Sunday, May 16, 2010

Guarding Against Formaldehyde and Mold

Guarding Against Formaldehyde and Mold: "Many modern composite building materials, including plywood, particleboard, oriented-strand board (OSB), and medium-density fiberboard (MDF), are made using resins that contain formaldehyde. These products are used to make cabinets, to cover subfloors and exterior walls and roofs, and to serve many other common purposes in home construction. Urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) is no longer made, but was used to build many homes. Cloth that is used for draperies, carpet, and furniture also may contain formaldehyde."
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  1. AnonymousMay 16, 2010 at 10:59 AM

    Urea-formaldehyde foam insulation is no longer made, BUT urea-formaldehyde resin is still used in most fiberglass insulation. When installed in walls that are well sealed the formaldehyde that is off gassed goes right through the drywall into the air occupants breath.

    The California Air Resources Board's report published December 15, 2009 states:

    "Nearly all homes (98%) had formaldehyde concentrations that exceeded guidelines for cancer and chronic irritation..."

    Summary: http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/apr/past/04-310exec_sum.pdf
    Report: http://www.arb.ca.gov/research/apr/past/04-310.pdf
    Researcher's PowerPoint: http://iee-sf.com/resources/pdf/ResidentialVentilation.pdf

    Formaldehyde also is off gassed from unfinished pressboard found on the back of dressers, desks, bookcases, nightstands and drawer bottoms.

    Formaldehyde is a bigger problem in 'green' homes. http://www.aihasynergist-digital.org/aihasynergist/201002?pg=32#pg32

    What is an acceptable concentration? Many are claiming 100 ppb, but that is an occupational standard based on 8-hours/day; 5-days/week; healthy adults. Children have increased asthma at 50 ppb, decreased lung function at 30 ppb, and California's Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessments lowered their recommendation from 27 ppb to 7 ppb in November 2008.

    I'd encourage anyone with double pane windows and/or wall fiberglass wall insulation to test. Testing is easy and at $39 affordable. http://acsbadge.com/formaldehyde.shtml

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