Actual Use vs Indicated Use

Emmanuel—No. Classify products based on their labeling and use them for their recommended applications. If the label says, “contact adhesive,” the product cannot qualify for a higher VOC limit based on an off-label use. SCAQMD-1168 states, “If anywhere on the container of any adhesive or sealant, on any sticker or label affixed thereto, or in any sales or advertising literature, any representation is made that the adhesive or sealant may be used for any another source specific rule application, for which there is a lower VOC standard, then the lowest VOC standard shall apply.” For “contact adhesive,” the VOC limit is 80g/L or 250g/L for a subset of “special-purpose contact adhesives used with particular substrates. You wrote that this application glues plastic insulation. If this is plastic foam insulation, you may need to find an adhesive that complies with the 50g/L VOC specified in SCAQMD-1168’s table of “Substrate Specific Applications.” On the other hand, if the adhesive is applied off-site or if it is “integral to the waterproofing system” of the building, you may omit it entirely from IEQc4.1 documentation.