Her hair began falling out and her skin turned yellow. Her young son also lost his hair. Their pet German shepherd lost half of one litter and only one puppy in a second litter survived. It wasn't until she realized that she felt better outdoors that she began to suspect the newly installed insulation. Today, after going through a detoxification program and moving out of the house, her health is only marginally better.
Cellulose insulation is made from recycled newspapers.
The inks used in printing newspapers are fairly toxic, and while there are some individuals who cannot tolerate the odor of a fresh newspaper, actually inhaling insulation containing this ink can result in a much more severe exposure. Foam insulations are also widely available. This category includes urethane, polystyrene, isocyanurate, urea-formaldehyde, etc. These products usually consist of one or more plastic resins that are puffed into a foam either by a chemical reaction or by a gas. There are a wide variety of these products in board shape.