Laminate Flooring Health Risks

Report looks at risks from formaldehyde in products made in china.

Laminate flooring health risks.

Air pollution is now the world s largest single environmental health risk according to estimates. The world health organization s international agency for. Should i avoid engineered wood and laminate flooring. Health risks from formaldehyde in some laminate wood flooring are 3 times higher than initially reported.

Formaldehyde melamine cyanuric acid isocyanates and aluminium oxide. The laminate flooring emitted formaldehyde levels that were several times higher than california regulations allow. Laminate flooring is toxic because the wood bonding adhesive and top layer contain and emit chemicals which are harmful to our health. Installing wood flooring in your home may increase it s value and add beauty.

Laminate looring test results health issues and solutions the u s. Cpsc tested the same type of flooring that had some of the. Level of formaldehyde in a home or increase cancer risk to adults. Choosing non toxic flooring for your home might sound like a simple task but unfortunately many of the flooring options available contain harmful chemicals.

Studies of workers who breathe in very high levels of formaldehyde over many years have shown a link to rare cancers. Will epa s rule address laminate flooring featured in the 60 minutes story. Under the epa rule the flooring that was the subject of the 60 minutes story must be made with composite wood cores or platforms that are certified as compliant with the formaldehyde emission standards. This increased laminate wood flooring health concerns among consumers.

However some types of natural or engineered wood flooring come with extra health hazards. In many cases the health risks associated with wood flooring are caused by other products used in the installation process such as adhesives or moisture barriers. Toxic chemicals in flooring can be a significant source of indoor air pollution. Laminate flooring products are made using a plasticized picture or image of wood glued to fiberboard and as such cannot be sanded and refinished.

Formaldehyde exposure from the tested laminate flooring would be much lower and would last for less time than the exposures linked to those cancers. Recently laminate flooring has been in the spotlight for emitting significant levels of formaldehyde which is in the glues used to bond together the layers of pressed wood laminate and the adhesives used for installation. How do i know if the wood products i m buying are safe.