Fast Facts and Frequently Asked Questions

Diisocyanates Fast Facts

  • In 2018, United States demand for pure MDI was 381.4 million pounds and 2,349.7 million pounds for polymeric MDI. Demand for TDI was 538.5 million pounds.1
  • To meet this demand, production of diisocyanates in the United States employs thousands of workers in facilities across the nation. When you consider that polyurethane production relies on DII chemistry, the economic and job impact becomes even more significant as noted below.
  • The business of diisocyanates-based polyurethane is a $41 billion enterprise and a key element of the U.S. economy. The industry directly employs over 60,000 Americans and operates in nearly 1,000 locations across the United States. 2
  • Indirectly, the industry supports an additional $77.6 billion in output and supports more than 272,000 additional jobs in other sectors of the economy. In total, the industry supports about 332,000 jobs and $118.6 billion in output. 2
  • Polyurethane products are used in industries across the economy generating more than $400 billion in output and employ more than 1 million workers in other industries.2
  • The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Energy Star program estimates that by adding insulation and sealing air leaks, you could save up to 11 percent on your monthly energy bills.3 Advancements in polyurethane-based insulation technologies rely on DII chemistry.
  • The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that 48 percent of the energy used in a home goes to heating and cooling.4  Spray polyurethane foam insulation made with DII chemistry is an important solution in improving your home’s energy efficiency, along with other types of polyurethane foam designed for building and construction needs.
  • DII chemistry is critical in the development of countless polyurethane products that help keep us safe, such as bike helmets, impact-absorbing foam panels in vehicles, flotation devices and even hurricane resistant safety glass.
  • With a focus on developing innovative products and reducing the nation’s reliance on fossil fuels, diisocyanates can be reacted with natural oil polyols derived from vegetable oils to develop an array of polyurethane products containing renewable resource content.

Chemistry of Diisocyanates

What are diisocyanates?
What is the difference between aromatic and aliphatic diisocyanates?
What is toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and why is it important?
What is methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and why is it important?
What is hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI) and why is it important?
What is methylene dicyclohexyl diisocyanate, or hydrogenated MDI (HMDI), and why is it important?
What is isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI) and why is it important?

Worker Safety

Can diisocyanates be used safely?
Are diisocyanates the leading cause of occupational asthma?
Is it true that there is no airborne threshold limit to prevent sensitization to diisocyanates?
Are diisocyanates carcinogens?

Consumer Safety

Are there risks to consumers when using polyurethane products made from diisocyanates?
How are consumers protected from potential exposures to diisocyanates?
Are diisocyanates contributing to the increased rate of asthma in the general population?
Are diisocyanates emitted from finished polyurethane products?
How does “curing” take place during formation of a polyurethane product?

Regulatory Review

How are diisocyanates regulated?
How significantly have diisocyanates been researched?
Are diisocyanates being phased out due to regulation?
What is the potential impact of diisocyanates in the environment?

Considerations for Isocyanate Wipe Sampling

Can wipe sampling be used for quantifying the amount of isocyanate on a surface?
Can wipes be used to identify available isocyanates on a polyurethane surface that might not be completely cured?
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Erin Dickison