What the- ?! Item arrived packed in R16 insulation!

[talesofthesevenseas]

I reached into the box and stuck my hands right into it. Who in their right mind would pack an item in fiberglass? I'm waiting for my hands to swell-up, but so far it hasn't happened and I'm prone to eczema (hyper-sensitive skin) on my hands. I am guessing that Owens-Corning R16 pink insulation isn't made of fiberglass like it used to be?

I feel like I should say something to the seller, but I guess I should wait to see if my skin becomes irritated. The exposure happened over two hours ago, and so far nothing seems to be going on. I was not able to wash my hands for an hour after touching it.

Sheesh, whatever is in insulation these days, they still recommend wearing protective gear when you handle it. This just does NOT seem like a good thing to pack an item in! (It was a big Victorian era hat box). I am not even sure how I need to go about disposing of this stuff. Is it hazardous waste?

 

[ironlord1963]

Wow that is Bad,  I would sure let the seller know that this is not a good thing to pack with.  I'm not sure about all the info on what it is made of, but if you should use proctective gloves, then It can't be a good thing to use as packing material.

[rockandrollrods]

It's not hazardous unless you burn it. I used to install it when I worked construction. By protective clothing, they mean gloves and a long sleeve shirt, because that stuff can make you itch pretty bad for a while. Use a lot of soap and water, and you should be fine. But the seller? What a jackass.

[snowflake]

You can safely put it out in your normal garbage. Yes, you are right, there are many people who are highly sensitive to insulation. I'm lucky, it doesn't bother me at all. Had a summer job when I was younger installing it. Not a good thing to use as packing material. Some people... 

[talesofthesevenseas]

Thanks all of you, that's what I needed to know. I have been pondering what the heck to say to the seller, I suspect he/she was just clueless. I'm also debating what to do about the feedback. I routinely leave five stars but I think I need to hear back from this seller something along the lines of "Oh my gosh I had no idea..." before I could do so in this case. This still blows my mind. What on earth was this person thinking?

[CuriousCollector]

I would definitely comment, not necessarily in a bad way.  It's just ignorant to pack things in insulation.  For one thing, it's fiberGLASS insulation -- made of glass! -- and could scratch the item.  The tiny shards could embed themselves in more porous items.  What if they pack clothing in it with their next sale??  I'd write to educate them, politely -- you know what I mean.

[rockandrollrods]

That stuff's not cheap either. Is the seller just that ignorant?!

[talesofthesevenseas]

This is what I sent:

The hat box arrived and I'm quite happy with it, but I felt I really need to talk to you about the fact that it was packed in R16 house insulation. I don't know if you are aware that it can hurt people like me with eczema and other skin troubles. This stuff has to be handled wearing protective clothing, glasses and gloves and unfortunately, I had my hands in it before I realized what it was. Please don't ever use this as a packing material for your future transactions, you are likely to end up not only with negative feedback, but potentially paying for a visit to the doctor!
-Claire

[snowflake]

That stuff's not cheap either. Is the seller just that ignorant?!

LOL! That made me laugh. It's something I would say. Probably a piece of scrap leftover from a job. It's a good thing to tell them they will end up getting negative feedback so they stop using it. Sure would be the last thing anyone would expect as packing material.

[fancypants]

When I read this thd , my first thought was to ask if the seller had removed the foil-backing from the R-16 , so as to cover the windows ...
sheesh is right !

I guess it afforded some padding , but the big deal is that they didn't try to gypsy you up with some inferior R-11 !!
 

[hosman321]

Oh my gosh, people these days! I hope you don't have any irritation tales, that is just crazy. I'm assuming they are just totally clueless, maybe they are elderly or something? I think you sent them a great response, let us know if they respond!

[talesofthesevenseas]

I still can't believe this. Had to take a picture.

[rockandrollrods]

...wow...

[mart]

I think you are pretty safe since it was not the fiber glass that created problems for most people !!  It was the formaldehyde and chemical binders that was bad !!  And those have been eliminated from the manufacturing process !!  If you haven`t broke out or itched in two hours,, chances are you won`t !! Normally a reaction will occur within the first 30 minutes of exposure !! I have sensitive hands and it doesn`t bother me at all !! Shucks,, peeling potatoes makes me itch !!

[snowflake]

Maybe it is really cold where they live? Just kidding. I still can't believe someone would use insulation. And for a hat the someone might wear!