What does the research show about the health and safety of fiber glass?
Fiber glass is one of the most thoroughly tested building products in the world with health and safety research on fiber glass spanning nearly 70 years. This research has been designed to investigate the possible human health effects of fiber glass and other SVFs. In October 2001, an international expert review by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) re-evaluated the 1988 IARC assessment of glass fibers and removed glass, rock and slag wool fibers from its list of substances “possibly carcinogenic to humans.” All fiber glass and rock and slag wools that are commonly used for thermal and acoustical insulation are now considered not classifiable as to carcinogenicity to humans (Group 3). IARC noted specifically: “Epidemilogic studies published during the 15 years since the previous IARC Monographs review of these fibers in 1988 provide no evidence of increased risks of lung cancer or mesothelioma (cancer of the lining of the body cavities) from occupational exposures du
