STATEMENT ON NATURAL LATEX ALLERGIES AND SB LATEX USED IN CARPETS

In recent years, there have been numerous news reports describing allergic reactions from exposure to "latex" from a variety of rubber products. These allergic reactions may be expressed as rashes, hives, itching, and nasal symptoms and are usually the result of repeated contact with natural latex. Natural latex can be found in medical and surgical supplies, especially gloves; workplace protective equipment such as respirators and rubber aprons; and, household goods including shoe soles, baby bottle nipples and condoms.

"Latex" is a generic term that is often used to describe both natural and synthetic forms of latex. It is important to distinguish between "natural" latex which may give rise to these reactions and "SB latex" which is an important synthetic chemical used in a number of product applications, but most frequently in carpet backing.

Natural latex is produced from the rubber tree Hevea brasilienensis found in Africa and Southeast Asia. The latex sap contains a mixture of more than two hundred natural proteins that constitute about 1% of the sap. Some of these proteins can sensitize some individuals over time and may lead to an allergic reaction.

Synthetic SB latex is a water emulsion manufactured by polymerization in chemical plants. Unlike natural latex, synthetic latex is manufactured from high-purity chemicals and does not come from trees like natural latex. SB latex does not contain proteins.

Synthetic SB latex products have never been associated with allergic reactions even among individuals that are sensitive to natural latex. Therefore, allergic reactions caused by exposure to natural rubber proteins should be clearly designated as "natural latex allergies" so as not to implicate the numerous products that contain only synthetic SB latex. In addition to carpet backing, SB latex can be found in adhesives, paints and paper coatings. None of these products has been implicated in causing allergic reactions.