An Overview on the Occurrence of Diisocyanates 

in Consumer Products in the U.S. 

ACC Center for the Polyurethanes Industry

June 16, 2010
The information in this presentation is 

preliminary data based on interviews, 

questionnaires, and public information 

sources. Due to the limitations of the 

survey process, these preliminary data 

cannot be considered definitive. They 

provide, however, a qualitative picture of 

diisocyanates in various market segments. 
Purpose

 To identify as many possible uses of diisocyanates, blocked 

isocyanates and isocyanate prepolymers in both polyurethane and 

non-polyurethane products that may be available to consumers;

 Increase knowledge of consumer orientated downstream markets for 

diisocyanates;

 Understand the supply chain of diisocyanates into consumer 

products;

 Understand why diisocyanates are used in the products identified; 

and

 Identify potential users and consumers of these products and quantify 

the approximate size of the population that may use them.
Methodology

 Information provided was obtained from existing CPI data, 

telephone interviews with suppliers and users of diisocyanates, 

emailed questionnaires sent to manufacturers, internet 

searches, company websites, and information obtained from 

Material Safety Data Sheets.

 Research was conducted through telephone interviews and 

semi-structured discussions with 70 respondents over a 4-week 

period in April-May 2010. Several companies interviewed 

simply confirmed that none of their respective products were 

supplied to consumers and terminated the interview.
Methodology

• On-line sources of information used include:

– CAS Registry of the American Chemical Society

• www.cas.org/cgi-bin/cas/regreport.pl

– Household Products Database

• www.householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/index.htm

– Encyclopedia

• www.wikipedia.org

– ALIPA Website

• www.alipa.org

– U.S. National Library of Medicine Products

• www.nlm.nih.gov/libserv.html

– The Cosmetics Database

• www.cosmeticsdatabase.com
ADHESIVES
Estimated U.S. Consumer / DIY Adhesives 

Market by Generic Type, 2008 (Mlbs.)
Estimated % Diisocyanates in Consumer 

Polyurethane Adhesives, 2008 (Mlbs.)
PU Consumer Adhesives & 

Isocyanate Content
SEALANTS
Estimated % Diisocyanates in 

DIY / Consumer Sealants, 2008 (Lbs.)
PU Consumer Sealants & Average 

Diisocyanates Content (%w/w)
RIGID FOAMS
Estimated % Diisocyanates in 

DIY Rigid Foam, 2008 (Lbs.)

*Based on product composition prior to product delivery. 
PU Rigid Foam for Consumer 

Applications & Isocyanate Content

*Based on product composition prior to product delivery. 
COATINGS
Estimated % Diisocyanates in 

DIY PU Coatings, 2008 (Mlbs.)
PU Coatings for Consumer 

Applications & Isocyanate Content
CAST AND SPRAY ELASTOMERS
Estimated % Diisocyanates in 

DIY Cold Cast Elastomers, 2008 (Lbs.)
PU Elastomers for Consumer 

Applications & Isocyanate Content
Key Points

 There are many products in the CASE (Coatings, Adhesives, 

Sealants, Elastomers) sector of the polyurethane industry that, 

for performance reasons, contain a small percentage of 

unreacted diisocyanates some of which may be used by 

consumers. 

 The home maintenance market segment represents the largest 

use of consumer products containing diisocyanates due to the 

widescale use of OCF products and concrete coatings, 

adhesives and sealants. 

 Data suggests that the majority of consumer products 

containing diisocyanates are based on MDI.