Formaldehyde in chipboard

[Tina Nordström]

I get a sensation of "rushing" in my body, mild heart palpitations, and a slight headache. Completely impossible to sleep. I react this way to MDF, hair dye at the hairdresser, new clothes that haven't been washed (not all, but very many new garments), and a new sofa and pillows from Ikea we bought for the summer house. It took a very long time before I found out that it was the pillows I was reacting to.

Thank you for the reply. Same for me. Even certain face masks I had to wear during x-rays. Rubber dam the dentist used. My face and neck turned bright red. Also, new swimwear. Walking into a clothing store makes my face tingle. New sofa and newly laid plastic flooring in the kitchen.

 

[Marlen Eskilsson]

I think it's pretty good to have a built-in indicator for carcinogens. You immediately notice when there's something you should avoid.

 

[MIkael7811]

Formaldehyde is mainly released when you process it or if it comes into contact with moisture. Do you have the basement heated?

This is not true, the board will always emit formaldehyde, whether it is processed or not. Temperature and humidity do have an effect.

 

[Johnsson 56]

It is evident from the standard (SS-EN 717-1:2004) referred to in Chapter 8 Section 3, first paragraph, point 1 of the Swedish Chemicals Agency's regulations (KIFS 2017:7) on chemical products and biotechnical organisms.

The standard, in turn, prescribes that a certain amount of sheet should be placed in a chamber designed in a specific way, made of specific materials and with a certain airflow, specific temperature, specific humidity, and so on, for a certain time. The exhaust air is water-filtered, and the amount of formaldehyde is measured in the water. If the limit value is exceeded, the sheet may not be manufactured or brought into Sweden.

It seems like the risk that there is a lot in the air in my basement is very high. I should buy a meter.

 

[Düsseldorff]

It seems that the risk of there being a lot in the air in my basement is very high. I'll have to buy a meter

I'm not entirely sure how you came to that conclusion, but since this clearly worries you, you might be right to look into it further.

 

[Marlen Eskilsson]

In general, the most important thing is to ensure good ventilation and to keep moisture away from these materials.

 

[hapazard]

Are you planning to sleep or spend extended periods in the basement? If not, it's probably sufficient to ensure there's a slight negative pressure (exhaust air) in the basement and keep it closed off, so any potential formaldehyde should not spread to the rest of the house.

 

[Johnsson 56]

Are you planning to sleep or spend long periods of time in the basement? If not, it's probably sufficient to ensure you have a slight negative pressure (exhaust) in the basement and keep it closed off, so any potential formaldehyde shouldn't spread to the rest of the house.

I spend a lot of time in the basement, especially in winter, that's why I had so many shelves. I have a business but no longer have the company's premises, so everything was moved there. It's 125 sqm

 

[Dowser4711]

How big is the basement?
Given that there is space for 36 shelves, it is 55m2 with just shelves...
If you have a ceiling height of 2.40, then the testing method's 1m2 plate in 1m3 of air means you have 60.4m2 of basement.
But having only 5m2 to move between 36 shelves seems unlikely.
(And now you've replied that you have roughly double the area.)

However, that's totally irrelevant, because it only tells you what levels something can emit to be approved for sale on the Swedish market. Not anything about which concentration in the air is approved.

The limit value for a workplace where you stay 8 hours straight is 0.6mg/m3.

If you look at what the Swedish Work Environment Authority says in https://www.av.se/globalassets/file...nering-for-formaldehyd-rapport-rap-2008-3.pdf, they include some examples of measured values in the wood industry, where the only case anything exceeded 0.1mg/m3 was in connection with heating and scraping off paint from MDF.

My guess is that your shelves don't emit more than a carpentry workshop under normal use.
(Examples of workplaces with high values are laboratories where they handle tissue samples in formaldehyde, where the highest value was 0.15mg/m3, which is still well below the limit.)

 

[Johnsson 56]

How big is the basement?
Since there are 36 shelves, it is 55m2 with just shelves...
If you have a ceiling height of 2.40, the testing method's 1m2 slab in 1m3 air equates to having a 60.4m2 basement.
But having only 5m2 to move between 36 shelves seems unlikely.
(And now you've replied that you have about double that area)

However, this is completely irrelevant, as it only tells what levels something can emit to be approved for sale in the Swedish market. It doesn't say anything about the concentration in the air that is approved.

The limit value for a workplace where you stay for 8 hours straight is 0.6mg/m3.

If you look at what the Swedish Work Environment Authority states in [link], they include some examples of measured values in the wood industry, where the only case that exceeded 0.1mg/m3 was when heating and scraping off paint from MDF.

My guess is that your shelves do not emit more than a woodworking shop under normal use.
(Examples of workplaces with high values are laboratories handling tissue samples in formaldehyde, where the highest value was 0.15mg/m3, which is still well below the limit)

Yes, the basement is 125 sqm and I'm not there 8 hours a day, so I can let this go then. Thanks.
Then 0.45x0.9 x36, 14.5 sqm. not 55 sqm.

 

[Dowser4711]

Yes, the basement is 125 sqm and I'm not there 8 hours a day, so I can let this go then. Thank you.
Then 0.45x0.9 x36, 14.5 sqm. not 55 sqm

Ah, what was shown in the link was 1720x900mm, and 5 shelves per unit.
Edit: Okay, those were the dimensions of the front... Yes, then there will be minimal surface area that can emit anything...

 

[Johnsson 56]

Ah, what was shown in the link was 1720x900mm, and 5 shelves per shelf.

I see, but I already wrote from the beginning that they are 0.45 x 0.9. 1.72 x 0.9 is the height times the width.