From the US EPA:
What should I know about Formaldehyde and Indoor
Air Quality?
Highlights:
In homes, the most significant
sources of formaldehyde are likely to be pressed
wood products made using adhesives that contain
urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins.... Medium density
fiberboard contains a higher resin-to-wood ratio
than any other UF pressed wood product and is
generally recognized as being the highest
formaldehyde-emitting pressed wood product....
...In homes with significant
amounts of new pressed wood products, levels can
be
three times the amount of older
homes.
EPA Draws Link Between Low-Dose Formaldehyde
Exposure and Cancer
April 14, 2022,
U.S. EPA announces it will officially designate
that Formaldehyde causes cancer, even in low
doses over long periods of time....
...EPA’s 2018 National Air Toxics Assessment (NATA)
data, formaldehyde is one of the three air
pollutants responsible for over 90 percent of
the cancer risk related to air pollution in over
a hundred census tracts...
From Parents Magazine: 10 Harmful Chemicals to Avoid
Here's a look at some of the most dangerous chemicals
lurking in your home -- and how you can reduce your child's
exposure to them.
Formaldehyde
is a known carcinogen (it has been linked to nasal squamous
cell cancer)
How to avoid?
Avoid any furniture made of pressboard or MDF.
NOTE: From the American Cancer Society:
A substance that causes
cancer or helps cancer grow is called a
"Carcinogen".
The National Toxicology
Program (NTP)
Identifies Formaldehyde as "Known
to be a human carcinogen"
The International Agency for
Research on Cancer (IARC)
Concludes that Formaldehyde is
"Carcinogenic to Humans" based on higher risks of
nasopharyngeal cancer and leukemia
The Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA)
Classifies Formaldehyde as "A
Probably Human Carcinogen"
The National Cancer
Institute
Their Researchers Conclude that
exposure to Formaldehyde may cause Leukemia, particularly
Myeloid Leukemia in Humans.
Will an organizer
made of particle board actually release
Formaldehyde Fumes in my Closet?
Quotes
from the California EPA:
"For products that are made with formaldehyde
based resins or adhesives, rapid off-gassing of
formaldehyde occurs initially when the product
is made, and over time the formaldehyde
emissions decrease."
"An increase in temperature and humidity can
increase formaldehyde emissions."
"You may also leave your new product(s) in the
garage for a few days to let it off-gas before
bringing it inside."
Source:
http://www.simplecloset.com/formaldehyde_in_particle_board.htm
or
https://www.arb.ca.gov/toxics/compwood/consumer_faq.pdf
Some of the major sources of
formaldehyde indoors are the off-gassing of urea
formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) and
particle
board. (See page 8 of this report)
California's EPA
report on Particle Board (PB) dated April 26, 2007
confirms:
7,000 kids in the U.S.(23 to 63 per million
population*) under 9 years old are estimated to
get cancer due to Particle Board Formaldehyde
exposure in their home.
As many as 73,000 adults in the U.S. (86 to 231 per
million population*) will get cancer in their lifetime
due to Particle Board Formaldehyde exposure.
Carb Compliant Particle Board Phase 1 will only
reduce the cancer cases by 12 to 35 cases.
*Based on EPA specifically reporting up to
63 kids per million will get cancer (49 million kids under 9
in USA) and 231 adults per million will also get cancer due
to particle board (327 million adult population in USA).
