Utilizing Eco-Friendly EPP Material
Securing Performance That Meets Strengthened Standards
Lotte Chemical has developed an inter-floor noise buffer material using EPP (Expanded PolyPropylene), an eco-friendly material.
Inter-floor noise has become a serious social issue, sparking conflicts among residents, and the government has been preparing countermeasures, including strengthening inter-floor noise standards and introducing a post-completion verification system this past August.
Even before the standards were strengthened, Lotte Chemical signed a joint development agreement in March of last year with Lotte E&C and EPS Korea, a company specializing in buffer materials, and has been advancing the development of an inter-floor noise buffer material. The developed buffer material passed the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport's "Certification Review of Floor Impact Sound Insulation Structures for Multi-Family Housing," and it secured performance in both light-weight and heavy-weight categories even under the strengthened measurement standards that took effect in August.
The jointly developed inter-floor noise buffer material was designed to be suitable for inter-floor noise by reinforcing the cushioning properties of EPP, an eco-friendly material produced by Lotte Chemical.
EPP is a material that complements the characteristics of conventional styrofoam, offering strong impact resistance, generating no hazardous substances, and being easy to recycle. When used as a building material, it is more eco-friendly than conventional styrofoam or urethane foam, and its excellent resilience and heat resistance make it a stable material whose physical properties do not change even after long-term use. In the event of a fire, it produces one-tenth the amount of smoke compared to styrofoam and generates no toxic substances, thereby also ensuring fire safety.
Lee Young-jun, CEO of Lotte Chemical's Advanced Materials Division, said, "Together with our partners, we developed proprietary materials and molding processes that enhance the elasticity of conventional EPP, applying inter-floor noise reduction technology that goes beyond the limits of existing EPP for this newly developed buffer material." He added, "Lotte Chemical will continue to pursue additional performance improvements to further reduce inter-floor noise, and we also plan to develop technologies that can be applied to buffer materials through plastic recycling."