[Cob] Green insulation?

[Amanda Peck]

It's reputedly the greenest of the foams after installation.  Installers 
demonstrate this by eating some.

Whether the manufacturing process is green is a totally different question.

As is whether the installation (must, IIRC be done by a professional) is 
green.

Originally the "cy" in Icynene may have referred to isocyanates.  Which, a) 
IF they occur singly, and b) IF you are sensitive to them can be very 
dangerous in vanishingly small quantities.  At one stage they were 
considered a great improvement over chlorofluorocarbons (?)--CFC's in any 
case.

I do not know if they are still using isocyanates.  Haven't looked them up 
in a while.  If there were a nearby installer, I might do some asking.

Not everyone is sensitive to them, "polyisocyanates" are a great 
improvement.  They might be used in both manuracturing and installation.  
People who had much to do with automotive paint in the 80's and early 90's 
of the last century should probably avoid them.

What else is available for roof and ceiling insulation?

Dense-pack cellulose, probably with a fire retardant--often borax or boric 
acid. Frequently professional installation recommended here, although I'm 
told that packing it in with a light mist to dampen it may work just fine.  
You probably want leave an air space between the insulation and the roof if 
you are using a metal roof, even with sheathing.  The professionals screed 
the stuff off the outside of the studs when they're doing walls, and/or put 
up scrim or netting to contain it during instalation.  I believe it's 
suitable for ceilings as well.

Wool.  There have been some people supplying fleeces for this purpose.  Raw, 
unwashed, uncombed, all the natural oils.  It's moderately fireproof and 
mothproof, but not good enough quality for spinning.

Cotton batts.  Work just like the fiberglass ones.


..............

Anna Young wrote, Brina replied (snipped):

 >Does this product ring any bells for anyone? We would love to
 >find an insulation for our house roof that is sustainably made,
 >non-toxic, fire-resistant and recyclable..

I think it's kind of like a low-density polyurethane foam (unless I'm 
confusing it with some other product).