Oct 19 2005
Industrial and special gases company BOC is set to help cut the rate of ozone depleting emissions across the building sector with the introduction of EcomateR an environmentally friendly foam blowing agent.
In an agreement reached with leading US polyurethane foam systems manufacturer Foam Supplies Inc, BOC’s special products business has gained the exclusive right to license and distribute the new foam blowing agent throughout the UK, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
Foam blowing agents are used to produce polyurethanes which given their strong insulating properties, are widely used in refrigeration and building insulation.
In development in the US since 2000, Ecomate has achieved a zero rating for ozone depletion and global warming potential.
BOC director of special products, Mike Dennis said: "BOC’s special products business works closely with customers and suppliers across a range of industries to develop technologies that help to improve product performance while minimising their effect on the environment.”
Said Dennis: “The impact of climate change is such that everyone in the building sector, whether they are planners, architects, construction companies or contractors, are increasingly looking to use environment-friendly building materials in new-build projects.
“BOC is delighted to be adding Ecomate to our range of foam blowing agents. Its credentials are well established and by providing customers with an environmentally sound and cost effective solution, BOC believes it can make a vital contribution to the ‘greening’ of our built environment.
“The first step in that process is for BOC to establish partnerships with foam producers so that Ecomate’s applications can be developed and tested for the UK and Irish markets.”
The key benefits of Ecomate include:
- No ODP (ozone depleting potential) which means that Ecomate does not contribute to the depletion of ozone from the Earth’s atmosphere
- Complies with the Montreal protocol commitment to phase out ozone depleting compounds
- Non GWP (global warming potential). Ecomate has a zero GWP rating which means it does not contribute to global warming
- Meets Kyoto protocol commitment to reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions
- VOC (volatile organic compound) exempt. Ecomate is recognised in the United States as not contributing to smog
- Thermally efficient. By reducing domestic and commercial energy consumption Ecomate can make a significant contribution to reducing our ‘carbon footprint’.