What is formaldehyde?  Formaldehyde is a colorless gas. At elevated concentrations it has a strong, pungent odor and can be irritating to the eyes, nose, and lungs. Formaldehyde is released into the home from a variety of indoor sources. Some resins, or glues, used to bind wood chips or fibers into plywood, particleboard, and other pressed wood products, contain formaldehyde. Cabinetry and some floor and wall materials are often made from such products. Formaldehyde is also used in fabrics to impart wrinkle resistance or to fix color, and in some consumer products it is used as a hardening agent or preservative. Also, formaldehyde is a by-product of combustion processes, such as wood burning, gas appliance use, and cigarette smoking. Formaldehyde is usually present at lower (but not necessarily healthful) levels in outdoor air; it is emitted in car exhaust and from some industrial sources, and is also created from chemical reactions in the air among combustion pollutants, such as those in automobile exhaust.

SOME COMMON SOURCES OF FORMALDEHYDE INDOORS

• Pressed wood products: particleboard, plywood, medium-density fiberboard.  (MDF); often used in cabinetry, and wall and floor materials
• Consumer Products: fingernail hardeners, nail polish, wallpaper, some other.  paper goods, paint, coatings; often a preservative in these and other products
• Coatings for Some Cabinet and Furniture Products: acid-catalyzed ureaformaldehyde.  type finishes
• Permanent Press Fabrics: clothing, linens, draperies
• Combustion Appliances: wood stoves, gas appliances, kerosene stoves
• Tobacco products: cigarettes, cigars

Do I have formaldehyde in my home?  Formaldehyde is a very common indoor air pollutant. Because there are many sources, formaldehyde is found in virtually all homes and buildings. Mobile homes, manufactured homes, new homes, and recently remodeled homes are more likely to contain high levels of formaldehyde. Higher formaldehyde in these homes may be caused by the presence of a large quantity of pressed wood products, such as particleboard and plywood. Older homes typically have less formaldehyde in the air because pressed wood products emit less formaldehyde over time.

How can formaldehyde affect my health? Inhaling formaldehyde in the air can cause both short-term irritant effects and long-term health effects, such as cancer. The potential effect formaldehyde can have on your health depends on the amount you are exposed to, the length of time you are exposed, and your individual sensitivity. Certain people may react differently to the same formaldehyde exposure. People with eye, skin, respiratory, or allergic conditions, and those with asthma, are potentially more susceptible to the irritant effects of formaldehyde. Children and the elderly may be more sensitive as well.

What can I do to reduce formaldehyde in my home? There are practical steps you can take to reduce your exposure to formaldehyde in your home. Levels can be reduced whether you are building a new home, remodeling an older home, or seeking to reduce exposure from sources you may have in your home. The most effective way to reduce formaldehyde in indoor air is to remove or reduce sources of formaldehyde in the home and avoid adding new sources. Formaldehyde from sources such as pressed wood products can take years to off-gas. Additionally, porous materials and furnishings can absorb 6 formaldehyde and re-emit it later. Thus, avoidance of sources and prevention of emissions from the start is best.

For more information, go to the California Environmental Protection Agency's site here.