Formaldehyde and Wood

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Formaldehyde and Wood

_http://www.healthybuilding.net/formaldehyde/_

(http://www.healthybuilding.net/formaldehyde/)

 

 

Formaldehyde is a chemical used widely by industry to manufacture building

materials and numerous office and household products. It is also a by-product

of combustion and certain decay and other natural processes.

Health Impacts

It has been classified as a known carcinogen by the State of California

(Prop 65) and the World Health Organization (International Agency for Research

on

Cancer). It also has a range of other heatlh effects including being a

bronchial irritant and asthma trigger and is connected to multiple chemical

sensitivity.

Regulatory Efforts to Reduce Exposure

_Europe_ (http://www.ttf.co.uk/buying/panel/36%20section%206.4%20v2.pdf) and

_Japan_ (http://www.mlit.go.jp/english/housing_bureau/law/) have established

strong standards to reduce, or in Japan's case, virtually eliminate the use

of formaldehyde and its emission into buildings from some of the building

materials that emit the most into our buildings.

The _California Air Resources Board_

(http://www.arb.ca.gov/toxics/compwood/background.htm) established _new

regulations_

(http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr042707.htm) in April 2007 to regulate

formaldehyde emissions from

composite wood products, including particle board, MDF (medium density

fiberboard),

and interior plywood. The two step process set limits on emissions for

products manufactured after January 1, 2009 that will be roughly equivalent to

the

majority of the European and Japanese standards and will exceed them with

stricter limits in 2010 (and 2012 for some products). these standards will not

eliminate the addition of formaldehyde during product manufacture, but will

make formaldehyde free alternatives much more competitive.

HBN thanks all of those who particiapted in _our effort_

(http://www.healthybuilding.net/formaldehyde/CARB-Alert.pdf) to help pass these

precedent setting

California regulations. that help get us back in a leadership position on

improving the health of our materials and shold help stop the _dumping of toxic

materials on the U.S._

(http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-dumping8oct08,1,5900615.story)

Sources of Formaldehyde in Buildings

Composite wood products made using adhesives that contain urea-formaldehyde

(UF) resins are likely the most significant source in the home according to

the EPA. Wood products made for indoor use include: particleboard (used as

sub-flooring and shelving and in cabinetry and furniture); hardwood plywood

paneling (used for decorative wall covering and used in cabinets and

furniture);

and medium density fiberboard (used for drawer fronts, cabinets, and

furniture tops). Medium density fiberboards generally contain the most resin of

all

wood products and therefore are the biggest emitters.

Other sources of formaldehyde in the home also can include smoking, clothes,

upholstery and draperies (it is used for fabric treatments such as permanent

press), glues, paints and other coatings, fiberglass insulation, other

household products, and the use of un-vented, fuel-burning appliances, like gas

stoves or kerosene space heaters. (source _EPA website on Sources of Indoor

Air Pollution - Formaldehyde_ (http://www.epa.gov/iaq/formalde.html)

_http://www.epa.gov/iaq/formalde.html_ (http://www.epa.gov/iaq/formalde.html)

)

 

Alternatives to Urea-Formaldehyde

Other composite wood products, such as softwood plywood and flake or

oriented strandboard (OS), are produced for exterior construction use and

contain

the dark, or red/black-colored phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin. As the name

implies, formaldehyde is present in this type of resin also, but composite

woods

that contain PF resin generally emit formaldehyde at considerably lower rates

than those containing UF resin.

The most widely used completely formaldehyde-free alternative resins are MDI

(methylene diphenyl isocyanate) and PVA (polyvinyl acetate). Despite its

name, PVA is not closely related to PVC. Without chlorine in its molecule it

avoids many of the worst problems that _PVC_

(http://www.healthybuilding.net/pvc/index.html) has in its lifecycle (see HBN

fact sheet _Sorting Out the Vinyls_

(http://www.healthybuilding.net/pvc/SortingOutVinyls.html) ).

Nonetheless, while better for the user with lower emissions, both of these

resins, like formaldehyde, are derived from fossil fuels and hence still have

toxic chemical problems associated with their manufacture. HBN encourages

manufacturers to continue to explore seek safer green chemistry alternatives.

Most promising alternative is the _soy based adhesive_

(http://www.treehugger.com2005/04/columbia_forest_1.php) Columbia Forest

Products has

developed for plywood called PureBond - a non toxic, renewable, and cost neutral

alternative.

Links:

* _HBNews - LEEDing on Formaldehyde In California_

(http://www.healthybuilding.net/news/070511formaldehyde.html)

(May 11, 2007)

* _California Air Resources Board_

(http://www.arb.ca.gov/toxics/compwood/background.htm) - Fact sheet about

formaldehyde and information on the

regulations.

* _Formaldehyde Free Coalition_ (http://www.formaldehyde-free.org/) -

Information on the hazards of formaldehyde and updates regarding regulatory

efforts.

* _Japan's F series formaldehyde standards_

(http://www.mlit.go.jp/english/housing_bureau/law/) - Ministry of Land,

Infrastructure and Transport

The amended Building Standard law on Sick House Issues. See also _Industry

Canada_ (http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/inimr-ri.nsf/en/gr116049e.html)

- International Market Research Report - Japanese Sick House Regulations on

the Japanese Building Standard Law (BSL) amendment in July 2002

* _Europe's E2 formaldehyde standards_

(http://www.ttf.co.uk/buying/panel/36%20section%206.4%20v2.pdf) - Timber Trade

Federation " Panel Guide 6.4

Formaldehyde and Wood-Based Panels "

* _Columbia Forest Products Converting to Soy-Based Plywood Adhesive_

(http://www.treehugger.com2005/04/columbia_forest_1.php) - Treehugger,

April 27, 2005.

* _U.S. becoming dumping ground for toxic products from other

countries_

(http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-dumping8oct08,1,5900615.story) -

" Rules Allow the Sale of Products Other Countries Ban " , Los Angeles Times,

Oct 8, 2006