Paul Cochrane | Formaldehyde in the Indoor Environment @IAQMarketer | Uploaded January 2023 | Updated October 2024, 3 minutes ago.
Formaldehyde is a chemical widely used by industry to manufacture building materials and various household products. It also has many other uses, such as a preservative in laboratories, an embalming fluid and a sterilizer.
Its primary use is in the production of resins and as a chemical intermediate. Formaldehyde is also a by-product of combustion and certain other natural processes. This means in some circumstances, it could be present at elevated concentrations indoors.
Formaldehyde is a volatile organic compound (VOC). As a gas, it is colorless and has a strong odor. Exposure to high concentrations may trigger asthma attacks in some people with the condition. There is some evidence that people can develop a sensitivity to formaldehyde. Health effects could include eye, nose and throat irritation; wheezing and coughing; fatigue; and severe allergic reactions.
As far back as 1987, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classified formaldehyde as a probable human carcinogen. In 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) determined that formaldehyde is a known human carcinogen based on sufficient human and animal inhalation studies. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) also classifies formaldehyde as a human carcinogen.
Sources of formaldehyde in the home include building materials, smoking, household products such as nail polish and permanent press fabrics, and from the use of un-vented, fuel-burning appliances, including gas stoves or kerosene space heaters. One of the most significant sources of formaldehyde in many homes and buildings comes from the off-gassing of pressed wood products made using adhesives that contain urea-formaldehyde resins. Formaldehyde can also be released from some types of insulation.
To help protect workers from exposure to formaldehyde, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set a Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has a Recommended Exposure Limit (REL).
These are just a few of the many things to know about formaldehyde and potential exposure risks. To learn more about this or other indoor air quality, industrial hygiene, environmental, health or safety issues, please visit the websites shown below.
Clark Seif Clark csceng.com
EMSL Analytical, Inc. emsl.com
LA Testing latesting.com
Zimmetry Environmental zimmetry.com
Healthy Indoors Magazine healthyindoors.com
Formaldehyde is a chemical widely used by industry to manufacture building materials and various household products. It also has many other uses, such as a preservative in laboratories, an embalming fluid and a sterilizer.
Its primary use is in the production of resins and as a chemical intermediate. Formaldehyde is also a by-product of combustion and certain other natural processes. This means in some circumstances, it could be present at elevated concentrations indoors.
Formaldehyde is a volatile organic compound (VOC). As a gas, it is colorless and has a strong odor. Exposure to high concentrations may trigger asthma attacks in some people with the condition. There is some evidence that people can develop a sensitivity to formaldehyde. Health effects could include eye, nose and throat irritation; wheezing and coughing; fatigue; and severe allergic reactions.
As far back as 1987, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classified formaldehyde as a probable human carcinogen. In 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) determined that formaldehyde is a known human carcinogen based on sufficient human and animal inhalation studies. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) also classifies formaldehyde as a human carcinogen.
Sources of formaldehyde in the home include building materials, smoking, household products such as nail polish and permanent press fabrics, and from the use of un-vented, fuel-burning appliances, including gas stoves or kerosene space heaters. One of the most significant sources of formaldehyde in many homes and buildings comes from the off-gassing of pressed wood products made using adhesives that contain urea-formaldehyde resins. Formaldehyde can also be released from some types of insulation.
To help protect workers from exposure to formaldehyde, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has set a Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has a Recommended Exposure Limit (REL).
These are just a few of the many things to know about formaldehyde and potential exposure risks. To learn more about this or other indoor air quality, industrial hygiene, environmental, health or safety issues, please visit the websites shown below.
Clark Seif Clark csceng.com
EMSL Analytical, Inc. emsl.com
LA Testing latesting.com
Zimmetry Environmental zimmetry.com
Healthy Indoors Magazine healthyindoors.com
