Shipping Container Housing May Be Hazardous to Your Health

Recycling shipping containers into housing has been growing in popularity, but the materials they are coated with may be cause for alarm.

1 minute read

September 3, 2011, 1:00 PM PDT

By Tim Halbur

"[C]hromate, phosphorous, and lead-based paints" are among the chemicals that may make using shipping containers for living spaces a problematic (and expensive) venture.

Brian Pagnotta reports:

"The entire structure needs to be sandblasted bare, floors need to be replaced, and openings need to be cut with a torch or fireman's saw. The average container eventually produces nearly a thousand pounds of hazardous waste before it can be used as a structure. All of this, coupled with the fossil fuels required to move the container into place with heavy machinery, contribute significantly to its ecological footprint."

FULL STORY: The Pros and Cons of Cargo Container Architecture

Saturday, September 3, 2011 in Arch Daily

Architecture World Shipping Containers

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