This document provides information about the potential hazards from exposure to diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), polymeric MDI (PMDI) and Isocyanate-terminated MDI prepolymers. This information is intended to assist company label writers who are responsible for communicating the potential hazards and safe handling guidelines for consumer products to prospective customers, also known as Do-It-Yourself (DIY) users. By providing this information, the Center for the Polyurethanes Industry (CPI) of the American Chemistry Council (ACC) is not recommending or endorsing the use of MDI for any specific purpose or in any particular products or categories of products. It is the responsibility of the manufacturer of each product that contains MDI to determine that the product is safe for its intended use, and to ensure that appropriate warnings and instructions are provided. The hazard information contained in this document may help companies.
MDI may pose serious health hazards if not used/handled properly or if repeated uncontrolled exposures occur. This document does not address products containing MDI that are intended to be heated, sprayed or otherwise applied in a manner that may generate airborne MDI. The use canister application of an insulating foam sealant (i.e., one-component foam) is not considered a spray application.