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How are Non-Toxic Glues such as BreezeBond™ Beneficial?

Glues and other adhesives are used in products and systems that we encounter daily. Many types of glue emit harmful fumes into the surrounding environment, posing a risk to the health of people in the area. To mitigate the health risks of toxic glues, it is essential to choose a non-toxic glue product that doesn’t sacrifice performance.

What Is Non-Toxic Glue?

Many adhesives contain solvents, chemicals, and other toxic ingredients that can cause adverse health issues for the people who encounter them, whether these people are glue factory employees, end users, or because of environmental-related effects. Certified non-toxic glues are made of ingredients that are shown to be safe for human use with minimal impact on the environment.

Some of the toxic fumes, or volatile organic compounds (VOCs), in petroleum-based glues include  formaldehyde, methylene chloride, xylene, toluene, light aliphatic naphtha, and N-hexane. Breathing in toxic fumes from glues can induce an array of health issues, including headache, nausea, difficulty breathing, seizures, and may even lead to certain types of cancer.

Non-toxic glues are often water-based and thus have low VOCs, or in some cases, no detectable VOCs. Therefore, they are generally much safer to use.

Benefits of Non-Toxic Glue

Aside from being non-toxic, other benefits of non-toxic glue include:

• Excellent bonding: Non-toxic glue forms a strong, permanent bond, with comparable strength to their less people-friendly competitors.
• Water-solubility: Non-toxic glue’s uncured or unused residues will readily dissolve in water and can be washed away with soap and water.
• Biodegradable and recyclable: Non-toxic glues are made from naturally occurring sources with minimal modification. Since it is made from these materials, it readily biodegrades, unlike solvent-based adhesives.
• Can be FDA approved for indirect food contact: Non-toxic glue has no toxic components in significant quantities and are thus safe for direct human contact after cure. Therefore, it can be submitted to the FDA for testing for use in outer food packaging, provided it does not come into direct contact with the food. The FDA may even conclude that some non-toxic glues are safe enough to be used in inner food packaging in some cases.
• Safe to handle: Products containing non-toxic glue are usually safe to handle by direct contact and, in many cases, are safe enough to be handled by children.
• Reduced waste: Non-toxic glue reduces waste and conserves resources since it is made from natural and/or abundant materials that have undergone minimal processing and, in some cases, are designed to mimic natural processes.

Why Breezebond™?

Breezebond™ adhesive is a plant-based hot-press glue that exhibits high strength and is suitable for many wood-based applications, such as plywood and other wood composites. It is the only soy-based adhesive that does not contain petrochemical ingredients, including no additional toxic formaldehyde over natural background levels.

Breezebond™ is suitable for the wood products industry because it is made from abundant and low-cost starting materials, its strength compares well to traditional adhesives, is safe to work with, and allows end customers to meet sustainable building goals.

During the production process, a compatible reagent is added to modify the amino acid groups of the soy protein, making them behave like natural protein glue (think sea mussels and barnacles). After this step, depending on the application, an oxidizing agent can be added to help form bonds to boost the performance of the glue. This gives the bond even higher strength and better moisture resistance.

Advantages of Breezebond™ Adhesive

Breezebond^TM adhesive has several advantages over other types of glue. Some of these pros include:

1. It is made from low-cost, abundantly available sources.
2. It is comprised of a single component with an optional trace additive incorporated before use.
3. It has a low viscosity and meets various wet and dry strength industry requirements.
4. It is tested at independent laboratories for strength and VOC content.
5. It does not require an expensive investment to convert from traditional glue.
6. No petrochemical ingredients are added during the manufacturing process.
7. It has a longer shelf-life than other soy-based glues (3 months).
8. Helps companies realize their net zero carbon emission goals.

Why Choose Specialty Organics Inc.?

With a commitment to producing environmentally friendly products, Specialty Organics, Inc. produces adhesives for a variety of hot-press applications.  We are eager to offer a formulation to meet your specific product’s requirements.  

Contact us today and let us deliver quality products to meet your sustainable bonding needs.