Plaster can be used for arm casts, but compound shouldn't be.
Plaster, also known as plaster of Paris, is a product with many uses, which include uses within the building industry. Merely mixing it with water can adapt it to do many things. Compound, sometimes referred to as joint compound, is another building material product which is also mixed with water. But these two materials have many differences in spite of their shared uses. One, for example, can be used medically while the other cannot.
Warning
Plaster undergoes a chemical reaction when dry plaster is mixed with water to create a building construction material. This chemical reaction can cause severe burns on the hands of anyone who touches it before the chemical reaction has cooled to a safe level. When cooled, plaster of Paris can be used medically for body part casts. It should never be used if the temperature will fall below 40 degrees within 12 hours of use, however. Joint compound, another building material, can harm the eye, nose and lungs of workers who sand this material on drywall, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC). This is due to the dust particles when it is sanded after drying. Compound should never be used as a cast for the body, either.
Uses
Broken arms and legs can be encased in plaster to form a shield of protection while your body part heals. Your dentist uses plaster to create molds of your mouth before fitting you with braces. And construction companies and home repair workers use plaster to address cracks in walls and other interior home damage. But you can use plaster for art and craft projects, too. Compound is typically only used in construction building projects and remodeling efforts.
Disposal
Home use of plaster brings unique concerns, as this product can potentially stop up your plumbing drains if it is flushed down the home system. Once underground, plaster that appears moist and movable can harden, clogging your drainage systems. There are no specific disposal requirements for joint compound.
Latest News
The United States Gypsum Company has released an improved joint compound that helps reduce construction and home renovator workers' health problems from dust particles. This new reduced-dust compound formula contains binders, which draw particles to each other, making them weigh more so they fall to the ground instead of floating individually in the air, where workers might inhale them to their detriment.
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