According to research, what happens to a building’s fire load when it contains large amounts of plastics?

When a building contains large amounts of plastics, research has shown that the fire load effectively increases due to the high calorific value of plastics when they ignite. Plastics are synthetic materials that can burn at a higher temperature and produce a significant amount of heat and smoke compared to traditional building materials. As a result, the overall fire load, which refers to the total amount of combustible materials present in a structure, is substantially increased, leading to a more intense and challenging fire situation.

This heightened fire load can result in more severe fire conditions and rapid fire spread, making firefighting efforts more difficult and dangerous. Understanding this relationship between plastics and fire load is essential for fire officers and firefighters as they strategize for fire prevention and suppression.