contain any listed materials on the major federal lists of toxic
chemicals.
California is a different story, however. The state maintains it’s
own lists of what it considers carcinogenic (which in some cases, can
be quite different from other lists maintained at the national or
international level). A substance *may* be present in Duraflo that is
listed in California as a carcinogen.
The carcinogen warning is pretty hard to get a reading on, since they
don't identify the actual component. The fact that they say it "may"
be present (rather than confirming that it *is* present) suggests that
it may be a trace contaminant or by-product, rather than a main
ingredient of their formulation. However, without a good deal more
information, it's difficult to know what to make of the "carcinogen"
cautionary language.
It's very clear from the MSDS, however, that this material can be
dangerous stuff prior to setting, and should only be handled by
professionals with the appropriate training, and the appropriate
safety gear.
ACE DURAFLO SAFETY IN DRINKING WATER:
You may be asking yourself: can something that dangerous really be
safe in the water pipes? That's a good question. Several very
reputable associations have given Duraflo a clean bill of health in
that regard. But before summarizing that, I'd like make a few general
points.
--Epoxy, once hardened, is generally pretty inert.
--However, nothing is 100% inert. The epoxy coating of a pipe will
contribute something -- probably in trace amounts -- to the drinking
water. For that matter, an uncoated pipe will do the same (which is
why lead pipe and lead solder are no longer used in drinking water
systems). No matter what the pipe is made of, or coated with, some of
the material will wind up in the water.
So the real question becomes...is it safe to drink the water after it
travels through an epoxy-coated pipe.
A group called the National Sanitation Foundation exists to answer
questions such as these. NSF creates industry standards for (among
other things) plumbing materials that come in contact with drinking
water supplies. Some of the standards address things like strength
and durability, while others address health concerns.
Ace's Duraflo is certified as safe for use in drinking water systems
under NSF Standard 61. You can see their actual certification from NSF
here:
http://www.nsf.org/Certified/PwsComponents/Listings.asp?Company=0K240&Standard=061
Great...what does that mean.
In essence, NSF has created a detailed set of standards designed to do
a few things:
1. Expose a product (in this case, Duraflo) to a set of worst-case
leaching conditions, trying their best to get the chemicals in Duraflo
to actually leach into the water in the pipes.
2. They then identify all substances that have leached into the
water.
3. And lastly, they make a determination as to the safety of the
chemicals that are present in the water. If they are found to be
safe, then the material is certified.
Duraflo is certified as safe under NSF Standard 61.
This means that not a heck of a lot of stuff leaches out of Duraflo
into the drinking water, and what does leach is not considered to
present a safety concern.
Unfortunately, the actual testing results -- what chemicals were
present, and in what quantities -- are not made public, so there's
little I can tell you beyond this general description of the process.
You may also want to look at NSF's own description of Standard 61,
which you can see here:
http://www.nsf.org/dwa/dwa_certification.html
It actually sounds like a pretty comprehensive oversight process,
involving testing, visits to the factory, quality control
procedures...here are a few extracts from their text:
------------------
NSF toxicology staff first reviews the product/material information
submitted by a manufacturer. Typically, additional material or
ingredient information is required and this information is requested
in order to determine all potential contaminants to drinking water.
This is an important step, because to properly evaluate a product or
material for health effects, complete information about the
formulation and impurities associated with each of its ingredients
must be known by the certifying agency.
A factory audit is then scheduled and performed by trained NSF
auditors. During the audit, formulations and suppliers are verified,
QA/QC records are audited, and the product/material is sampled for
testing at NSF.
The sampled product/material is tested according to the protocols
outlined in each of the standards. Following laboratory testing,
contaminant concentrations are "normalized" or converted to at-the-tap
concentrations and compared to the standard's maximum allowable level
(MALS). If the results are acceptable, NSF and the manufacturer enter
into a contractual agreement and the product is certified and Listed
by NSF. The NSF authorized formulations are retained at the product
facilities. Deviations from the authorized formulation are not
permitted without advance written notice to, and acceptance by, NSF.
-------------------
Here's another link, from TechStreet magazine, that offers another
description of Standard 61:
http://www.techstreet.com/cgi-bin/detail?product_id=1124585
Drinking Water System Components - Health Effects
Document Number: NSF/ANSI 61-2003
NSF International
03-Sep-2003
Scope: This Standard is intended to cover specific materials or
products that come into contact with: drinking water, drinking water
treatment chemicals, or both. The focus of the Standard is evaluation
of contaminants or impurities imparted indirectly to drinking water.
The products and materials covered include, but are not limited to,
process media (carbon, sand, etc.), protective materials (coatings,
linings, liners, etc.), joining and sealing materials (solvent
cements, welding materials, gaskets, etc.), pipes and related products
(pipes, tanks, fittings, etc.), mechanical devices used in
treatment/transmission/distribution systems (valves, chlorinators,
separation membranes, etc.), and mechanical plumbing devices (faucets,
endpoint control valves, etc.). Point-of-use and point-of-entry
drinking water treatment devices are not covered by the scope of this
Standard.
----------------------
Bottom line on all this:
–if you’re applying Duraflo yourself, be very careful.
–if you’re using Duraflo in your pipes, it meets the safety standards
of the NSF.
I hope the information here is clear, and meets your needs. As I said
above, if you would like any additional explanation or information,
don't hesitate to post a Request for Clarification to let me know.
Also, you shouldn't hesitate to contact either Duraflo or NSF (or
both) if you have any concerns. They're the experts with the in-depth
knowledge about this particular product, and they should certainly be
willing to provide you with additional details regarding any concerns
you might have.
Contact information is:
ACE DURAFLO SYSTEMS, LLC
1400 N. HARBOR BLVD. STE. 900
FULLERTON, CA 92835
714-256-0220
Toll free: 888-775-0220
NSF International
P.O. Box 130140
789 N. Dixboro Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48113-0140, USA
Telephone: (+1) 734-769-8010
Toll Free (USA): 800-NSF-MARK
Fax: 734-769-0109
E-mail: info@nsf.org
Web: www.nsf.org
Best of luck!
pafalafa-ga
Search strategy: Google search on: Ace Duraflo
Calls to Ace and to NSF |
