Materials

Your choices of building and home interior materials are important for your home, your budget, your own health and for the environment.

By choosing carefully when you’re buying building or home interior materials, you’ll be making your home healthier, and doing your bit to reduce harm to the environment.

Building and interior furnishing materials may contain solvents and chemicals that can be released into your home for years after construction. Some of these chemicals have been linked to asthma and skin conditions. Others - if breathed or ingested   may have more harmful effects.

Some materials - for example, rainforest timber - may come from unsustainable sources. Many materials require significant amounts of energy to extract and process and transport for use in your home. Some can be recycled or re-used, while others are hard to dispose of safely.