Is There Formaldehyde In Your Bedroom?

Mike Magee

If you talk to most doctors about their medical school training, many will tell you that one of the most impactful experiences was participating in the human anatomy lab. Beyond the humbling nature of learning from a human cadaver, the physical nature of the experience – sights, sounds, and especially smell stay with you forever. The smell which permeated your lab clothes was the result of the preservant, formaldehyde.

As it turns out, medical students aren’t the only ones exposed to formaldehyde. If you open kitchen cabinets or rest your weary head at the end of a long day, you too are most likely experiencing some level of formaldehyde exposure.¹ Formaldehyde is a volatile organic compound which turns into gas at room temperature. The World Health Organization labels it a carcinogen, and it is an integral component of manufactured pressed wood products including particleboard, plywood and fiberboard.²

Last year formaldehyde came under the spotlight when the CDC recommended that Katrina victims evacuate emergency trailers because the high formaldehyde levels placed them at risk for respiratory problems including asthma and a variety of other ailments including burning eyes, headaches and bloody noses.³ Plywood and particleboard are extensively used in the construction of prefabricated and mobile homes, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development set limits on formaldehyde in materials for these dwellings.⁴

But for most homes in America, and for their cabinets, furniture, cradles and some cosmetics, there are no limits. A bill introduced in Congress in September, 2009 would change that and require that formaldehyde emissions reach tight maximum limits by 2012.⁵ The action is long overdue. These emissions have been on the radar screen for some time. The move toward “tighter homes” for energy conservation has accentuated the problem in the past decade.

Some manufacturers are looking toward soy based alternatives and other options. Those on the leading edge are looking beyond lowering formaldehyde levels toward making their products formaldehyde free.⁶ Why? Because with the power of the Internet, consumers now can identify with the click of a mouse how green and how safe their product choices may be.

What should you do? Well if you think you have a problem test kits to measure formaldehyde levels in the home are available. If levels exceed .10 parts per million, or if you have symptoms you feel are related to formaldehyde fumes, it is recommended that you remove the source if feasible or increase ventilation. ^5,7,8

For Health Commentary, I’m Mike Magee.

References:

1. National Center For Healthy Housing. Formaldehyde in homes. http://www.nchh.org/Media/Press-Releases/Formaldehyde-in-Homes.aspx

2. National Cancer Institute. Formaldehyde and cancer risk. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/formaldehyde

3. CDC. FEMA provided travel trailer study. http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/ehhe/trailerstudy/compendium.htm

4. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development. Evaluation of formaldehyde in residential homes. http://www.huduser.org/search/Bibliography.asp?id=2070

5. Formaldehyde in your home. http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/eh/indoorair/voc/formaldehyde.htm

6. JM Formaldehyde free insulation products. http://www.jmhomeowner.com/insulation/products.asp

7. EPA. An introduction to indoor air quality. http://www.epa.gov/iaq/formalde.html

8. Athavaley A. WSJ. Kicking formaldehyde out of bed. October 22, 2009. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703816204574487412817324226.html