About That Cool Foam Stuff...

[+Team Cacheopeia]

Feel free to Markwell me... I tried searching but I like the old search function better. Seemed to be more accurate. Anyway, I've been to a couple caches that look really awesome because of that expandable foam stuff. It helped camoflauge one cache and it made another one look absolutely great. Here are my questions:

 

How does it affect the environment long-term? Do chemicals from the foam wash into the dirt with each rain? Is it biodegradable? Is it poisonous to animals who might nibble on it?

 

Just wondering.

Jaime

[+Stunod]

Uh oh...I might have poisoned the soil and harmed all the neighborhood animals when I sealed up some leaks around my house a few weeks ago...

[+nincehelser]

A place to start may be the "Material Safety Data Sheet" for the specific product you're using.

 

Here's a link to the one for Liquid Nails Minimal Expanding Foam: http://www.liquidnails.com/msds/LS510.PDF

 

I would guess that the substance is most toxic in its uncured form.

 

George

[+RJFerret]

Oh my gosh, more useless responses than productive! Why take the time to respond with, 'I think the question is silly' rather than moving on if you don't have an answer? (PM me any legitimate responses to this query rather than cluttering the forums please!)

 

My take, I've seen two caches that used it, one exposed to the elements didn't last a year. The foam doesn't hold paint well either. The second was sheltered and survived fine. You might want to take that into account.

 

How does it affect the environment long-term? Do chemicals from the foam wash into the dirt with each rain? Is it biodegradable? Is it poisonous to animals who might nibble on it?

 

I doubt it's biodegradable--but the amount you'd be introducing in parts per million is so miniscule to be irrelavant (unless the 0.1 cache density restriction is lifted! Heh..)

 

Chemicals shouldn't wash from the foam as the resulting product is inert. During application propellant is dispersed into the atmosphere, but CFC's have been restricted from this purpose.

 

Unless you flavor it with something excessively yummy, animals are going to eat food--not foam. Animals are smarter than babies.

 

(Even if you smear it with something like ketchup or mustard, at the most animals will lick it clean.)

 

I (for one) appreciate your conscientious attitude.

 

Thanks,

 

Randy

 

PS: Think of it this way, the rubbermaid container is as pollutive as the foam. (Both worse than an ammo can which'll rust to nothing but iron oxide eventually in the right environs. Whoops, I forgot about the paint...who knows how toxic the paint on ammo cans is! I really doubt they're vegetable dies!! Heh..)

[+Team Cacheopeia]

Thanks.

Edited November 26, 2003 by Team Cacheopeia

[Jomarac5]

Briansnat wrote:

Get real man. Worry a little more about the 500 unit McMansion development going up on the the other side of the hill and a little less about a small box hidden in the woods.

That kind of talk will get you a warning. I know of what I speak.

 

Give the guy/gal a break, it's a reasonable question.

 

*****

[+Wreck Diver]

Anyway, I've been to a couple caches that look really awesome because of that expandable foam stuff. It helped camoflauge one cache and it made another one look absolutely great.

Jaime, if you have pictures of the caches using the expandable foam, I'd be interested in seeing how they came out. Feel free to e-mail them to me.

[+fivegallon]

Jaime,there's more chance of "that cool foam stuff" affecting you rather than animals,environment etc....

 

This stuff is dangerous,if you use it be sure to wear gloves,a long sleeve shirt,long pants/trousers,and a decent pair of goggles.

 

Whatever you do,DO NOT let the kids near it.

 

Be careful,and good luck decorating your hide.

[+briansnat]

Briansnat, you're probably right that one foam cache wouldn't affect much. But considering that Geocaching's widespread and growing, it seems logical to at least wonder about the consequences. I may not be able to control what gets built nearby, but I could disguise a cache with a different substance. I'm not staying up all night worrying about it. But geez, did you have to jump all over me for asking?

 

I have no idea what you're referring to

[+Criminal]

How does it affect the environment long-term?  Do chemicals from the foam wash into the dirt with each rain?  Is it biodegradable?  Is it poisonous to animals who might nibble on it?

 

I think you're stressing the "mental" in environmental.

 

EDIT: That winky sucks.

Edited November 26, 2003 by Criminal