I was watching “Stuff Happens” on Planet Green yesterday and Bill Nye was talking about insulation for your home. He mentioned that formaldehyde is in traditional fiber glass insulation and the “anti-green” issue with it is that after we’re through with it, it goes in a dump, thus reeking havoc on the environment. Two “greener” alternatives to fiberglass insulation were given. One was recycled blue jeans and the other was vegetables, believe it or not. There is now a vegetable oil polyurethane insulation foam where bubbles within it trap air. Both are amazing products.
What really struck me during this segment was a horrifying fact he gave about formaldehyde. Twenty years ago, two times the amount of formaldehyde was needed to embalm a body. Now, only half the amount is needed due to the fact that we have so much formaldehyde already in our body. Here are typical products that contain it:
- cosmetics
- paper
- wood
- clothes
- mouthwash
- nail polish
- hair spray
- perfume
- floor polish
- toothpaste
- wax
- spray starch
- deodorant
According to Wikipedia, formaldehyde is “classified as a probable human carcinogen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has determined that there is “sufficient evidence” that occupational exposure to formaldehyde causes nasopharyngeal cancer in humans. Formaldehyde has been banned in cosmetics in both Sweden and Japan.”
Scary, isn’t it? Probably the simplest ways to reduce the amount of formaldehyde you come in contact with is to read the ingredients on all your personal care products, visit Skin Deep for safer ones, and use “greener” cleaning supplies. Remember, small changes over a long period of time can make a big difference.
UPDATE: December 1, 2008 – The EPA has announced that it will be looking into the health risks of formaldehyde in pressed wood products
Thanks for this post. I think it may be in certain carpets. Also, there was some reference years back stating the diet sodas contain a chemical that acts as formaldehyde…any information on that? Curious….
Susan
Wow. I had no idea it was in all of these products.
Jeezy peezy, I had no idea.
Luckily, we don’t use most of the products on the list, having swapped out for eco versions a while ago.
And did you know we used blue jean insulation in our new house?
Organiceyes,
From my search online, it appears that formaldehyde is not found in carpets; however, a list of other chemicals are, such as:
* Styrene
* 1,2-Dichloroethane
* Ethyl benzene
* Toluene
* 1,1,1-Trichloroethane
* Xylenes
Formaldehyde can be found in particle board, plywood, mastics, and other manufactured wood products. This is due to urea-Formaldehyde resins. These can now be added to the list above.
Kirstin @ Trying To Be Greener
Organiceyes,
Your question about diet soda was worrisome. It seems that you’re onto something:
http://cancer.suite101.com/article.cfm/diet_sodas_and_cancer
According to this site:
“When you drink a diet soda, your body breaks down the aspartame into aspartic acid, phenylalanine, and methanol, one molecule of each.
* aspartic acid is harmless; it’s broken down into alanine, an amino acid, and oxaloacetate, an organic compound
* phenylalanine, an allergen to some people, is broken down into mostly tyrosine, an amino acid, and to a lesser extent into phenylethylamine, an alkaloid, and phenylpyruvate.
* methanol (wood alcohol) is broken down into formic acid (the toxin in ant bites) and formaldehyde which is a carcinogen.
Each diet soda with aspartame produces about 20 mg of methanol. The methanol breaks down further into 6 mg of formaldehyde which is three times the daily EPA limit. It’s 30 times the limit in New Jersey, 100 times the limit in California, and 300 times the limit in Maryland.
The formaldehyde from each can of diet soda is more than the legal limit of this dangerous chemical.”
Wow. I’m speechless. OK, looks like diet soda can be added to the list too.
Kirstin @ Trying To Be Greener
I think the important thing is the formaldehyde is in most engineered wood products, including changing tables and cribs. One high emitter in your home can result in elevated concentrations of formaldehyde throughtout your home. There was an interesting report on emissions from cribs and changing tables. Generally, pressed woods taht contain phenol-formaldehyde emit less than urea-formaldehyde resins. You can seal any unfinished surfaces to reduce emissions too – like sealing unfinished edges in furniture or cabinets.
For clothes & other textiles, such as bedding, formaldehyde is used as a finish to impart permanent press, wrinkle free, easy care to the fabric. So, skip products that have those claims.
Jennifer
http://www.thesmartmama.com
There are formaldehyde free insulation products – we used a formaldehyde free insulation in our homes.
I know it’s so hard for people to believe that so many consumer goods are made with formaldehyde. Pressed board, cabinets, & furniture that contain it can contaminate a whole house, classroom or office. Those of us with chemical sensitivity cannot stay in a contaminated room without having a reaction. Fabrics can be problematic also. Luckily, there are alternatives for everything made with the stuff, so it’s fairly easy to eliminate from your personal space (although you may need to rip out your kitchen cabinets and get rid of pressed board furniture!)
Grass roots groups like the Sierra Cub are doing some good work in prompting the EPA to study methods of reducing formaldehyde in homes, schools and offices.
http://action.sierraclub.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=60001.0
Also, bree, I don’t think EWG receives money from Merck company. I believe it’s the John Merck Fund http://www.jmfund.org/program.shtml . Kristin, I hope you can get confirmation on this, I hate to see this fine group smeared by misinformation.
To second Jennifer, JM make a formaldehyde free insulation but I am not a big fan of fiberglass. It makes me cough when I am around it and if I get near it I just itch. Fibers get in the air during installation.
At one time, there was a cancer warning on the insulation. I think it has since been removed, but I haven’t looked at insulation lately. But you have to wonder. They do have a fiberglass insulation that is encapsulated and formaldehyde free which I think is much better. JM makes this one too.
At the very least, have the encapsulated one in your attic if you intend to go up there or any area that is exposed (crawlspace, etc)
Personally, I like Blue jean insulation and soy based insulation. I actually have the blue jeans and love it.
In addition, if you are considering having cabinets made ask them to be made with either no added formaldehdye plywood by Columbia Forest or no added formaldehyde MDF by Sierra Pine. AMF Safecoat make a good formaldehyde sealer but do not try this sealer on sealed finish surfaces. It could ruin the finish.
Does anyone know how long formaldehyde takes to off-gas?
Anna http://www.green-talk.com
Anna,
I want to thank you for visiting my blog and leaving a great comment. I did a little searching online to try to find an answer to your question. Here’s what I came up with:
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=299721
Answers left here with sources state that most outgassing happens in the first year but can continue for at least 5 years and possibly up to 10 years.
Not very pleasant statistics.
Thanks again,
Kirstin @ Trying To Be Greener
Susie Collins,
An earlier comment in this string mentioned that The Environmental Working Group gets funding from the company Merck. It is my understanding that they do not get funding from Merck, but rather the John Merck Fund as you mentioned.
Kirstin @ Trying To Be Greener
I think the important thing is the formaldehyde is in most engineered wood products, including changing tables and cribs. One high emitter in your home can result in elevated concentrations of formaldehyde throughtout your home.
I think the important thing is the formaldehyde is in most engineered wood products, including changing tables and cribs. One high emitter in your home can result in elevated concentrations of formaldehyde throughout your home.