Publically available information on diisocyanates 

1. In fall 2009, EPA hosted a webinar presentation on "What You Need to Know about the Safe 

Use of Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF)", with participants from OSHA, NIOSH, CPSC, and 

industry available online at: 

http://www.epa.gov/dfe/spf_presentation_2009_epa_osha_niosh_cpsc.pdf

2. The Design for the Environment Program has a history of development of best practices 

working with isocyanates in the automotive refinishing industry. Isocyanates are also a key

component of SPF. Please see EPA's Design for the Environment Program site available online 

at: http://www.epa.gov/dfe/best_practices.html for links to additional publically available 

resources. The DfE Program hopes to provide a similar information page for SPF and other 

isocyanate uses. 

3. Health and safety information: 

CPSC - an incident report on SPF available online at: 

http://www.saferproducts.gov/ViewIncident/1193994

- NIOSH Health & Safety Topic Page on Isocyanates available online at: 

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/isocyanates/

- OSHA Safety & Health Topic page on Isocyanates available online at: 

http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/isocyanates/index.html

- NIOSH ALERT, NIOSH Publication No. 2006-149 Preventing Asthma and Death from MDI 

Exposure During Spray-on Truck Bed Liner and Related Applications available online at: 

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2006-149/default.html

- NIOSH ALERT 1996: Preventing Asthma and Death from Diisocyanates Exposure available 

online at: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/asthma.html 

- Method for measuring volatile chemicals is the standard method under California Section 

01350. 

- ASTM International, an organization that sets standards for products and materials, has 

initiated development of a standard (D22.05) to determine volatile organic compounds, 

diisocyanates, oligomeric isocyanates, and amine catalysts emitted from SPF insulation products 

designed for on-site application in buildings (ASTM WK30960).

- Manufacturer's Material Safety Data Sheets - available from the manufacturers. Some are 

available online at the US Department of Health and Human Services’ Household Products 

Database.
- Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) report on Methylene Diphenyl Diisocyanate 

(monomeric MDI) and polymeric MDI (PMDI); CASRN 101-68-8, 9016-87-9 (02/07/1998)

available online at: http://www.epa.gov/iris/subst/0529.htm

- EPA's New Chemical Program Chemical Category on Isocyanates available online at: 

http://www.epa.gov/dfe/pubs/auto/profile/appa.pdf

- Toxic Substances Control Act Section 8(e) Notices of Substantial Risk & FYI Notices:

Polymeric MDI – Results of a modified local lymph node assay in mice (PDF) (28 pp., 839 

KB, about PDF) 

Blocked Aromatic Isocyanate (PDF) (1 pp, 38 KB, about PDF) 

4,4'-Methylenedianiline (MDA) (PDF) (80 pp, 2.28 MB, about PDF) 

Isocyanates (Emissions from fires) (PDF) (130 pp, 10 MB, about PDF) 

“Fatalities Linked to Diisocyanates” (PDF) (16 pp, 1.42MB, about PDF) 

Diphenylmethane-4,4'-diisocyanate (Polymeric MDI) (PDF) (47 pp, 3.56MB, about PDF) 

4. Industry Resources: 

- Bayer Material Science Residential SPF Survey available online at: 

http://www.sprayfoam.org/uploads/pages/4507/SPFA-CPI%20Emissions.pdf

- Bayer Material Science study entitled "A Proposed Methodology for Development of Building 

Re-Occupancy Guidelines Following Installation of Spray Polyurethane Foam Insulation"

available online at: 

http://www.baycareonline.com/ums/import-export/nafta_479.pdf