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Green Building16 Sep 2008 04:02 pm
Formaldehyde is a common chemical and a by-product of combustion (tobacco smoke, vehicle exhaust, and fumes from fireplaces, furnaces, and wood stoves). It can also be found in water solutions such as preservatives or disinfectants, and is used in the manufacture of many building materials. Formaldehyde gas has no color, but in high quantities has a sharp smell and can be toxic.
There are two main types of formaldehyde: urea and phenol. The majority of health problems come from urea formaldehyde. In the 1950’s urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) was developed. UFFI was usually mixed on site during a home’s construction and then injected into the walls where it could “cure” and become an insulator. Because excessive amounts of urea formaldehyde gas escaped from the walls and made people sick, UFFI has not been used since the 1980’s and is banned in many places. However, today urea formaldehyde is also present in water-resistant adhesives and is…
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