Buzz
The renowned artist Damien Hirst is well-known for his ongoing collection of artwork featuring deceased animals—such as sharks, sheep, and cows—preserved in formaldehyde. A prominent example is this sheep from his 1994 "Away From the Flock" exhibition. Photo by Ted Soqui/Corbis via Getty Images.Key Insights
- Formaldehyde, commonly found in household products, poses little threat in low concentrations but can lead to irritation of the skin, eyes, nose, and throat, especially in sensitive people.
- Prolonged exposure to high formaldehyde levels is associated with rare cancers of the nose and throat, particularly in workers in industries like manufacturing and energy production.
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared formaldehyde a known human carcinogen in 2011, citing evidence of increased risks for lung, nasopharyngeal, and oral cancers in workers exposed to the chemical.
In 2011, The New York Times published an article titled, "formaldehyde.html">Despite Risk, Embalmers Still Embrace Preservative." The article focused on formaldehyde, a chemical preservative. Despite its association with cancer risks, the article reported that embalmers insisted "nothing else preserves the body long enough for public viewing and transport."
You may recognize formaldehyde in a specific, albeit unsettling, context. If not, perhaps you remember it from biology class. It's the chemical used to preserve biological specimens. This process has been in practice for centuries, with deceased animals or organs being injected with formaldehyde to prevent decay, followed by submersion in a preserving fluid such as ethanol or isopropyl alcohol.
However, formaldehyde's uses extend beyond preserving biological samples. Where else might you come across this chemical? Consider checking your medicine cabinet or peeking under your kitchen sink.
Where Is Formaldehyde Found?
While you may not recognize formaldehyde by sight, its pungent odor is unmistakable. This colorless gas has a strong, suffocating aroma that some liken to pickles (but not in a pleasant way). It's a flammable chemical commonly found in a variety of home construction materials, medical laboratories, cosmetics, and mortuaries. Additionally, formaldehyde is a byproduct of car exhaust and surprisingly occurs naturally, albeit in small amounts, in many living organisms, including humans.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), formaldehyde is a common presence in many homes, particularly those where smoking is allowed. It's also frequently found in new homes or those furnished with new construction or manufactured wood items like flooring and furniture, which tend to have higher concentrations of the chemical.
Formaldehyde can be found in several everyday items, such as:
- Manufactured wood products like furniture, laminate flooring, and cabinets
- Permanent press fabrics used for furniture, carpets, and curtains
- Household products including detergents, adhesives, and paints
- Cosmetics
- Cigarette smoke and other tobacco products
- Smoke from gas stoves and open fireplaces
- Smog
- Some medicines and vitamins
- Preserved foods
- Fertilizers
- Certain electrical wiring
Is Formaldehyde Dangerous?
Formaldehyde has earned a reputation for being toxic, but its presence in numerous household items doesn't always translate to health risks. Most individuals exposed to small amounts of formaldehyde in their homes don't experience severe health issues. However, those with heightened sensitivity might struggle to tolerate even low levels of exposure.
"Formaldehyde can irritate the skin, eyes, nose, and throat," states Kenneth T. Labbe, press officer for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). According to the EPA's toxic substances portal, groups at higher risk for these effects include young children, the elderly, and those with asthma or other respiratory conditions.
The primary dangers of formaldehyde arise from exposure to very high levels, which have been linked to rare cancers of the nose and throat in workers from specific manufacturing plants, power plants, and various other industries.
"Prolonged exposure to high levels may lead to certain types of cancers," Labbe explains. "In 2011, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) classified formaldehyde as a known human carcinogen, based on extensive human and animal inhalation studies." One of the studies cited in the EPA's integrated risk information system (IRIS) chemical assessment summary found "significant increases in lung and nasopharyngeal cancer deaths," while another study reported "statistically significant increases in oral cancer mortality among garment workers exposed to formaldehyde."
There are several other professions where workers may be at increased risk of formaldehyde exposure, including:
- Doctors
- Dentists
- Nurses
- Embalmers
- Veterinarians
- Employees in the clothing and furniture industries
- Pathologists
- Teachers and students working in laboratories with preserved specimens
Minimizing Formaldehyde Exposure
Formaldehyde can enter your body through the air, food, water, and even the skin. Fortunately, there are a few simple methods you can use to reduce exposure and decrease the risk of serious health issues.
- Avoid smoking. There are plenty of reasons to quit smoking and using tobacco in any form, and here’s another good one. Formaldehyde is a component of tobacco smoke, so smoking indoors can expose both you and those around you to harmful levels of formaldehyde.
- Ensure proper ventilation in your home. A simple and effective way to lower formaldehyde levels is to ventilate your home. Open windows when you can or use a ventilation fan to bring in fresh air, especially if your home has a lot of pressed wood furniture or flooring.
- Wash new clothing. Whenever possible, wash new clothes and fabrics that may contain formaldehyde. This simple step can help reduce the amount of the chemical they release.
- Maintain your fireplace. If you use a fireplace, make sure it's properly maintained to avoid smoke entering your home. Burn only well-seasoned wood and have your flue and chimney cleaned every year.
- Choose low- or no-VOC paints. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) include formaldehyde, which is common in many paints. Low- or no-VOC paints are widely available and, while slightly more expensive, they have the added benefit of not producing that strong, unpleasant smell typically associated with indoor painting.
The body naturally produces formaldehyde, but enzymes in the body break it down into formate (formic acid) and then into carbon dioxide. Most of the formaldehyde we breathe in is processed by cells in the mouth, nose, throat, and airways, so less than a third of it enters the bloodstream.
