Hygiene and health related to decoration materials
Health: a niche market for interior textiles
The technological consultancy service “Hygiene and health related to decoration materials" - with the financial support of IWT-Vlaanderen - is a collaboration of the experts of Centexbel (textiles), BBRI (construction) and CoRI (paints).
The service is oriented to all producers and suppliers of porducts used for interior construction, interior decoration (interior textiles, carpets...) and of products for care and reparations; products that might have an impact on the occupants' health.
Despite the growing concern about health related issus concering interior materials, only a handful of products are being marketed as "healthy". Few enterprises benefit from the possibilities offered by the "health awareness" hype.
Centexbel advises on the present and future health requirements of consumers and legislation and on the way to translate these requirements into technical product specifications. Because these requirements sometimes result into the limitation or replacement of harmful substances in building materials, we also advise the industry in this aspect.
Centexbel and partners also support and promote innovations in the field of construction materials, interior textiles and paints/glues related to the development of materials with additional functionalities in the aim to surpress e.g. harmful substances.
Coming activities :
- labels: how to choose "healthy materials"
- legilation with a summary of the Best Available Practices, REACH...
- fungi and smells : detection and prevention
The consultancy service communicates and valorises the research results of the three partners within this theme. E.g. :
- catalytic degradation of volatile organic components
- development of new methods to measure emissions
- application of antimicrobial products to prevent fungi
