I am actually quite surprised about your comments. Our house is in the country along a slightly traveled county road and the railroad tracks are exactly a mile away. In a quiet peaceful setting, you do tend to hear noises. We are also along a creek and a heavily wooded area and I’m sure this time of year all the different pollen is quite prevalent in the air. Maybe that’s what you were reacting to. In all the years we’ve had guests no one has ever complained about the things you’ve complained about. I’m sorry you saw it this way. And as to your comment about formaldehyde, I’ve attached a little explanation of what it is.
Formaldehyde Occurs Naturally and Is All Around Us
Formaldehyde is a substance made of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. It is found naturally in every living system – from plants to animals to humans. In fact, humans produce about 1.5 ounces of formaldehyde every day as part of our normal metabolic process.
1.5
Ounces of formaldehyde are produced by humans everyday as part of our normal metabolic process:
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Formaldehyde is a critical chemical building block in the production of hundreds of items and plays an important role in everyday life. For example, not only is the generation of formaldehyde essential for human metabolism, it is also used as part of the process to create and form many materials that we depend upon regularly. However, did you know that little or no formaldehyde is present in the final product? As an essential reactive intermediate (or ingredient) in the production of some of the most common items (e.g., building materials, flooring, medical devices, automobiles), the chemistry of formaldehyde is helping to improve the standard of living by creating products that last longer, and are higher in quality, performance, and safety with little to no formaldehyde remaining in the final product.
Formaldehyde is one of the most studied, and regulated, chemical substances in commerce today. Importantly, federal standards and regulations are in place to limit formaldehyde emissions and minimize any potential human health risks, including, for example, EPA’s regulations under TSCA Title VI, Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products, the most stringent formaldehyde product emissions standard in the world today. Since the early 1980s, this substance has been continuously studied to provide scientific information and support that regulated safe exposure levels for formaldehyde are protective. Given formaldehyde’s wide use, extensive product stewardship efforts have been implemented by industry, including the generation of state-of-the-art peer reviewed and published scientific research, to improve understanding and characterization of potential human health risks associated with formaldehyde.
Even though formaldehyde is already highly regulated by a number of agencies and exposures are low, well managed and controlled, it is understandable that the public may still have questions, especially when it comes to how safe is formaldehyde. That is why formaldehyde manufacturers and users continue to take their responsibility seriously, work with regulatory authorities and provide information on the safe use of formaldehyde and the products made from it.
Benefits & Applications of Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde is used in the agricultural, automotive, building and construction, healthcare, aerospace, and many other industries. Learn more about the many applications of formaldehyde here.
Formaldehyde Facts
Formaldehyde is present naturally, in low levels, within our body. It is in a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, meats and beverages; it’s even in trees.
Formaldehyde is one of the most studied chemicals in use today and more than 40 years of advanced science and practical experience clearly indicate there is a safe exposure level.
Formaldehyde stakeholders have for decades, committed millions of dollars to scientific research to improve understanding of formaldehyde uses, exposure potential and risk.
A 2019 peer reviewed scientific research publication from the University of North Carolina (UNC) provides one recent example in a series of research studies conducted over the past decade that support the fact that typical household formaldehyde concentrations do not cause adverse health effects.
The World Health Organization has several health and safety guidelines in place, including the protective indoor air guidelines for formaldehyde, which are well below the highest air concentration which health effects are expected to occur.
Uses & Benefits
House Shingles
Roofing
Laminated Beams
Plywood
Fingerjoints
Agriculture
Millwork
Particleboard
Automotive Mirrors
Lubricant Additives
Auto Electrical System
Door Lock System
Fuel Systems
Brake Pads
Metal Castings
Safety Systems
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FAQs
What is formaldehyde?
Formaldehyde is naturally occurring, all around us, and used to the benefit of all Americans. Since its discovery in 1859, formaldehyde has b