What harmful substances are contained in the furniture. Symptoms of formaldehyde poisoning: from furniture, appliances, building materials. How to get rid of formaldehyde in the apartment

Voronezh residents remember a mysterious story: last spring, a young family was hospitalized with poisoning due to the high content of phenol and formaldehyde in the air of the apartment.

For several months, experts examined samples of literally everything that was in the house: from tiles to furniture. It was not possible to establish the source of poisons, but this case made many people think about the safety of familiar household items.

From what was

It is easy to guess about the insidiousness of cheap plastic (on windows or walls). And how to suspect wooden furniture in this?

In its production, mainly chipboard is used - sawdust mixed with formaldehyde resins. There is no risk in this if the technology is followed. Factory products - from Italy, Poland, the Czech Republic, China - usually have all the main quality indicators. And in Russia, furniture is often "riveted" by handicraftsmen who save on materials.

The seller concludes an agreement with some factory near Moscow, receives passports and product certificates from it - and attaches these pieces of paper to the products assembled in a nearby garage, - explained Alexander Kharchenko, director of the expert organization. - We also counterfeit imported furniture. The easiest way is with kitchens: I ordered a standard facade and, with the help of my friend Vasya, attached everything else to it. It is enough to have a marking machine, chipboard sheets and euro ties. Such furniture will not receive a real safety certificate, if only because on some screeds - without special pins (shtanketov) - the parts are not held tightly. If the connection of wood-based panels is leaky - for example, a hole is not made correctly in the countertop for hob or peeled off on the table plastic edges, then food remains get inside, and environment formaldehyde is released.

Under the influence of formaldehyde, degenerative diseases of the liver, kidneys, heart and brain can develop. The most harmless wood materials in this sense are classified as E1, children's furniture, back walls of cabinets and bottoms in drawers should be made of them. If you smoke in a room, foam rubber can also be dangerous - when it burns, gases are formed that cause death in a matter of minutes. When buying upholstered furniture, make sure it is treated with flame retardants.

Sometimes sellers pass off Russian, Chinese, and even of unknown origin furniture as Italian, said Antonina Alekhina, head of the department of the Rospotrebnadzor for the Voronezh region. It happens that the manufacturer is not indicated or there is no information in Russian on the products. In addition, unscrupulous sellers - usually small firms or individual entrepreneurs - often disappear and appear under a different name at a different point. As a result, a “home-made product”, bought at the price of a branded headset, quickly loses its marketable appearance: an under-dried tree is easily deformed, the upholstery is torn. And there is no one to hand over the product for warranty repair.

Get comfortable

However, in Russia there are worthy merchants, and good producers furniture: with machine tools, input control of materials and quality control department, undergoing voluntary certification. One way or another, before buying, it doesn’t hurt to familiarize yourself with all the documents for the products you like and check how they are made.

For example, kitchen set should stand on legs 10-15 centimeters high so that you can wash the floor. The gap is closed with a removable plinth. Countertops are necessarily made of moisture-resistant laminated chipboard, Alexander Kharchenko said:

It is better if its thickness is at least 58-60 millimeters, but usually the plates are twice as thin - it's cheaper. Naturally, the tabletop is bent. It is important that it withstand at least 108 degrees: you have the right to put a kettle or a frying pan there for a short time. Plastic must also resist mechanical damage. So that you can move the cutting board along it without fear of leaving scratches. Check if cabinet doors move easily. If they open horizontally, closers and stops are needed on both sides.

For upholstered furniture ease of transformation is especially important. Fragile customers sometimes cannot cope with the sofa while still in the store and take it for granted: they say, what can I do, I will ask my husband, son, brother ... The right furniture, according to the expert, moves apart without extra effort and does not “roll” back from the slightest push. If you press on the seat, it quickly restores its original shape, and the thickness of the foam is 80-100 millimeters under the back and at least 60 at the head. The wood should be dry, which is easy to check by examining the inner laundry drawer. Otherwise, the frame will mold. If the width of the bed is more than 1.8 meters, you can be sure that it has joints that reduce the strength of the product. Remember that upholstered furniture should remain functional and aesthetic for at least ten years, a product made of natural wood - 20-25.

Don't take my word for it

If you prefer imported products, keep in mind that foreign manufacturers do not follow Russian GOSTs in everything and use their own terminology.

For example, the Italians believe that if the veneer is of an uneven color, then this is an indicator of naturalness - the tree was cut down from different trunks. And in the eyes of the Russian buyer, on the contrary, this is a disadvantage, - said Vladimir Lisovsky, director of the furniture salon of the federal network. - Same with slight cracking of the wood. In response to such claims, manufacturers are even offended: they say, if you want a perfectly flat surface, take plastic and laminate. But buyers are usually not inclined to find fault with trifles. There is a misunderstanding when the factory documents say that the furniture is made of solid wood. In the same Italy, any wood material is called an array - even chipboard, even plywood. But we imagine it differently! Recently, our client decided that the table he bought was too light for the array. He asked to "pick it up". It turned out that the frame for the glass top was made of MDF. Use whole piece wood was not allowed there - it would warp due to large changes in temperature and humidity, because in winter it is extremely dry in our apartments. The buyer got into the problem and left the table at home, we gave him a discount.

According to the law, 45 days are given for warranty repairs of furniture, but foreign manufacturers cannot meet this deadline. From China, the cargo goes from three to six months, from Italy - at least two. Some sellers make repairs at their own expense on the spot. If the furniture purchased from the catalog has serious defects, you have the right to return it. Only here it is better to determine the quality of products by objective methods.

And people sometimes trust not documents, but someone else's opinion, - Alexander Kharchenko added. - There was a case when a woman bought a kitchen for 180 thousand rubles - from excellent materials, durable. She would have served for many years! But a neighbor came: "Oh, my friends found me for 70 thousand." Peace and sleep were gone, the woman found some irregularities on the cabinets and returned the furniture to the store. I would not advise thinking that quality products can be cheap.

Direct speech

Mikhail Chubirko, Deputy Head Physician of the FGUZ "Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology in the Voronezh Region":

For 20 years of the Federal Law "On Protection of Consumer Rights" we have not understood that we are obliged to know our own and other people's rights, to be careful when buying and not to make them impulsively. A few years ago, we investigated the living conditions in the apartments of Rospotrebnadzor employees - seemingly savvy people. But they also bought furniture without looking at the documents! In 70 per cent of cases, the MPC for formaldehyde or ammonia was exceeded in the atmosphere of dwellings. Insignificantly, twice a time - but for months and years this could lead to chronic poisoning. Sometimes it is not the furniture that is to blame, but its misuse or related materials. I know a case when a super-fashionable parquet made of African woods, lined with figures of exotic animals, was pasted on cheap mastic, which became a source of harmful substances. In case of acute poisoning, compensation from the manufacturer of furniture or materials can only be achieved through the courts, but the examination must prove that the toxic discharge came from there.

Purchase according to the rules

Each piece of furniture must be marked: name, functional purpose (kitchen, children's, bedroom), manufacturing standard (GOST, OST), characteristics of materials (including finishing), manufacturer's address.

If the product is purchased to order, this information is indicated in the contract - along with the terms and conditions of delivery, warranty obligations and liability of the parties. Make sure that the seller does not underestimate the penalty for late delivery, does not exclude the possibility of unilateral refusal to conclude the contract. Also, samples of materials (fabric, wood) and a sketch should be attached to the contract: if finished products will be different from the selected one, you can refuse it. Keep the original document at least until the warranty expires. If asked to provide it - give a copy (if necessary - notarized).

When buying finished furniture, the sales receipt should contain not only the name and date of sale of the goods, but also a list of all elements of the headset, with articles and prices, with the date of sale and the stamp of the store, with manufacturer's warranty obligations. In addition, a declaration of conformity to the standard is attached to the furniture (for children - a certificate of conformity to GOST), a sanitary and epidemiological conclusion on the materials used and instructions for use: what should be the temperature and humidity in the room so that the products retain their presentation and safety.

Having found defects, make a claim in two copies to the management of the organization. Have the person who receives the document from you date and sign your copy. From that date, the warranty period will begin.

Furniture forums are full of messages from outraged buyers complaining about the smell of new chipboard furniture, which has not disappeared “for a week now”; “harmful formaldehyde is to blame for everything,” say the most knowledgeable. Let's try to figure out what's going on.

Indeed, any New furniture retains industrial odors for some time after assembly. There is no escape from this. It is necessary to ventilate the room daily and do wet cleaning.

Now help:

"Formaldehyde in pure officially recognized as a carcinogen - that is, a toxic substance that can cause cancer. It is a colorless and strongly smelling gas. Formaldehyde has an irritating effect on the respiratory organs (on the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, larynx), skin and central nervous system. Its high concentrations can cause asthma attacks.

Formaldehyde is used not only in the production of chipboard, but also in the production of paints and varnishes, plastics, adhesives, it is contained in many natural materials, in vehicle exhausts, and even in some food products. In high concentrations, evaporation is really extremely dangerous for human health.”

Scary?!)) Me too. After all, I have been working with furniture for many years :)) But what is it really?

Of course, furniture made of chipboard (laminated chipboard) is budget-class furniture. Cost is the main advantage of this material. The advantages include a wide range of sizes, a wealth of choice of exterior finishes, ease of processing, shock and moisture resistance, high compressive strength and bending. Of the minuses - the inability to use various methods of figured processing, including milling and complex parts; undesirable use by allergy sufferers and people with respiratory diseases; sharp impact edges.

The basis of production is chipboard, which can be of various densities - single-layer, three-layer (on the outer layers, the fraction is smaller than inside) and multi-layer (the size of sawdust decreases in layers from the middle to the surfaces). The binding component of wood shavings in it is glue, which includes urea-formaldehyde or phenol-formaldehyde resins. Next, the plate is covered with laminate, and the ends are fed with melamine or PVC edge, which prevent the evaporation of harmful substances.

Furniture made of high-quality laminated chipboard practically does not smell. A slight smell of natural wood is possible.

In addition, the state and supervisory services impose high safety requirements on products widely used in everyday life and construction. Therefore, like any product, chipboard is labeled in accordance with the past selection and division into grades. The first category includes products that meet all the requirements for the quality of raw materials, resistance to stress, etc. Chipboard with lower parameters and defects on the front part already belongs to the second class and is most often sent to the construction industry.

The products of many leading Russian chipboard manufacturers comply with European standards, and these enterprises are constantly working to improve environmental performance.

The safest material is considered to be class E-1 (up to 10 mg of formaldehyde per 100 g of absolutely dry wood board).

Data on the quality of the material used can be found in the hygiene certificate (certificate of quality that is attached to any furniture product) - the seller will provide it upon your request.

Material with a minimum value and all-round cladding can be used for the release of a children's or hospital environment.

Summarize:

It is necessary to distinguish between the concepts of chipboard and chipboard. Chipboard is a plate hermetically sealed on all sides, the finish of which prevents the release of harmful substances. It is from it that economy-class furniture is made. Pay attention to the quality of the edge, the absence of chips and open areas of chipboard. After purchase, follow the recommendations that help preserve the protective layer of laminated chipboard: protect furniture from frequent and excessive moisture, maintain a certain level of moisture in the room for such furniture. temperature regime(in the range from -1 to +30 degrees Celsius), in case of mechanical damage, restore the properties with wax.
Formaldehyde is harmful in its pure form, and in the glue that is used in the manufacture of furniture, it is only integral part. So, everyone's favorite plastic used in everyday life gives large quantity formaldehyde fumes.
Formaldehyde is a gas and is only harmful in high concentrations. Under the influence of high (over +45) temperature, formaldehyde is activated, so you should not put furniture made of laminated chipboard close to heating appliances. And regular ventilation of the premises will save you from the problem of accumulation of fumes.

It turns out that the devil is not as scary as he is painted!

In any case, you should not save on your health and it is better to choose furniture from a higher quality laminated chipboard from a trusted manufacturer. In the salons of Spartak, a huge amount of just such furniture is presented - which has passed a tough competitive selection. Consultants will provide you with all the necessary information about the properties and quality of furniture from our suppliers, and the prices, I am sure, will pleasantly surprise you. Happy shopping!

Harmful production factors furniture production in accordance with GOST 12.0.003-74 are given in table 39.

Table 39 - Harmful production factors of furniture production

Factor name	MPC or PDU	duration per shift
Physical
1 Enhanced Level gas contamination: isocyanate butyl acetate cyclohexanone methyl ethyl ketone 2 Increased dust level: wood dust paint dust 3 Low light 4 Unsatisfactory meteorological conditions: during the cold season during the warm period	t from 15 to 71 °С W no more than 75% Vv not more than 0.4 m/s t from 16 to 27 °С W no more than 70% Vv from 0.2 to 0.3 m/s
Chemical
1 Irritant effect of solvents
Psychophysiological
1 Stressful situations 2 Monotony of work 3 Physical overload 4 Overvoltage analyzers 5 Mental overload	Depending on the individual capabilities of employees

Measures for industrial sanitation

Respiratory protection. Controlling the content of harmful substances in the air working area must be carried out in accordance with the requirements of GOST 12.1.005-88, GN 2.25.686-98.

To reduce dust pollution, the following measures are proposed:

Installing receivers exhaust ventilation(exhaust hoods) above the equipment;

Cleaning with a wet method that does not allow dusting, at least once a shift;

Periodic cleaning of windows, walls, ceilings, heaters, equipment from settled dust using vacuum mobile dust collection systems;

The use of personal protective equipment: respirators, dust masks "Petal", "Astra", universal respirators from gas and dust vapors RU-60, F-46, ShF-2, overalls.

Eye protection. In accordance with SNiP 23-05-95, the category of visual work in furniture shop determined by the average accuracy of the IV century. With a given category of visual work with a system combined lighting illumination is 400 lux, including 200 lux from general illumination.

In accordance with the requirements of GOST 12.1.019-79, lighting fixtures in finishing areas must be explosion-proof.

To protect the eyes from the harmful effects of gases, vapors, dust, it is recommended to use hermetic goggles with a rubber half mask.

Protecting the body of workers from thermal imbalance. The category of work in the furniture shop is defined as moderate 2b. For this category of work, according to GOST 12.1.005-88, permissible and optimal conditions microclimate are given in table 40.

Table 40 - Permissible and optimal microclimate conditions

To match the actual indicators with the normative ones, a centralized water heating. To prevent air cooling in the workshops, air thermal curtains. Also, normal working conditions are ensured by properly working general exchange supply and exhaust ventilation.

Rational organization of work and rest. The company has an eight-hour working day. To reduce the severity of work and improve working conditions, every two hours of work, ten-minute breaks and one hour of lunch are provided.

Eco-furniture Furniture made from environmentally friendly natural materials(wood, stone, glass, leather, bamboo) that do not contain toxic substances harmful to human health.

Harm

Harmful substances in furniture

Almost all wood furniture sets, including solid wood, can emit significant amounts of free formaldehyde in the living areas of homes. Typical materials used in making furniture include chipboard, MDF (fibreboard) and plywood, which use formaldehyde resins in their production. For wooden products these resins are used as internal adhesives.

Phenol is extremely toxic. It is very quickly absorbed by the skin, through the upper respiratory tract it easily penetrates into the human body and its gastrointestinal tract. Phenol is concentrated in the liver and kidneys. It destroys the immune system, irritates the mucous membrane of the mouth, nasopharynx, upper respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract. Such exposure leads to a runny nose, dizziness, headaches, insomnia, vomiting, shortness of breath.

Inhalation of phenol causes severe irritation of the mucous membranes, its contact with the skin causes burns, and chronic poisoning leads to damage to the liver and kidneys, subsequently to a pathogenic change in the blood.

Most of the wooden furniture sold is made from wood-based materials using urea-formaldehyde resins. They are especially noticeable where fiberboard and chipboard are used - which are the main materials on which plywood or veneer is applied (or, in the case of inexpensive furniture, paper or plastic-based laminates).

Almost all wood composite materials are created by hot pressing of prepared waste. The binder in this process, as a rule, is a phenol-formaldehyde alcohol-soluble resin, which tends to subsequently release into free form formaldehyde, which doctors call a "chronic toxin". This volatile substance can adversely affect human health.

Formaldehyde vapors irritate the mucous membranes of the eyes and upper respiratory tract (nose and throat), have a harmful effect on the skin and all kinds of allergic reactions. Prolonged inhalation of its fumes can lead to:

headaches
insomnia
Atypical fatigue
depression
asthma

Due to formaldehyde poisoning, the following symptoms appear:

Mucous watery discharge from the nose
Irritation and infection of the sinuses
Bleeding from the nose
Cough and salivation
Sore throat
A rash appears
Nausea
Dizziness
Diarrhea
Chest pain and abdominal pain
Menstrual irregularities
unnatural thirst

In most apartments, the level of formaldehyde exceeds the norm - instead of the prescribed 0.04-0.06 ppm, its indicators are 0.07-0.09 ppm. Only bathroom or kitchen furniture can raise the level of formaldehyde in a living space to 0.10 ppm or more, especially if it is new.

Benefit

Environmentally friendly furniture

In the manufacture of environmentally friendly furniture, only natural wood (pine, beech, ash, birch, oak) and environmentally friendly PVA-based glue are used.

The production of eco-friendly furniture from natural wood is accompanied by high-quality wood processing.

Upholstery options for natural, non-electrifying textile fabrics - organic cotton, bamboo, linen, silk, soy. When growing them, pesticides and other chemicals are not used. The production of environmentally friendly materials of this textile must be certified by OEKO-TEX, Organic Exchange or GOTS, confirming that the material does not use harmful chemicals and azo dyes.

Leather upholstered furniture, painted with eco-friendly paints, lasts the longest.

Cork is a fairly demanded today, light and pleasant to the touch environmentally friendly material. Used for floors and walls. It perfectly absorbs noise, which is especially important for a child's room. Unlike wood cork does not rot, and also does not burn, without releasing substances hazardous to health into the air.

You can lay a mat (matting) on the floor. It is woven from environmentally friendly natural materials- from cane, flax, coconut fiber. The mat not only protects the floor, but also improves the microclimate in the room.

From natural stone make a countertop in the kitchen, which is very practical, but quite expensive. The most common materials are marble and granite. Onyx, travertine, slate, limestone are less common.

Also, ordinary ceramic or fashionable glass tiles or mosaics are environmentally friendly.

Eco-friendly materials for furniture

To protect yourself from harmful effects chemical substances that evaporates harmful furniture, carefully inspect all your furniture - all scratches and cracks noticed on it must be covered with PVA glue, or furniture varnish, polish or paint. Ventilate the rooms where the chipboard furniture is located more often. Disperse chipboard furniture so that it does not accumulate in one place - this can reduce the concentration of toxic substances in the atmosphere of the home.

In order to save money, unscrupulous manufacturers leave chipboard open in areas invisible to the eye (the bottom of countertops, internal partitions near cabinets, the inside of bedside tables, etc.). Manufacturers who care about the health of their customers must cover all surfaces and edges of chipboard with a protective film or veneer, and all drilled holes sealed, which at least partially protects against harmful fumes.

When choosing furniture made of chipboard, fiberboard or MDF, make sure that the veneer evenly and tightly covers the furniture around the entire perimeter. But even the highest quality chipboard tables and cabinets can crack and chip on the surface over time. Chipboard emits poisons for a very long time - at least 10-15 years. MDF furniture is considered safer. MDF is more expensive than chipboard by about 13-15%.

Formaldehyde is found not only in wood, but also in plastic furniture. Furniture made from plywood and solid wood, or entirely from solid wood, can also be a significant source of formaldehyde. In this case, they are used in the manufacture of oxidizing finishing (paint and varnish, etc.) materials containing urea-formaldehydes that are actively released into the environment, especially during the first six months after application. Once the bulk of the volatile formaldehyde has been released (typically a 50 percent or more reduction), indoor levels may be only a fraction of what they were when these products were new.

Natural wood furniture solid wood 10-25% more expensive than MDF (including due to the labor intensity of production and the complexity of processing). In most types of wood, the natural content of formaldehyde is only slightly lower than in chipboard, but in some varieties it reaches up to 12 mg100g. In the production of solid wood furniture parts, glue, varnishes and stains are used, all of these materials contain formaldehyde, phenol and other chemicals.

Thus, the statement that natural wood furniture is absolutely environmentally friendly is not entirely true. Even solid wood furniture is a source of formaldehyde (it completely disappears only after 7-12 years). Although a significant decrease is expected, the problem does not disappear, as one might think. Significant continuous release of formaldehyde can occur as the polymer resin undergoes hydrolytic degradation. For this reason, the release of free formaldehyde from products with formaldehyde resins can occur for an indefinite period.

Many consumers believe that wood furniture is completely environmentally friendly and safe, but if natural wood processing technologies (alder, pine, etc.) are not followed, the quality of such boards leaves much to be desired, despite the natural origin. In this case, an alternative option for eco-furniture can be the manufacture of furniture boards yourself from wood (pine, beech, alder, birch, oak, etc.).

It can be concluded that in terms of environmental safety, MDF or chipboard furniture does not differ significantly from solid wood furniture, and is much cheaper at a price. The main difference is in what "emission class" of free formaldehyde they belong to. Chipboard and MDF have the same mechanical strength with natural wood. MDF can even surpass it in some mechanical properties, and retains its shape better in terms of variable humidity than solid wood products.

The ideal emission class for eco-furniture in terms of formaldehyde emission is considered to be zero (E0), but such furniture is difficult to find. A one (E1) is acceptable, a two (E2) is average, and a three (E3) is unhealthy.

When buying upholstered furniture, avoid products on foam rubber - over time, it decomposes, which leads to the release of harmful substances.

When buying eco-furniture, give preference to upholstery made from natural, non-electric fabrics.

Today, environmentally friendly furniture is quite difficult to find, but more and more people are doing eco-repair and are interested in materials that are safe for health, although the prices for eco-friendly furniture are an order of magnitude higher than for mass low-quality furniture that emits toxic toxic substances.

Probably there is not a single person who has not encountered chipboard at least once. This material is used in various fields (construction, finishing and decorative work), it is used to produce furniture for the medium and economy segments, and much more. Due to its special composition, it is often considered unreliable and unsafe materials. But how harmful is chipboard to health? Let's try to figure it out.

What is chipboard. Characteristics and features

Chipboard is a composite made from a mixture of sawdust and thermosetting resins. The raw mass goes through several stages of production and is pressed under pressure in a hot way. After cooling, it is cut into plates of various sizes.

According to the density, chipboard is distinguished:

extra small indicators - 350-450 kg / cu. m., (production of furniture cases, heat and noise insulation);
small - 450-650 kg / cu. m., (manufacturing of facades by the frame method and repair of buildings, rough coatings);
medium level - 650-750 kg / cu. m.;
high degree - 700-800 kg / cu. m., (used for roofing, foundation work, production of large-format furniture).

The structure of the chipboard may vary depending on the purpose. These are single-layer slabs, three-layer (on the outer layers the fraction is smaller than inside) and multi-layer (the size of sawdust decreases in layers from the middle to the surfaces).

According to the degree of moisture resistance, we can distinguish:

ordinary plates that can withstand an average air humidity in the range of 30-50%;
Moisture-resistant, containing polymer or paraffin additives, which makes it possible to use the material at humidity up to 80%.

An important fact: like any product, chipboard is labeled in accordance with the past selection and division into grades. The first category includes products that meet all the requirements for the quality of raw materials, resistance to stress, etc. Chipboard with lower parameters and defects on the front part already belongs to the second class and is most often sent to the construction industry.

Advantages of chipboard:

High compressive and flexural strength. Fasteners are perfectly kept in the plates;
Ease of processing, including external finishing. Coloring, varnishing, lamination, veneering, etc. are allowed;
Shock and moisture resistance;
Wide size range. The length of the material varies from 1.8 to 5.6 m, width - 0.4 to 2.5 m, and thickness - from 3 mm to 40 mm.
Low price.

Of the minuses, we note:

The impossibility of using various methods of figured processing, including milling, complex parts, etc.;
Sharp edges. Paradoxical as it may seem, but chipboard furniture is almost always traumatic, as a rare manufacturer tries to round the edges or process it with a soft U-shaped edge tape;
The second time, the hardware is very difficult to install in the body of the plate. It will be necessary to use adhesive mixtures such as "cold welding", epoxy plastic masses;
Constant release of toxic volatile compounds (formaldehyde and others). When a certain concentration (maximum content) is reached, they can cause negative consequences for the body. This is typical for second-rate material.

It is the last minus that makes one wonder if chipboard causes harm to others, and whether it is dangerous for health to buy furniture from it, to clad walls, floors, ceilings.

The harmfulness of chipboard: myth or reality

The state and supervisory services impose high safety requirements on products widely used in everyday life and construction. Furniture, decoration and other household items should be made from materials that are safe for the population.

What does this have to do with chipboard? The most direct. In the production of boards, melamine, urea-formaldehyde or phenol-formaldehyde resins are used as a binder. As a result of certain reactions, the chipboard almost constantly emits a volatile compound that is poisonous to humans - formaldehyde.

Its harm does not even need to be proven once again - it is officially recognized as a carcinogen, which, with constant exposure at a certain concentration (percentage in the air), can cause various disorders, poisoning, diseases, including by no means harmless dermatitis and dangerous cancer.

However, it will not be possible to completely get rid of this incredibly harmful substance. Even wooden furniture or the finish contains a certain amount of bound compounds of formaldehyde, phenol, benzene, what can we say about the plastic we love so much, used in all areas - from household appliances to constantly used dishes.

According to Russian and European legislation, the maximum permissible content of formaldehyde in the air for chipboard boards is determined by the emission class:

E1 - no more than 8 mg per 100 g. dry chipboard inclusive;
E2 - up to 30 mg inclusive.

These indicators depend not only on the quality of raw materials, but also on external processing. Harm can be significantly reduced if the emission area is reduced. To do this, it is enough to veneer the sheet with a laminated film on all sides, and trim the ends with an edge tape.

From plates of the first category, furniture is produced for the residential sector, commercial and other institutions. Material with a minimum value and all-round cladding can be used for the release of a children's or hospital environment.

Slabs of the second class without external finishing are allowed to be used only in repairs for decorative and finishing cladding. Otherwise, the harm of second-rate material is manifested in a deterioration in well-being, the appearance of headaches, asthma attacks, signs of poisoning and other consequences.

Chipboard factories are well aware of this, so the assortment always includes products with different emission classes. Another thing is that economy-class furniture manufacturers do not always use the appropriate raw materials in the manufacture of their products. But it's easy to check:

Carefully inspect the surface and edges of the furniture - if the film bubbles and the ends are not closed, then most likely the lining is homemade, not factory, therefore, plates that do not meet the standards were used;
After unpacking, pay attention to the smell. The sharp, literally knocking down "plastic" smell of formaldehyde indicates the low quality of the chipboard used;
Ask about certificates. There is nothing wrong with asking the supplier for a sanitary and hygienic certificate, on the reverse side of which the normative and practical release of formaldehyde compounds must be indicated, as well as the period of testing and the validity of the certificate.

The harm of formaldehyde resins has been proven, but this does not mean that chipboard should be completely abandoned. It is enough to take a responsible approach to the choice of products made from wood-shaving materials and not save on your own health.