What are the dangers of formaldehyde? First of all it is both a naturally occurring and an industrially created chemical. It is a colourless gas, you cannot see, smell or taste it. When you are exposed to high concentration levels it can have negative effects on your health. You can inhale it or absorb it through your skin.

Formaldehyde in Manufacture

Formaldehyde is used in production, everything from building materials to everyday products. It is used in a number of ways; as a bonding agent for gluing timber and timber substitutes e.g. MDF, as adhesives in plastics, as a no-iron additive for textiles and drapes, as a paper coating and as a paint preservative.

Formaldehyde in the Home

♦ Particleboard, plywood, timber panelling and fibreboard hold high levels of urea-formaldehyde and are generally found in interior environments (flooring, shelving, furniture, cabinetry, door fronts, drawer fronts, furniture tops, wall finishes).

♦ MDF is known as holding the highest levels of formaldehyde of all of the interior building materials.

♦ Urea-formaldehyde is also found in old foam and fibreglass insulation materials.

♦ Materials which are produced with phenol-formaldehyde release lower levels of formaldehyde into the air. Phenol-formaldehyde is usually found in exterior building materials.

In your home, the presence of formaldehyde as a VOC air pollutant air pollutant could be abundant.

From furniture, plastics to building materials, other sources are;

♦ car emissions
♦ kerosene, wood, natural gas burning heaters and stoves
♦ wood smoke and tobacco smoke.

New materials and products combined with warm temperatures and humid conditions will increase the amount of formaldehyde being released into the air - whereas the older the material or product, the lower the levels of emissions in your home.

Plasterboard and carpets are able to capture formaldehyde emissions and emit them during their lifecycle, although their own chemical content has minimal levels of formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde and your Health

For long term health and wellbeing, simply avoid formaldehyde. It is a toxic substance and although it is colourless and odourless gas, in large quantities it carries an odour. This chemical may cause skin, eye and respiration irritations, difficulty breathing, lethargy, headaches and nausea. Cold and flu symptoms are also associated with exposure to formaldehyde, although it may be difficult to pinpoint the exact cause (as found with Multiple chemical sensitivity and Sick building syndrome).

You may suffer different strengths of allergic reaction from mild to severe. In higher concentration levels it has been linked with cancer. As with all symptoms and medical conditions please consult a doctor for further advice.

What can you do?

The best way to minimise risk and the dangers of formaldehyde is to reduce or eliminate exposure by avoiding newly manufactured products and materials.

♦ Second in line is to source materials like MDF, HDF, plywood and particleboard which are urea formaldehyde free.

♦ As a third choice source materials which are made from phenol formaldehyde (lower levels of offgassing).

Your local retailers and manufacturers will be able to advise the chemical content of their materials and products if requested. Spending a little more time investigating the background of materials, furniture and products is good ‘environmental practice’.

If you already have materials and products which contain formaldehyde, you can help improve indoor air quality by ensuring constant natural & fresh air ventilation. This will help disperse any gases in the air so that the concentration levels are lower, lowering the risk to your health. Alternatively you can also regulate the temperature mechanically with air-conditioning systems. Lastly control humidity levels with dehumidifiers.

* Be careful with air-conditioning systems and dehumidifiers as there is potential for biological pollutants to breed in damp and moist conditions – having their own adverse health effects.