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Environmental Public Health DivisionPrinter-friendly version of this document FormaldehydeThis document was compiled to provide answers to basic questions about formaldehyde. It will explain what formaldehyde is, where it can be found, how it can affect your health, and what you can do to prevent or reduce exposure to it. This document is not a legal mandate and should be used as a guideline. These guidelines are based on good industrial hygiene practices. What Is Formaldehyde And Where Is It Found?Formaldehyde is a colorless gas with a strong, suffocating odor. It often is mixed with alcohol to make a liquid called formalin. The largest source of formaldehyde is the chemical manufacturing industry. Formaldehyde is found in cigarette smoke and also can be formed in the environment during the burning of fuels or household waste. Very small amounts of formaldehyde are found naturally in the human body. Formaldehyde is normally present at low levels, usually less than 0.03 parts per million (ppm), in both outdoor and indoor air. The outdoor air in rural areas has lower concentrations while urban areas have higher concentrations . Formaldehyde can be used for many purposes and is a popular chemical because of its low cost. It can be found in items such as plywood, particleboard, and other pressed wood products that are commonly used to make furniture, cabinets, wall paneling, shelves, and counter tops. Formaldehyde also can be used to kill germs or as a preservative, and is found in some commercial products. It is used to add permanent-press qualities to clothing and draperies, it also is found in items such as dyes, plastics, paper products, fertilizer, and cosmetics. In addition, formaldehyde is commonly used as an industrial fungicide, germicide, and disinfectant, and as a preservative in mortuaries and medical laboratories Products that contain formaldehyde compounds can release formaldehyde gas into the air. These types of releases are known as "off gassing" and they occur most often in products such as plywood, particleboard, and other pressed wood products. The amount released is greatest when the product is new, and decreases over time. Formaldehyde is released more readily at warm temperatures and high humidity. As the temperature rises, more formaldehyde is emitted from the product. The reverse is also true; less formaldehyde is emitted at lower temperature. Humidity also affects the release of formaldehyde from the product. As humidity rises more formaldehyde is released. The formaldehyde levels in a residence change with the season and from day-to-day and day-to-night. Levels may be high on a hot and humid day and low on a cool, dry day. Understanding these factors is important when you consider measuring the levels of formaldehyde How Can I Be Exposed To Formaldehyde? The most common way to be exposed to formaldehyde is by breathing air that contains formaldehyde. This usually occurs in indoor environments where the gas has been released from formaldehyde-containing products. Blood levels of formaldehyde can be measured. However, these measurements are only useful when exposure to relatively large amounts of formaldehyde has occurred. How Can Formaldehyde Affect My Health?Breathing air containing low levels of formaldehyde can cause burning and watering eyes. As levels increase, it can cause burning of the nose and throat, coughing, and difficulty in breathing. When formaldehyde is present in the air at levels exceeding 0.1 ppm, some individuals may experience health effects such as watery eyes, burning sensations of the eyes, nose, and throat, coughing, wheezing, nausea, and skin irritation. Some people are very sensitive to formaldehyde, while others have no reaction to the same level of exposure. Some workers may be especially sensitive to formaldehyde and may develop an "allergic" reaction to very low-level exposures. This is called "sensitization" and can occur suddenly, even after an employee has worked with formaldehyde for years with no reaction Strong mixtures of formaldehyde gas or liquid can cause irritation or a rash if they contact the skin. When swallowed, formaldehyde can cause severe pain, vomiting, and diarrhea. Formaldehyde that enters the blood stream can produce effects similar to drinking too much alcohol. Formaldehyde has been used in the illicit drug trade industry as a dipping solution laced with PCP and smoked in marijuana or other consumable items for its toxic effects. Animal studies have shown increased nasal cancers in rats and mice that inhaled high levels of formaldehyde for a long time. Because of this, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has classified formaldehyde as a probable human carcinogen (cancer causing agent). This means there is enough evidence that formaldehyde causes cancer in animals, but not enough evidence that it causes cancer in humans. Human studies are inconclusive because it is not known whether observed increases in cancer are due to formaldehyde exposure or to other factors, such as smoking. Low Exposure Levels (0.1-5.0 ppm): Burning, tearing of eyes, skin irritation. Moderate Exposure Levels (10-20 ppm): Burning of eyes, nose and trachea, coughing, severe difficulty in breathing and intense tearing of the eyes. High Exposure Levels (50-100 ppm): Tightening in the chest; irregular heartbeat; severe headache; pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs); inflammation of the lungs; possibly even death Why Is Formaldehyde In Mobile Homes? Formaldehyde was a component in urea formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI). This type of insulation was installed in many mobile homes during the 1970s and early 1980s. Due to potential health concerns associated with UFFI, the demand for this product became virtually nonexistent and it has rarely been used since 1983. Some older homes may still contain UFFI, however, any formaldehyde off-gassing would have occurred in the first five years following installation and would no longer be a cause for concern. In 1984, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) set standards for construction of manufactured homes. These standards require that manufacturers only use pressed wood products that release formaldehyde at levels below an accepted guideline. Manufacturers have reduced formaldehyde emissions from pressed wood products by 80-90% from the levels of the early 1980s.The standards also require that a health notice concerning formaldehyde emissions be included on all new manufactured homes. How Do I Know If I Have Formaldehyde In My Home? Because of its strong odor, formaldehyde can be smelled at very low levels. The typical person can smell formaldehyde at levels less than those that might cause health effects. People who are hypersensitive or who have respiratory problems may experience effects at levels lower than what can be smelled. There are ways of testing the air to learn how much formaldehyde is present. How Can I Reduce My Exposure To Formaldehyde? A simple and effective way to reduce formaldehyde levels in the home is to increase airflow in the affected area by opening windows and doors. This lowers the level of formaldehyde by increasing the amount of outdoor air. Usually, the levels decrease and odors are gone within a few days. Another way to reduce exposure is to apply a barrier between formaldehyde containing surfaces and the indoor air. Products such as latex-based paints or varnish can block formaldehyde “off gasses.” The use of vinyl coverings such as wallpaper and floor covering on particleboard panels also has been effective. If all other efforts fail to reduce formaldehyde to manageable levels, removing formaldehyde-containing products from the home environment may be necessary. Additional Resources
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Last updated: July 12, 2011 |
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