Polyurethane chemistry can be an integral part of building a lower carbon future and it all starts with the chemistry of the two primary materials used to make polyurethane products—methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and toluene diisocyanate (TDI). These substances are highly reactive with water- even with the water vapor in air- which along with potential health hazards compels very strict handling and containment during manufacture, transportation, formulation, and application. These control measures ensure that only a negligible fraction of the large production volume could be emitted to the environment. These resources summarize existing information on the fate and potential effects of MDI which could be expected if its emission to air, water, or soil were to occur.
These resources were provided courtesy of the International Isocyanate Institute.