It’s About Time On Formaldehyde
In a move that has health advocates, scientists, and health care providers saying “It’s about time,” the US Department of Health and Human Services announced last Friday that it is finally listing formaldehyde as a known human carcinogen as part of its 12th report on carcinogens.
In a move that has health advocates, scientists, and health care providers saying “It’s about time,” the US Department of Health and Human Services announced last Friday that it is finally listing formaldehyde as a known human carcinogen as part of its 12th report on carcinogens.
Linked to leukemia and rare mouth and nasal cancers, most people think of formaldehyde as a preservative of dead bodies in mortuaries and medical labs. And while dead bodies might give you the creeps, what creeps us out is the sheer amount of products that contain formaldehyde. It’s present in some salon hair-straightening treatments, resins used to make composite wood products, nail polish, and even coatings to make clothing wrinkle-free!
Other groups such as the World Health Organization and the EPA have already classified formaldehyde as a known human carcinogen, but industry lobbying has held up this official report for four years.
Fortunately, regulators in Washington state have already classified formaldehyde as a chemical of concern for children and will soon start requiring makers of children’s products to report its presence in their products to the state. That’s super good news for parents!
Now that it’s officially bad for you, maybe policy makers will be motivated to get it out of products we use in our homes. Call up your Senators and ask them to co-sponsor The Safe Chemicals Act!
If you want to know more about formaldehyde and how to protect your family, read our profile of this dangerous chemical here.
Image courtesy of flickr user kspsycho83
