Bio-rubber flooring listed, excellent environmental performance

In recent days, many well-known floor brands have introduced soy protein adhesive flooring, claiming to be more environmentally friendly than the original urea-formaldehyde rubber used, and achieving “no formaldehyde addition” in the flooring production process, which has aroused widespread concern in the industry and the market.

So, soy protein adhesive flooring is really more environmentally friendly? Experts pointed out that this kind of floor is indeed more environmentally friendly, but it is still new in the country and has not been practiced for a long time. There may be certain risks in the service life.

Biological rubber flooring is listed

Not long ago, Del International House announced the official launch of its new “Formaldehyde-free” floor. In addition to Del's "Formaldehyde-Free Additive" floor, flooring brands such as Nature and Life have also recently introduced flooring made from soy protein and aldehyde-free adhesives. Other companies have introduced corn glued non-aldehyde flooring.

It is understood that an important factor in these "formaldehyde-free" floors is soy protein glue. According to Yao Hongpeng, general manager of Del International Home Furnishing Co., Ltd., soybean protein gum is a bio-based aldehyde-free adhesive made from soybeans using raw materials as raw materials and water as a dispersion medium. Because this soy protein glue does not contain formaldehyde in traditional glue, people in the industry refer to the flooring produced by this glue as “formaldehyde-free” flooring. The corn glue floor replaces the traditional urea-formaldehyde glue with glue made from natural corn to achieve the effect of “no formaldehyde addition”.

However, at present, the "formaldehyde-free addition" floors introduced by major floor brands are concentrated in the field of solid wood composite flooring, and their respective processes are different, and some have also developed new structures and installation technologies for the use of biological rubber flooring. Due to the more complex production process and the need for additional production equipment, the price of "formaldehyde-free addition" flooring is about 30% higher than that of ordinary flooring.

Environmental performance is indeed excellent

Are these bio-rubber floors really green? According to Wang Jun, an expert member of the China Forest Product Industry Association and director of the Forest Products Inspection Center (Changchun) of the State Forestry Administration, not long ago, the new soybean protein flooring on the market was tested, and its environmental performance is indeed very good. Indicators can reach E0 level. This soy protein gel does not contain formaldehyde, so no additional formaldehyde is added to the flooring production process. However, due to the fact that the wood itself contains formaldehyde, the aldehyde-free floor is a little too much to say. It can only be said that no formaldehyde is added during the production process. As for the modified glue made of corn starch with isocyanate, it is also environmentally friendly.

Wang Jun also said that this kind of biological glue is a mature product in foreign countries, and it is very safe and there is no problem in using it. However, due to the high production costs, the price is much higher than the ordinary floor, so it has not been widely used in China.

Pay attention to physical and chemical properties before purchase

As the "formaldehyde-free addition" flooring is still considered as an emerging product in China, there are also expert tips that consumers should pay attention to the physical and chemical properties of this biological glue floor.

Fang Chongrong, deputy secretary-general of the floor committee of the China Forest Product Industry Association, said that the moisture-proof and anti-mildew properties of bio-adhesive products still need further research. Without special processing, mildew may occur in wet conditions. He suggested that consumers should pay attention to this when purchasing and see if the manufacturers take these factors into consideration. If the manufacturer already considers that the production process has improved, there should be no problem; if not, there will be a risk of mildew.

He also pointed out that this new type of product has just been listed in the country after all, and it has not been recycled and verified for more than two years. Moreover, the production process of each company may be different. The environmental resistance of the floor, especially for geothermal environment When it comes to passing tests, consumers need to carefully weigh. "We must look at whether the manufacturers have done the durability and environmental resistance of the product," he said.

To pay attention to environmental protection need to pay attention to multiple factors

The selling point of “formaldehyde-free addition” flooring is environmental protection to meet consumers’ high demand for environmental protection, but experts caution that although formaldehyde is an important factor in the environmental protection of the floor, it is not the only source.

Wang Jun pointed out that besides formaldehyde, floor pollution will also involve harmful substances such as benzene. Some flooring products due to paint production process is not in place, will lead to ** and backplane paint harmful substances are not completely volatile. In addition, during the installation process, the use of accessories, such as low-priced, low-density skirting boards and multi-layer plywood, is likely to have the problem of excessive formaldehyde. If the glue used when the aluminum foil is bonded to the mat is not qualified, it will emit harmful substances such as cresol and xylenol.

Fang Chongrong also pointed out that in the installation process, most of the floor glues used are special glues and do not contain formaldehyde, but there are other volatiles, but only a relatively small amount.

Fang Chongrong believes that the "formaldehyde-free addition" of flooring can be achieved, and consumers can use their own demand points if they use it. "After all, it hasn't been tested for a long time. It doesn't know how many years biological glue flooring can be used," he said.

He believes that the formaldehyde qualification rate of mainstream products in the flooring industry is very high. It is not necessary for businesses to publicize “zero formaldehyde” excessively, and the floor is only a product in the interior. Consumers need to comprehensively consider the entire living environment.