Is Formica Laminated Furniture Toxic and What Can You Do About It?
- Lisa Le
- September 24, 2021
- 5:41 pm
Laminate furniture is a popular choice for new homeowners. Unfortunately, the adhesive solution used for fabrication in the decorative laminate itself contains a significant amount of formaldehyde.
Similarly, what is the composition of formica furniture? Like other laminates, formica furniture is made from layers of plastic that are bonded to particleboard, plywood or kraft paper to create a solid surface. This furniture comes in a wide range of colors, patterns, including those that resemble wood, stainless steel, and stone.
What is formaldehyde?
Formaldehyde is a colorless, flammable, strong-smelling chemical found in pressed-wood products like particleboard, plywood, and fiberboard; as well as glues and adhesives, etc. In addition, formaldehyde is widely used as a preservative in mortuaries and medical laboratories, as well as an industrial fungicide, germicide, and disinfectant.
Where does formaldehyde come from?
- Certain manufactured wood products such as cabinets, furniture, plywood, particleboard, and laminate flooring.
- Permanent press fabrics (like those used for curtains and drapes or on furniture).
- Household products such as glues, paints, caulks, pesticides, cosmetics, and detergents.
- Smoke from cigarettes and other tobacco products, gas stoves, and open fireplaces.
- Smog
How much exposure to formaldehyde is hazardous to your health?
Let’s take a look at what goes into making furniture. To begin with, the padding, polyurethane foam, a petroleum product that is both cheaper and more toxic than latex which is often a more expensive option.
Then there’s the lacquer finish on the wood. It must be sprayed in a booth with a dedicated ventilator because of its extreme toxicity. New furniture can take up to two years to release all of these harmful substances.
Formaldehyde is a ubiquitous component of every wooden construct (especially composite panels). In 2008, the EU has issued new regulations regarding the maximum amount of Formaldehyde that a wooden construct can have. The maximum amount acceptable in living/studying ambients requires is an emission of the component in the air which is less than 0,124 mg/mc.
In 2010, the World Health Organization (WHO) established an indoor air quality guideline for short- and long-term exposures to formaldehyde (FA) of 0.1 mg/m^3 (0.08 ppm) for all 30-min periods at lifelong exposure. This guideline was supported by studies from 2010 to 2013.j
Some studies of humans exposed repeatedly to formaldehyde in workplace air found more cases of nose and throat cancer than expected. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) have characterized formaldehyde as a human carcinogen based on studies of inhalation exposure in humans and laboratory animals.
Aside from this, every country has already adopted their set limits for formaldehyde. Scientists are agreeing that it is dangerous to humans over prolonged exposure, what they are not agreeing on are the exact cancers that you will get.
The literature on cancer causation is huge and complex and often does not provide clear answers. Formaldehyde is certainly toxic in high concentrations and a known carcinogen in animal studies. What level of exposure is dangerous to humans is a matter of research and controversy. The safest thing is to avoid it as much as possible.
Laboratory studies in 1980 showed that exposure to formaldehyde could cause nasal cancer in rats. This finding raised the question of whether formaldehyde exposure could also cause cancer in humans. 7 years later, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) classified formaldehyde as a probable human carcinogen under conditions of unusually high or prolonged exposure. According to Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, at high levels, formaldehyde exposure can cause skin rashes, shortness of breath, wheezing and changes in lung function. Children, the elderly, and people with asthma or other breathing problems may be more sensitive to the effects of formaldehyde.
Should you be concerned with formaldehyde used to make furniture in your house? Is it worth spending the extra money on solid wood furniture?
Officially, formaldehyde is labeled as possibly cancerogenic for humans because lab rats exhibited nasal cancer at a concentration of 6 mL/m^3. According to the ULLMANN’S Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, the capacity for the production of formaldehyde was estimated in 1996 at approximately 8.7 tons per year, making it one of the most widespread chemicals.
The biggest concern is exposure to formaldehyde gas that is emitted from the furniture. Prolonged exposure to formaldehyde has a high possibility of resulting in getting cancer, including nasal, sinus cancer, and leukemia. These cancers take several years or decades to develop (usually 10-15 years).
Most fast furniture sold online in the market currently is either made of cheap materials that are susceptible to warping and bending or are priced so high that getting the solid wood furniture would burn a hole in consumers’ pockets. Let alone the toxicity as mentioned above. However, solid wood furniture manufacturers like Myseat.sg is a safe option in this case since the wood wax oil used in all furniture is toxic-free and kid-friendly. Read more about the wood wax oil used in MYSEAT.sg’s furniture here.
