5 Ways to Reduce Your Exposure to Formaldehyde

One of the toxic chemicals that is known for it’s strong smell is Formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde is a colorless but strong-smelling chemical used to manufacture household products and building materials.

Other uses of formaldehyde are as a preservative in mortuaries, industrial disinfectant, and paper coating products.

What makes it toxic and what are its adverse effects on our health?

Let’s find out.

The Dangers of Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde poses danger to health in a number of ways. Its presence in the air exceeding 0.1 parts per million can cause watery eyes, burning sensation in the throat, nose, and eyes, nausea, coughing, and skin irritation.

While formaldehyde may cause serious health conditions in some people, it might not affect others as such at the same level of exposure.

Formaldehyde is also thought of as a potential carcinogen. In November 2016 the Obama Administration categorized it as a carcinogen.

Reports by the International Agency for Research on Cancer have warned about formaldehyde being a cause of leukemia in animals and nasal cancer in humans.