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CO, C02, NOX, methanol, formaldehyde; emits toxic fumes under fire conditions ... food-contact coatings; In food-contact textiles; nutritional supplement In ...
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Occupational exposure to formaldehyde by inhalation is mainly from three types of sources: thermal or chemical decomposition of formaldehyde-based resins, formaldehyde emission from aqueous solutions (for example, embalming fluids), and the production of formaldehyde resulting from the combustion of a variety of organic compounds (for example, exhaust gases). Formaldehyde can be toxic, allergenic, and carcinogenic.[3] Because formaldehyde resins are used in many construction materials it is one of the more common indoor air pollutants.[21] At concentrations above 0.1 ppm in air formaldehyde can irritate the eyes and mucous membranes, resulting in watery eyes.[22] Formaldehyde inhaled at this concentration may cause headaches, a burning sensation in the throat, and difficulty breathing, as well as triggering or aggravating asthma symptoms.[23][24] Studies by the National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine failed to show an association between formaldehyde exposure and asthma.[25]
The primary exposure concern is for the workers in the industries producing or using formaldehyde. As far back as 1987, the U.S. EPA classified it as a probable human carcinogen and after more studies the WHO International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), in 1995, also classified it as a probable human carcinogen. Further information and evaluation of all known data led the IARC to reclassify formaldehyde as a known human carcinogen [26] associated with nasal sinus cancer and nasopharyngeal cancer, and possibly with leukemiain June 2004[27].
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) allows no more than 16 ppb formaldehyde in the air in new buildings constructed for that agency.[28] A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency study found a new home measured 0.076 ppm when brand new and 0.045 ppm after 30 days.[29] The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has also announced limits on the formaldehyde levels in trailers purchased by that agency.[30] The EPA recommends the use of “exterior-grade” pressed-wood products to limit formaldehyde exposure since pressed-wood products containing formaldehyde resins are often a significant source of formaldehyde in homes.[27]
For most people, irritation from formaldehyde is temporary and reversible, though formaldehyde can cause allergies and is part of the standard patch test series. People with formaldehyde allergy are advised to avoid formaldehyde releasers as well (e.g., Quaternium-15,imidazolidinyl urea, and diazolidinyl urea).[31] Formaldehyde has been banned in cosmetics in both Sweden and Japan.[citation needed] The eyes are most sensitive to formaldehyde exposure: The lowest level at which many people can begin to smell formaldehyde is about 0.3 ppm. In controlled chamber studies, individuals begin to sense eye irritation at about 0.5 ppm; 5 to 20 percent report eye irritation at 0.5 to 1 ppm; and greater certainty for sensory irritation occurred at 1 ppm and above. While some agencies have used a level as low as 0.1 ppm as a threshold for irritation, the expert panel found that a level of 0.3 ppm would protect against nearly all irritation. In fact, the expert panel found that a level of 1.0 ppm would avoid eye irritation—the most sensitive endpoint—in 75-95% of all people exposed.[25]
[edit]European ban
There are several web articles claiming that formaldehyde has been banned from manufacture or import into the European Union (EU) under REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and restriction of Chemical substances) legislation. This appears to be misinformation, as official EU chemical databases contradict these claims as of February 19, 2010. This misconception has gained some ground. Formaldehyde is not listed in the Annex I of Regulation (EC) No 689/2008 (export and import of dangerous chemicals regulation), nor on a priority list for risk assessment. However, formaldehyde is banned from use in certain applications (preservatives for liquid-cooling and processing systems, slimicides, metalworking-fluid preservatives, and antifouling products) under the Biocidal Products Directive.[32][33]
[edit]FEMA trailer incidents
[edit]Hurricane Katrina & Rita
In the U.S. the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) provided travel trailers and mobile homes starting in 2006 for habitation by residents of the U.S. gulf coast displaced by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. Some of the people who moved into the trailers complained of breathing difficulties, nosebleeds, and persistent headaches. Formaldehyde-catalyzed resins were used in the production of these homes.
The United States Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) performed indoor air quality testing for formaldehyde[34] in some of the units. On February 14, 2008 the CDC announced that potentially hazardous levels of formaldehyde were found in many of the travel trailers and mobile homes provided by the agency.[35][36] The CDC's preliminary evaluation of a scientifically established random sample of 519 travel trailers and mobile homes tested between Dec. 21, 2007 and Jan. 23, 2008 (2+ years after manufacture) showed average levels of formaldehyde in all units of about 77 parts per billion (ppb). Long-term exposure to levels in this range can be linked to an increased risk of cancer and, at levels above this range, there can also be a risk of respiratory illness. These levels are higher than expected in indoor air, where levels are commonly in the range of 10-20 ppb, and are higher than the Agency for Toxic Substance Disease Registry (ATSDR, division of the CDC) Minimal Risk Level (MRL) of 8 ppb.[37] Levels measured ranged from 3 ppb to 590 ppb.[38]
FEMA, which requested the testing by the CDC, said it would work aggressively to relocate all residents of the temporary housing as soon as possible. Lawsuits are being filed against FEMA as a result of the exposures.[39]
[edit]Iowa Floods of 2008
Also in the U.S., problems arose in trailers again provided by FEMA to residents displaced by the Iowa floods of 2008. A couple months after moving to the trailers, occupants reported violent coughing, headaches, as well as asthma, bronchitis, and other problems. Tests showed that in some trailers, levels of formaldehyde exceeded the limits recommended by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and American Lung Association.[40][41] The associated publicity has resulted in additional testing to begin in November.[42]
[edit]Contaminant in food
Scandals have broken in both the 2005 Indonesia food scare and 2007 Vietnam food scare regarding the addition of formaldehyde to foods to extend shelf life. Foods known to be contaminated include noodles, salted fish, tofu, and rumors of chicken and beer. In humans, it is known to have a number[quantify] of detrimental effects and there is limited evidence of a carcinogenic effect.[3] Testing for formaldehyde is by blood and/or urine by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Other methods include infrared detection, gas detector tubes, etc., of which HPLC is the most sensitive [43] Back in the early 1900s, it was frequently added by US milk plants to milk bottles as a method of pasteurization due to the lack of knowledge regarding formaldehyde's toxicity[citation needed]. This resulted in numerous deaths in both orphanages and homes, particularly in the Midwestern states, where infants were fed the tainted milk, and resulted in a high death rate at several large orphanages in Indiana, Illinois and Missouri.[citation needed]
[edit]See also
Inhaling formaldehyde can lead to symptoms such as a burning sensation and irritation in eyes, nose and throat, coughing, wheezing, tightness in throat, watery eyes and runny nose. It can also lead to breathlessness. Pulmonary edema and pneumonitis can be caused if it injures the respiratory tract.
If your skin comes in direct contact with a strong formaldehyde solution or in contact with fabrics in which formaldehyde was used, it might cause some reactions if you are allergic to formaldehyde. Formaldehyde allergy symptoms include redness, burning sensation, skin rash, scaling, cracking, white discoloration and irritation of skin and might cause hives as well. Eye contact can cause pain, inflammation, blurred vision and excess tearing.
Formaldehyde is also found in dried foods, Italian cheeses, fish and food preservatives. So consumption of such foods can cause formaldehyde allergy symptoms like severe abdominal pain, vomiting, nausea, fatigue, headache, migraine and diarrhea.
Children can be more susceptible to health effects of formaldehyde. As their immune system is still in development stage, chemicals like formaldehyde can easily trigger reactions in them. In kids, even a small amount of formaldehyde can lead to formaldehyde allergy symptoms like dermatitis, headache, respiratory tract effects or asthma.
Larger doses of formaldehyde can prove fatal, it can lead to fever, severe pain in the digestive tract, shallow respiration, irregular pulse or lack of consciousness.- ------------------------
| ndon Hazards Centre Factsheet | pdf file (what's that?) |
Formaldehyde
Almost everyone, at home, work or in the community is exposed to formaldehyde. It is a colourless gas with a strong and pungent odour which is known to cause skin, eye and respiratory damage, and which, in sufficient doses, affects the heart and lung function and the menstrual cycle. It causes allergic reactions and mental disturbances and is a known cause of several types of cancer.
Hazards
Even very short term exposure to formaldehyde irritates the eyes causing pain, redness, blurred vision and severe eye watering.
It can irritate the nose and throat causing sneezing, soreness, coughing, shortness of breath, headaches and nausea. In severe cases of exposure to elevated levels it can lead to accumulation of fluid in the lung (pulmonary oedema).
Long term exposure causes chronically impaired lung function, skin hardening, swelling and flaking, dermatitis, allergic eczema, and cancer.
Formaldehyde is a skin and respiratory sensitiser. It is a sensitising agent which can stimulate the body's immune response so that a subsequent exposure to even a very small amount is likely to trigger an allergic response.
Despite this evidence, in 1986 the UK Industrial Injuries Advisory Council rejected designation of formaldehyde as a cause of occupational asthma prescribed for disablement benefit.
Formaldehyde has also been shown to cause sleep disturbance, impaired memory, reduced concentration, nausea and menstrual irregularity.
A known cause of cancer
The International Agency for Research on Cancer, (IARC) which is part of the World Health Organisation, has designated formaldehyde as a known cause of several types of throat and nasal cancer.
Exposure levels
In the UK formaldehyde has been assigned a Maximum Exposure Limit (MEL) of 2 parts per million (ppm).
Exposure to any substance for which a MEL has been set must be kept below that limit.
The MEL for formaldehyde is hard to explain in the light of HSE's own toxicology review which found that eye irritation can be caused by exposure to levels as low as 0.01ppm, 200 times less than the MEL.
Compare the UK exposure limit with the limit set in the USA where OSHA has set a permissible exposure level of 0.75ppm. In Sweden and Germany the maximum permissible indoor level is 0.1ppm. The UK control limits fail to take account of the fact that skin irritation can occur at levels well below the MEL and that many people will experience "double exposure" by coming into contact with formaldehyde both at work and at home.
They also ignore the fact that home exposure affects the more vulnerable, such as the very young or elderly, pregnant women or people with existing skin or respiratory ailments.
It is planned that from December 2004 in the UK, Maximum Exposure Limits (MELs) and Occupational Exposure Standards (OESs) will be replaced by a system of Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs).
Exposure at Work
Formaldehyde is used in hundreds of industrial processes including the manufacture of paints, plastic products, paper, textiles, carpets, pesticides and fumigants, particle boards, MDF, chipboard and plywood, cosmetics, thermal insulation foams, furniture, biomedical products, leather goods, adhesives, glues and resins. Anyone involved in the manufacture or use of any of these products may be exposed to formaldehyde.
Less hazardous products are now available. "Low gas" or "zero gas" particle boards, chipboard and MDF products and low emission adhesives, glues and resins which emit much lower levels of formaldehyde have been developed. Safety representatives and workers in industries using these products should demand the safer materials.
Some local Construction Safety Campaign groups have succeeded in banning the use of fire retardant paints containing formaldehyde.
Exposure at Home
The main sources of exposure to formaldehyde in the home are furniture, which may contain formaldehyde in the glues, resins and board materials used in its manufacture, and urea formaldehyde foam products used in upholstery. Formaldehyde based resins are also used as a binding agent for mineral fibre based insulation products used for cavity wall and loft insulation and gap filling foams. HSE have published guidelines on work with urea formaldehyde. Formaldehyde vapour can be emitted for several years after installation. Additional exposure may come from formaldehyde-containing cosmetics and cleaning agents. Some carpets and soft furnishing textiles and wall coverings also contain formaldehyde based adhesives, finishes and preservatives which can also raise domestic exposure levels.
Exposure from Environmental Pollution
Any process involving formaldehyde, for example in the manufacture of particle boards, can lead to the emission of fumes into the environment. There are several chipboard factories in the UK producing up to 1.5 million tons per year. These plants operate on a 24 hour basis 7 days a week. German law limits formaldehyde emissions to 0.03 milligrams per cubic meter of air vented to the atmosphere. Standards in the UK are much lower and tests have shown that emissions from the UK factory of one German based company are almost double the levels permitted by the German standard. Formaldehyde has also been discharged into rivers and water courses killing thousands of fish and polluting water supplies.
Action Points
Risk assessments and control measures for all processes and products where formaldehyde is used must meet the minimum requirements of the Control Of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations. Protection should follow the COSHH hierarchy of controls.
Formaldehyde is a relatively cheap material used in a wide range of processes and products but safer substitutes are available. Aim to introduce a safer alternative at work, and do not purchase formaldehyde-containing consumer products for home use.
All work processes should be enclosed or provided with adequate extraction and ventilation. Waste materials should not be vented to the atmosphere. Where exposure above the maximum permissible level is likely, personal protective equipment (PPE) and respiratory protective equipment (RPE) must be provided to anyone working with or near formaldehyde. Respiratory protective equipment should only be used for brief periods and must not be used as a permanent substitute for adequate extraction or ventilation.
Regular air testing to determine concentrations of formaldehyde should be carried out every 15 minutes over a full working day/shift to determine levels and ensure that maximum levels are not exceeded.
Negotiate for the adoption of exposure levels below the Swedish indoor standard of 0.1ppm.
Negotiate for the use of "low gas" or "zero gas" particle boards, chipboard and MDF, and for the use of low emission adhesives, glues and resins.
Medical examinations of people working with formaldehyde should be carried out at least annually and more frequently when an exposure to concentrations greater than 2ppm has occurred. Tests for lung function are essential.
Fully equipped safety showers with emergency eye baths must be made available. Training must be given in hygiene and in dealing with spills and other emergencies.
To reduce exposure where urea formaldehyde foam has been used:
(c) London Hazards Centre 2004
Hampstead Town Hall Centre, 213 Haverstock Hill, London NW3 4QP, UK
mail@lhc.org.uk
www.lhc.org.uk
The London Hazards Centre Trust is UK Registered Charity no 293677.
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ormaldehyde
Hazard Summary-Created in April 1992; Revised in January 2000
Formaldehyde is used mainly to produce resins used in particleboard products and as an intermediate in the synthesis of other chemicals. Exposure to formaldehyde may occur by breathing contaminated indoor air, tobacco smoke, or ambient urban air. Acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term) inhalation exposure to formaldehyde in humans can result in respiratory symptoms, and eye, nose, and throat irritation. Limited human studies have reported an association between formaldehyde exposure and lung and nasopharyngeal cancer. Animal inhalation studies have reported an increased incidence of nasal squamous cell cancer. EPA considers formaldehyde a probable human carcinogen (Group B1).
Please Note: The main sources of information for this fact sheet are EPA's Health and Environmental Effects Profile for Formaldehyde and the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS), which contains information on oral chronic toxicity and theRfD, and the carcinogenic effects of formaldehyde including the unit cancer risk for inhalation exposure.
Uses
- Formaldehyde is used predominantly as a chemical intermediate. It also has minor uses in agriculture, as an analytical reagent, in concrete and plaster additives, cosmetics, disinfectants, fumigants, photography, and wood preservation. (1,2)
- One of the most common uses of formaldehyde in the U.S is manufacturing urea-formaldehyde resins, used in particleboard products. (7)
- Formaldehyde (as urea formaldehyde foam) was extensively used as an insulating material until 1982 when it was banned by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. (1,2)
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