Formaldehyde Dangers Hammered Home in New Report

Anyone building a new hotel or renovating one should pay attention to the latest Report on Carcinogens, a congressionally mandated, science-based, public health report that identifies agents, substances, mixtures, or exposures in the environment that may potentially put people in the United States at increased risk of cancer. The report, prepared by the National Toxicology Program, classifies formaldehyde as a known human carcinogen for the first time. According to an article in Environmental Building News, "formaldehyde is a volatile organic compound (VOC) used in the binders of many common building products, including plywood, particleboard, and fiberglass insulation. The substance offgases from these building materials into the indoor environment and can cause other health problems in addition to cancer, such as headaches, asthma, and depression."

The Environmental Building News article adds, "The decision to reclassify formaldehyde follows decades of delays caused by industry resistance, and comes five years after the World Health Organization’s similar reclassification in 2006. Many fiberglass insulation and manufactured wood products are now made with binders that do not contain added formaldehyde; consumers and specifiers wishing to avoid this VOC should seek third-party verification of such product claims."

Search on "formaldehyde" on Green Lodging News and you will find many references. The National Cancer Institute also provides good information. The EPA also provides information. Click here for it. Formaldehyde is found in cigarette smoke and is used in embalming. It is not exactly perfume.

If you are thinking about using any kind of wood building product that is not solid wood, be sure to check on its formaldehyde content. Here are some steps you can take to reduce exposure. Good indoor air quality is essential in any building but especially so in those buildings considered "green."