I would encourage everyone to test their bedroom for formaldehyde concentration. Using the passive asc badge that the Sierra Club used to discover the FEMA trailers, testing is not expensive ($39 including lab analysis) and easy enough to do yourself.
Why test?
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..."
State of CA recommends not exceeding 7 ppb in a home. Formaldehyde has been shown to decrease lung function in children at 30 ppb and increase the risk of asthma at 50 ppb.
In bedrooms controlling formaldehyde can be as simple as sealing backs of dressers, desks, bookcases and bottoms of drawers. The unfinished pressboard used in these locations is typically a source. Cribs often have a piece under the matteress. Miniumize MDF by not having molding. Move furniture out of the bedroom or at least as far from the pillow area as possilble. Increase ventilation.
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I would encourage everyone to test their bedroom for formaldehyde concentration. Using the passive asc badge that the Sierra Club used to discover the FEMA trailers, testing is not expensive ($39 including lab analysis) and easy enough to do yourself.
Why test?
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..."
Smmary: 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
State of CA recommends not exceeding 7 ppb in a home. Formaldehyde has been shown to decrease lung function in children at 30 ppb and increase the risk of asthma at 50 ppb.
In bedrooms controlling formaldehyde can be as simple as sealing backs of dressers, desks, bookcases and bottoms of drawers. The unfinished pressboard used in these locations is typically a source. Cribs often have a piece under the matteress. Miniumize MDF by not having molding. Move furniture out of the bedroom or at least as far from the pillow area as possilble. Increase ventilation.
May 4, 2010 - 8:24amThis Comment
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