Many people express distrust towards foam as a building material, beginning with claims about its harmfulness and the presence of health-dangerous substances. However, it should be emphasized that high-quality foam, manufactured in compliance with all technological standards and possessing appropriate certifications, poses no threat to health or harm to the environment.
To clarify the safety of foam, it’s essential to examine its composition and physicochemical properties. Foam consists of two main elements—hydrogen and carbon, which makes it safe for humans. However, in the process of polystyrene polymerization, special substances known as catalysts are used, which are necessary to initiate the reaction. Such catalysts include polymonochlorostyrene, polydichlorostyrene, butadiene-styrene, and others. The use of chlorine-containing compounds can potentially be hazardous, but this threat is relevant only at the polymerization stage.
It is important to note that polymerization is usually not complete, and under certain conditions, by-products may be released. However, the concentration of such substances in foam is less than 0.1%, as the degree of polymerization reaches 99.9%. This means that the material consists of almost 100% of carbon and hydrogen compounds.
Some opponents of foam also express concerns about its flammability. This is a misconception. High-quality building foam is a self-extinguishing material and does not support combustion. In the case of heating, it melts, making it safe from a fire safety perspective. The use of foam for packaging is unrelated to its construction application.
Regarding the emission of harmful substances into the atmosphere, it can be confidently stated that foam is one of the least toxic materials on the market. Nevertheless, the monomer styrene, used in the production of polystyrene, is moderately toxic and may be carcinogenic. Styrene, which is a volatile liquid, is used in the production of many polymers and plastics, and it cannot exist in free form. Stability with antioxidants is required for that.
It should be noted that styrene begins to polymerize at room temperature, and to be released into the air, foam must be heated to 320 degrees. Moreover, styrene molecules oxidize quickly and convert into polystyrene—a safe substance. Styrene is also found in natural gas and plants that we consume, and products made from foam are certified for food packaging and children’s toys, which confirms its safety.
The company Nikrob Home operates in the European market and places great importance on the safety of building materials. Polystyrene has official approval in countries such as Germany, where 87% of private houses are insulated with this material, and in France—80%. The safety of foam has been repeatedly confirmed by independent environmental audits.
The International Building Code classifies polystyrene as one of the most energy-efficient and environmentally friendly materials, and the British rating BRE assigns it the highest environmental grade of A+. The French Association of Polystyrene Manufacturers, ECOPSE, actively promotes the adoption of “green” technologies and regularly conducts eco-audits, confirming the safety of its products.
In conclusion, polystyrene does not pose a threat to human health, and manufacturing measures minimize the possibility of toxic substances entering the body. The Lithuanian company UAB Nikrob Home specializes in constructing houses made of polystyrene and uses exclusively certified foam that meets all modern safety requirements. Thanks to its efficient operations, the company can build houses from this material in the shortest possible time and at the most competitive prices, ensuring high quality and reliability of construction solutions throughout Europe.
