Which furniture is less hazardous to health. Symptoms of formaldehyde poisoning: from furniture, appliances, building materials

The production of furniture includes operations, performing which the worker exposes his health to harmful factors. These are jobs performed by professions:

· typesetter of facing materials for furniture employed in works with the use of synthetic adhesives containing phenol, formaldehyde, formalin and urea;

· veneer of furniture parts, engaged in veneering parts in hydraulic presses using synthetic adhesives;

· a preparer of padding and flooring materials, employed in work with polyurethane foam and other synthetic padding materials;

· Apparatus for the production of adhesive thread;

· manufacturer of products made of foaming materials;

· the operator of drying installations, engaged in drying stuffing materials;

· Workers involved in soldering, gluing, welding products from PVC film.

Therefore, such workers employed in heavy and hazardous industries are provided with certain benefits and compensations by the labor legislation. These include various types of additional cash payments, additional vacations, the issuance of free meals, work clothes, and so on.

The list of industries, shops, professions and positions with harmful working conditions, giving the right to additional leave and approved by the Decree of the USSR State Labor Committee, the Presidium of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions of October 25, 1974 No. 298 / P-22. Decree of the USSR State Committee for Labor, All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions dated November 21, 1975 No. 273 / P-20 approved instructions on the procedure for applying the list of production shops, professions and positions with harmful working conditions, work in which gives the right to additional leave and a shorter working day.

In accordance with Article 146 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, remuneration for labor of workers engaged in heavy work, work with harmful, dangerous and other special working conditions is made at an increased rate.

In accordance with Article 147 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, remuneration for labor of workers engaged in heavy work, work with harmful and (or) dangerous and other special working conditions is set at an increased rate in comparison with tariff rates, salaries (official salaries) established for various types of works with normal working conditions, but not below the size established by labor legislation and other regulatory legal acts containing labor law norms.

The minimum wage increases for employees engaged in heavy work, work with harmful and (or) dangerous and other special working conditions, and the conditions for the said increase are established in the manner determined by the Government of the Russian Federation, taking into account the opinion of the Russian tripartite commission for the regulation of social and labor relations.

Article 219 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation determines that the amount of compensation to employees engaged in heavy work, work with harmful and (or) dangerous working conditions, and the conditions for their provision are established in the manner determined by the Government of the Russian Federation, taking into account the opinion of the Russian tripartite commission for the regulation of social labor relations.

Until the Government has established the amount of compensation, production organizations have the right to be guided by the industry lists of the indicated works, approved by the Decrees of the USSR State Committee for Labor and the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions.

The standard regulation on the assessment of working conditions at workplaces and the procedure for applying sectoral lists of jobs where additional payments to workers for working conditions can be established was approved by the Decree of the USSR State Committee for Labor and the Secretariat of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions dated October 3, 1986 No. assessment of working conditions at workplaces and the procedure for applying sectoral lists of jobs where additional payments to workers for working conditions can be established.

Increased or additional compensation for hard work with harmful and (or) dangerous working conditions may be established by a collective agreement, a normative act, taking into account the financial and economic situation of the employer (Article 219 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation).

The specific amounts of additional payments are determined on the basis of attestation of workplaces and an assessment of working conditions at them in accordance with the Model Regulations approved by Decree No. 387 / 22-78.

Note!

With regard to the taxation of personal income tax and unified social tax of these amounts, we note the following. So employees of the financial department believe that if an organization makes additional payments to employees for difficult and harmful working conditions, then such payments increase the amount of remuneration for workers employed in work with harmful working conditions, as provided for in Article 147 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, that is, they are equated to the amounts for wages. Therefore, the calculation of personal income tax and UST is carried out in the usual manner (Letter of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation dated October 24, 2006 No. 03-05-02-04 / 166).

Employees associated with difficult and harmful working conditions in accordance with the provisions of Article 117 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation are annually provided with additional holidays.

Note that Decree No. 298 / P-22 contains a list of employees involved in the manufacture of furniture who are granted additional leave.

Furniture production belongs to the woodworking industry. An employee engaged in hazardous production, depending on the profession, may be granted additional leave in the amount of 6 to 18 days.

In accordance with Article 116 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, annual additional paid holidays are granted to employees employed in jobs with harmful and (or) dangerous working conditions, employees with a special nature of work, employees with irregular working hours, employees working in the Far North and equated to localities, as well as in other cases provided for by the Labor Code of the Russian Federation and other federal laws.

Article 117 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation defines the procedure for granting additional annual leave to employees employed in work with harmful and (or) dangerous working conditions.

Article 120 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation establishes that additional (as well as basic) holidays are calculated in calendar days. In Resolution No. 298 / P-22, the number of days is set in working days. To get rid of this "discrepancy", the organization should indicate in the collective agreement how many calendar days correspond to working days.

For more information on the issues related to the accrual of vacation pay and the procedure for their payment, you can find in the book of the authors of CJSC "BKR INTERCOM-AUDIT" "Vacations".

Payment for additional leave for profit tax purposes in accordance with paragraph 7 of Article 255 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation is included in labor costs. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that for the purposes of Chapter 25 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, the cost of additional leave can be taken into account in taxation only if the leave provided to the employee by the employer does not exceed the period provided for in Decree No. 298 / P-22. If the duration of the additional leave exceeds the specified norms, then the employer organization must attribute the payment for "excessive" days to expenses that do not reduce taxable profit (clause 24 of article 270 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation). A similar position is shared by employees of the financial department (Letter of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation dated December 20, 2006 No. 03-03-04 / 1/846).

When concluding with an employee, the employer has certain obligations in relation to this employee, that is, he must ensure safe working conditions and labor protection. One of these duties is to provide the employee with special clothing and personal protective equipment. According to Article 212 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, the employer is obliged to ensure the purchase and issue at his own expense of certified special clothing, special footwear and other personal protective equipment, flushing and neutralizing agents in accordance with established standards to employees employed in work with harmful and (or) dangerous working conditions , as well as in work performed in special temperature conditions or associated with pollution.

The rules for providing workers with special equipment were approved by Resolution No. 51.

Lists of professions, names and norms of issued overalls are established by the following documents:

Decree of the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation dated December 16, 1997 No. 63 “On approval of standard industry norms for the free issue of special clothing, special footwear and other personal protective equipment to employees”;

Decree of the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation dated December 25, 1997 No. 66 “On approval of standard industry norms for the free issue of special clothing, special footwear and other personal protective equipment to employees”;

Decree of the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation of December 29, 1997 No. 68 “On approval of standard industry norms for the free issue of special clothing, special footwear and other personal protective equipment to employees”;

Decree of the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation dated December 30, 1997 No. 69 “On approval of standard norms for the free issue of special clothing, special footwear and other personal protective equipment to workers in cross-cutting professions and positions in all sectors of the economy”;

Decree of the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation dated July 22, 1999 No. 26 “On approval of standard industry norms for the free issue of special clothing, special footwear and other personal protective equipment for workers in chemical industries”;

Decree of the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation dated August 30, 2000 No. 63 “On approval of standard industry norms for the free issue of special clothing, special footwear and other personal protective equipment to bank employees”;

Near other regulatory documents.

Note!

The provision by the employer of free overalls and footwear and other personal protective equipment, washing and disinfecting agents, is precisely compensation payments related to the performance of work duties by the employee. And the amounts of compensation payments in accordance with the tax legislation of the Russian Federation are not subject to personal income tax (Article 217 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation) and UST (Article 238 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation) (Letter of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation dated April 18, 2006 No. 03-05-01-04 / 91) .

In addition, in accordance with paragraph 2 of Article 10 of the Federal Law of December 15, 2001 No. 167-FZ "On Compulsory Pension Insurance in the Russian Federation", these amounts are not charged for compulsory pension insurance.

Learn more about questions related to accounting and taxation in organizations engaged in the production of furniture, as well as in organizations trading in furniture production, you can find in the book of the authors of CJSC "BKR-INTERCOM-AUDIT" "Furniture from production to write-off".

Chipboard is the most popular material in the production of modern cabinet furniture. To determine how harmful chipboard furniture can be, you need to know the physical properties of the components. In the production of plates, synthetic additives of non-mineral origin are used. The general parameters of quality and technology for the manufacture of chipboard, plywood, MDF have been established. In the production process, wood waste and binders, glue based on urea or phenolic resins are used.

Signs of quality chipboard

The content of resins in the composition of chipboards is from 6 to 8%. During operation, the resins emit toxic compounds that pose a danger to human health. There are 2 classes of resin emission: E1 and E2. It is not allowed to manufacture products for children using elements of class E2.

Qualitative characteristics that you need to pay attention to: the presence of a pungent odor, compaction density, color, internal structure at the attachment points.

Products using chipboard are subject to mandatory certification in accordance with GOST R. Imported chipboard must have a package of documents: specification, passport, manufacturer's ISO 9001:2000 certificate, test reports, GOST R certificates. Domestic ones are certified according to technical specifications.

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Sanitary standards

The main harmful element in particle boards is resin. Sanitary standards allow the presence of formaldehyde not more than 10 mg per 100 g of dry matter for class E1, 30 mg for class E2, 60 mg for E3. Accordingly, the lower the amount of resin, the higher the quality of the furniture. European standards are more stringent and allow formaldehyde content of no more than 8 mg for class E1, no more than 6 mg for class E2.

The lower the resin content in the board, the higher its cost. The content of harmful substances in the amount of 10 mg is considered safe if all surfaces of the parts are treated with a film, edging material. Under the influence of heat, the evaporation of harmful substances into the environment occurs. Products for the home must be made using a material of class not lower than E1. When buying a product, ask the seller for documents confirming the quality class of the product.

The danger lies in the fact that resins emit harmful substances for 14 years, more intensively in the first 1.5 years. Therefore, furniture is recommended to be installed away from batteries and heating appliances. It is not recommended to insulate floors with the use of particle boards. MDF furniture is of higher quality and safer. As a binding element in such plates, paraffin and lignin are used, which are harmless to humans. MDF furniture includes more complex technological elements.

Of chipboard, it is still quite popular, although it has more practical substitutes, it is inexpensive and this attracts buyers. The health risks of chipboard were recognized by the World Health Organization back in 1985. Manufacturers and sellers of chipboards have an opposite opinion: they insist that this decision was politicized and has no evidence base.

Chipboard - chipboard. Chipboard - a similar plate, only laminated.

Like MDF, chipboard is dangerous with potential formaldehyde emissions. This substance is officially recognized as a carcinogen. Studies have shown that excess formaldehyde in the environment can cause cancer. The fiberboard material has the same problem.

The fact is that the composition of chipboard is chips and glued together with resin, which releases a dangerous carcinogen. The environmental friendliness of chipboard is constantly being improved by prohibiting hazardous types of resins for gluing. Non-certified plates, which are made in semi-legal workshops, are recognized as especially dangerous. From low-quality products, formaldehyde can be released up to 10 years.

In order to protect the consumer from negative effects on the body, manufacturers cover the plates:

KDSP (Laminated): paperless coating method, lacquer (melamine) is applied.
Chipboard (Laminated): a method of applying plastic to wood.
The coating really makes sense if it does not have the slightest damage. If you see mechanical damage on laminated furniture, then you need to immediately eliminate them. Especially relevant is the problem for the furniture of children's rooms.

Experts note a sharp deterioration in the health status of people with asthma. Formaldehyde, which is part of the chipboard, causes irreparable harm to the respiratory organs (nose, nasopharynx, larynx). a negative effect on the skin and nervous system of a person was noted.

Table of the harmful effects of formaldehyde, which is part of the chipboard:

Defeat Concentration of formaldehyde, ppm
No effect Up to 0.05
Neurophysiological effect 0.05-1.5
Smell threshold 0.05-1.0
Headache, eyes begin to tear 0.01-2.0
Nausea, respiratory irritation 0.1-25
Nausea, vomiting, irritation of the lower respiratory organs 5-30
Pulmonary edema 50-100
Death Over 100

How to protect yourself from harm

The harmful properties of chipboard can be reduced by covering all mechanical damage with resistant material. If the furniture is not sufficiently protected, you will definitely feel the characteristic smell of formaldehyde. You need to be wary even if the smell is pleasant to the nose.

When buying, ask the seller for a product certificate. Be sure to pay attention to the class, choose only a product with class E-1, in which the permissible value of formaldehyde vapor is the lowest.

After a week of using such furniture at home, you can no longer feel the smell. However, if after this time a strong smell is felt, you should immediately contact the seller and, if possible, return the purchased product.

Pros of using

We doubt that any of the advantages that we describe are capable of making a person still risk health. However, some of the advantages include:

Moisture resistance.
Low price.
Ease of handling and application.
We strongly do not recommend buying furniture made of chipboard. In our opinion, products made from this material can only be used outdoors.

We try to defend ourselves

According to experts, formaldehyde can be released for up to 14 years. The most active discharges occur in the first 2 years. We strongly advise against placing furniture close to heaters. Chipboard furniture is harmful to health even without heating, and with an increased temperature of its environment, the harm can increase significantly.

Despite the fact that according to GOST, up to 10 mg of formaldehyde per 100 grams of dry weight of the material is allowed, choose class E1 boards. In this class of products, up to 8 mg of a carcinogen is allowed. Carefully check the corners of your furniture for damage, if any, cover them with insulating materials.

If you see an E2 type marking on furniture, remove it from your apartment immediately. This marking means that the furniture cannot be used in residential areas. The manufacture of such items is illegal.

findings

If you have already decided to buy furniture using chipboard technology, cooperate only with large companies. Usually, high-quality certified products are hard to find in small provincial warehouse stores. If your financial situation allows you, you should not save on health, natural furniture is much safer.

Many people who buy new furniture or plan to renovate an apartment are faced with such a thing as formaldehyde. It turns out that this colorless gas can be released into the air for years and adversely affect health. What is the source of formaldehyde and how dangerous it is, we will consider in this article.

Brief description of the substance

Formaldehyde (methanal, formic aldehyde) is a colorless, toxic, highly soluble gas with a pungent odor, hazard class 1 in water, polar solvents and alcohols. An aqueous solution of formaldehyde stabilized with urea is used in the furniture and woodworking industries in the production of chipboard and other "plywood" materials. It is used in the manufacture of thermoplastic polymers and in industrial organic synthesis. It is widely used in light industry, medicine, cosmetology, agriculture. It is characterized by good antiseptic, bactericidal, tannic and preservative properties.

• The maximum single maximum allowable concentration (MPC) of formaldehyde (Russia) is 0.05 mg/m³;
• The average daily MPC (Russia) is 0.01 mg/m³;
• MPC substances in the air of residential premises (European countries): 120 μg / m 3;
• Odor threshold: 0.07-0.2 mg/m 3 ;
• The threshold of the reflex response of the animal organism: 0.04-0.098 mg/m 3 ;
• Threshold of irritant effect on the mucous membrane of human vision: 0.012 mg/m 3 .

Human danger

Formaldehyde is a major air pollutant. It accumulates in the human body and is very difficult to remove from it. The most dangerous is the long-term effect of the substance on the body, in which it has allergenic, mutagenic and carcinogenic effects. Clinical manifestations can develop in a different period of time, which largely depends on the state of immunity. For some it's months, for others it's years. Children, the elderly and people suffering from chronic diseases are prone to strong negative influences.

• It has a pronounced toxicity and adversely affects the reproductive organs and genetic material. The danger as a mutagen lies in the fact that the substance not only leads to the development of somatic mutations, but also the body itself accumulates these mutations and subsequently they are transmitted to offspring.
• Poisons the lungs, irritates the respiratory tract and makes breathing difficult. It can cause asthma and provoke asthmatic attacks.
• Irritates the eyes and skin, provokes the development of neurotic eczema.
• Causes the development of gastrointestinal ulcers, damage to the kidneys and liver, leads to unreasonable weight loss.
• It has a pronounced negative effect on the central nervous system: it causes fatigue, headaches, depression, depression. It impairs performance and general well-being.

Listed as a carcinogen. An international cancer risk assessment agency has proven that formaldehyde, which is used in the production of plastics, resins, paints and varnishes, textiles, as well as a preservative and disinfectant, is associated with an increased risk of oncological neoplasms of the nasopharynx.

Sources of formaldehyde emission in everyday life

Our houses and apartments, which are a place for rest of the soul and body, we ourselves or the hands of negligent builders and workers can turn into a real chemical laboratory! In addition to dangerous formaldehyde, phenol, toluene, xylene, benzene, styrene, etc. can be in the air of residential premises. If elementary ventilation is neglected, the concentration of harmful chemicals can double in just a day.

According to WHO statistics, the air in urban residential areas is 4-6 times dirtier than on the street, and the main contribution to the chemical "bouquet" is made by finishing and building materials and furniture.

Formaldehyde vapor is a combustion product of organic substances that are present in:

• car exhaust gases (therefore, excesses are more often recorded in apartments of houses located along major transport routes);
• smog;
• tobacco smoke, including from electronic cigarettes;
• fumes from fireplaces, gas stoves.

Chemical vapors evaporate into the air from building materials:

• Chipboard, fiberboard, FRP, from which the prevailing amount of modern furniture is produced. Plates impregnated with urea-formaldehyde and phenol-formaldehyde resins (which make up 6-18% of the total mass of the material) are the main building material - a source of formaldehyde in the house. For those who do not know the smell of formaldehyde, there is an easy way to “get to know it” - go to the point where they sell chipboard in the market and sniff the plates;
• MDF, OSB, plywood with phenol-formaldehyde resins in the composition, used for interior decoration and insulation of residential buildings;
• adhesives, mastics, paints, varnishes, sealants (especially cheap ones);
• market, non-certified finishing materials: wallpaper, laminate, linoleum, skirting boards, etc., which are the brightest of finishing materials.

Also, the source of the substance can be:

• all cracks that are sealed with sealant. The prevailing share of sealants is made on the basis of resins that emit harmful gas;
• soundproofing materials and insulation made of foam plastic, cheap components bonded with resins;
• beds, mattresses, sofas and other upholstered furniture, carpets, heavy curtains. Formaldehyde is emitted from furniture if it was used in its production (at any stage of technological production). But formaldehyde in fabrics (carpets and curtains) can accumulate from other sources and subsequently be released into the air.

One of the first signs of the presence of an increased content of a substance in the air is the appearance of a sharp characteristic odor, which can be described as a hospital or pharmacy. This smell is noticeable even at a concentration 25 times less than the permissible one. Some people think that it smells like new furniture, but in fact, it is the smell of formaldehyde.

Symptoms of acute and chronic formaldehyde poisoning

Serious poisoning with the internal intake of a formaldehyde solution and contact with the substance on the skin, as well as poisoning with its vapors, is possible in the conditions of chemical and other production in which this chemical is part of the technological process. At home, formaldehyde is inhaled into the body during breathing.

Formaldehyde poisoning can develop in three ways:

• when ingested;
• by inhalation;
• upon contact with the skin.

Accordingly, the symptoms will also vary, prevailing from a certain system: when swallowed, the gastrointestinal tract is more affected, and when inhaled, the respiratory organs are affected.

A short-term ingestion of a large amount of a substance into the body leads to the development of acute poisoning, and a long-term intake in small doses, even slightly exceeding the MPC, causes chronic poisoning. Signs of poisoning vary and vary from person to person.

Internal intake of 60-90 ml of an aqueous solution of formaldehyde (formalin) leads to death! An airborne concentration of 20 mg/m 3 results in death within 30 minutes of exposure!

If timely first aid is not provided for acute poisoning, the following conditions develop that pose a direct threat to life:

• Gastrointestinal bleeding. This is a consequence of the internal ingestion of a substance into the body (accidental or intentional use), which develops when the vascular walls of the submucosal layer of the stomach and duodenum are corroded. The patient notes increasing weakness, dark vomiting or vomiting with blood, black loose stools.
• Acute liver failure, toxic hepatitis. It also develops when a substance is ingested. The skin and mucous membranes become noticeably yellow, there is severe pain in the right hypochondrium, consciousness is disturbed.
• Acute kidney injury: edema, complete absence of urine.
• Acute circulatory failure.
• Edema of the mucous membrane of the larynx, lungs develops in case of poisoning with vapors and leads to suffocation.

First aid for the injured

The most important thing is to immediately call an ambulance! The life of a person often depends on the time of her arrival.

• The victim needs to provide an influx of fresh air and rest. If inhalation poisoning occurs, the person should be removed/carried out of this room.
• Give the victim clean cool water to drink (if he is conscious and there are no signs of ingestion of the substance). You can not try to wash the stomach on your own, induce vomiting: this will be done by doctors using special solutions.
• Rinse the affected area of ​​the skin with running cool water for 15-20 minutes, another formaldehyde solution has got on the skin.
• Ensure the airway is open if the person is unconscious: lay him on his back and turn his head to the side.

Inpatient treatment of acute formaldehyde poisoning

As a rule, even at the scene of the incident, the first aid team takes measures to prevent further complications and save a person's life:

• Probe washing of the stomach cavity with water or saline.
• The introduction of hemostatic drugs in the event of signs of bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract.
• The introduction of painkillers for severe pain (often with a burn of the esophagus), drugs that stabilize vital signs: heartbeat, pressure, breathing.
• Setting a dropper with solutions to reduce intoxication.
• Intubation and artificial respiration for laryngeal edema.

The victim is hospitalized in the intensive care unit or in the toxicology department, where he is diagnosed and treated as follows:

• the introduction of ammonium carbonate or 3% chloride - formalin antidotes;
• hemodialysis (with kidney damage);
• surgery in the presence of bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract;
• other infusion therapy in the required volume.

The prognosis largely depends on the timeliness of medical care. In any case, this is a life-threatening condition that requires serious inpatient treatment. After suffering poisoning, sensitivity to formaldehyde increases significantly, so a subsequent similar situation can become fatal!

How to test indoor air for formaldehyde

It is easy to suspect trouble: if you feel bad at home, do not get enough sleep, there is constant irritability and discomfort - it's time to take air measurements in the apartment. People react differently to the chemical, and some are more sensitive. You should be especially vigilant if you have recently moved into a new house or renovated your apartment.

The concentration of formaldehyde that is created in the premises depends not only on the sources of its release, but also on the temperature and humidity of the air, the type and speed of ventilation (ventilation frequency), the type of heating (central or stove) and the presence of other sources using combustion processes (smokers , gas stoves).

• New materials are active releases of chemicals into the air.
• Formaldehyde emission decreases as materials “age” and reaches background levels after 3-5 years. However, if we are talking about upholstered furniture, the release of chemistry can occur even after 10 years of operation.
• High temperatures and high humidity, stove heating, gas stoves determine the increased release of the substance into the air.

How and when to start analyzing indoor air?

Most often, people turn to the laboratory immediately after buying furniture or repairing. But it is better to wait 1-3 months. Even after the highest quality repairs, it is recommended to properly ventilate the apartment for several weeks. The same applies to the option when new furniture is purchased.

• You should not contact the organizations on the basis of which the laboratory operates (even if it is accredited) and which carry out apartment repairs themselves. There is a high chance that the results will be falsified in order to impose their repair and "safe" materials on you.
• Measurements should be carried out by representatives of the sanitary and epidemiological service or specialists from an independent accredited laboratory.
• Household devices for home monitoring of the air environment give only an approximate estimate!

How are measurements taken? Most often, laboratory specialists conduct air tests in the apartment and on the street at the same time, and at once for several of the most common pollutants - formaldehyde, nitrogen, ammonia, carbon, phenol and hydrogen sulfide. On average, the procedure takes 30-40 minutes. With the help of devices, air is pumped through special liquid reagents, which are placed in sorption tubes (each chemical has its own). The analysis of the selected samples is carried out by different methods already in the laboratory, one of the modern ones is gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection

How to test furniture for formaldehyde?

Chemical analysis of a material sample is carried out in laboratories and requires the provision of this same sample. those. part of the furniture will have to say goodbye. Well, if the furniture was made to order, and the sample was preserved. In other cases, you will have to sacrifice something.

We are in a hurry to disappoint those who believe that it is possible to save on materials and then check them for "purity" by handing them over for examination - examining materials for the presence of formaldehyde in it is an expensive pleasure, so in the end the purchase can become golden, and if it turns out to be that the material is of poor quality, it will be doubly insulting.

How to protect yourself from harmful chemicals

Unfortunately, no preventive measure can guarantee the cleanliness of indoor air 100%. However, following some simple safety rules will minimize the likelihood that you are breathing a mixture of chemicals, and not pure air:

• Carefully choose building and finishing materials and buy them in stores, not in the markets.
• If possible, give preference to products made of solid wood or metal. When buying materials from pressed wood, you should choose laminated products or with veneered ends.
• Ask sellers for documents that are a mandatory requirement of the technical regulation on the safety of building materials:
  • certificate or declaration of conformity with the prescribed manufacturer and place of production;
  • quality passport;
  • technical documents on safe use.
• Be sure to keep copies of certificates and receipts. If in the future toxic substances are detected in the indoor air, the source of which was certain materials, a claim can be made to the store within 2 years.
• Do not use materials that are intended for outdoor use for interior repairs! Yes, they are often cheaper, but they are subject to other safety requirements, less stringent.
• Do not buy into the signs "environmentally friendly", "environmentally friendly". They are not regulated by law in any way and do not at all guarantee that the material is safe. The main confirmation of safety is the relevant documents!
• Also, do not buy into quick-drying, super-flexible, extra-strong and other materials with improved properties. Most often, all these additional effects are achieved through a variety of chemical additives.
• Do not move into an apartment / house immediately after repair and “packing” it with new furniture: at least for the first 3 months, your cozy home is nothing more than a small environmental disaster. Even if individually each chemical does not exceed the norm, but their combined effect, and sometimes mutual reinforcement of the negative impact on humans, creates dangerous air pollution.
• Maintain a healthy microclimate in your living quarters: ventilate rooms often and do not abuse heaters.
• Wash fabrics before use.
• Get indoor plants that can absorb "chemistry": dracaena, fern, bush chrysanthemum, ivy.
• When purchasing air purifiers, give preference to photocatalytic devices. It has been scientifically proven that they are able to remove formaldehyde from the air.
• As for the protective polyurethane coating on products made of pressed wood, which is able to retain the substance inside the product and prevent its evaporation into the air, this is relative protection. For effective protection, such coatings must completely cover the surface of the product, including corners, edges, edges, which is not always feasible.

In addition to chemical air pollution, radiation, electromagnetic radiation, bacterial pollutants, allergens, dust mites and a number of other environmental factors can have a negative impact on health and worsen the well-being of people, so it is recommended to conduct a comprehensive environmental assessment of residential premises, which, unfortunately, will cost a lot. .

2019-01-29

For everyone who buys new furniture, it is important to get not only a functional product, but also safe for health. One of the most dangerous elements is formaldehyde. How to choose furniture in which this indicator is minimal?

Formaldehyde in laminated chipboard.

Chipboard boards are produced on the basis of sawdust and shavings, which go through the gluing stage, after which they are laminated. It is carried out by spraying special resins on the stove at a temperature of 190 degrees.

Under such conditions, the mass easily penetrates into the material, hardens and forms a strong film on the surface of the product. It is this film that retains formaldehyde vapors, but, if the technology is violated, poor-quality raw materials, the absence or improper processing of joints, they go outside and enter the respiratory tract.

How to understand that furniture is unhealthy? It is worth paying attention to a number of signs:

• a strong unpleasant odor emanating from the product;
• the presence of unlined areas;
• lack of a quality certificate for a specific product.

If you are worried about the safety of furniture, you should definitely check with the seller for a quality passport for the product, in which the emission class should be indicated. It could be:

1. class E1 : 0-10 mg per 100 g dry matter of the slab;
2. class E2 : 10-20 mg;
3. class E3 : 30-60 mg.

This distribution by emission has become mandatory since 2000, thanks to the European branch industry. To meet the standards of this association, each manufacturer must submit samples of furniture for an independent assessment of the content of formaldehyde.

Depending on the concentration of fumes, products are classified into appropriate classes.

In 2006, the E1 formaldehyde emission class became mandatory for all manufacturers and was considered absolutely safe for health.

But, the Swedish concern IKEA has also set its own formaldehyde emission standard, which is equal to E0.5. This emission class is now very rare and it has not yet been recognized by CEN, but is considered the safest according to an independent assessment of many world laboratories.

It is the emission class that you should focus on when buying furniture, since it is this indicator that can guarantee safety, full readiness for operation and reliability of the product.

Formaldehyde: effects on the body.

Toxicologists at the beginning of the twentieth century proved that the fumes of a substance such as formaldehyde are very harmful to the life and health of humans and domestic animals. However, it is only toxic when it enters the body through the esophagus or respiratory tract. If it comes into contact with the skin, it can only cause an allergic reaction, so you should only be wary of the fumes of this substance.

Chronic formaldehyde poisoning can cause the following symptoms:

• frequent cough;
• allergic reactions;
• chronic fatigue;
• allergic rashes of the skin surface;
• lethargy and drowsiness;
• visual pathology and severe headaches;
• sleep disorders;
• attacks of bronchial asthma;
• runny nose;
• shortness of breath and severe lacrimation;
• suffocation;
• irritation of mucous membranes;
• convulsions and impaired coordination;
• temperature disorders and sweating.

The consequences of poisoning do not require treatment and disappear on their own with the complete elimination of the source of fumes. But, with the development of acute rhinitis, purulent conjunctivitis, edema and bronchitis, it is worth contacting a specialist.

Can formaldehyde resins cause cancer?

It is not 100% proven that formaldehyde is carcinogenic, but fumes have been shown to increase the risk of developing nasopharyngeal cancer and leukemia.

That is why formaldehyde is included in the section of potential carcinogens and is highly undesirable in the composition of furniture products, cosmetics and household chemicals. If you are prone to allergic reactions or diseases of the nasopharynx, you should be more attentive not only to personal hygiene products, but also to the furniture that surrounds you.

Is there formaldehyde-free chipboard?

We also take developments, in my opinion they definitely exist. Since formaldehyde in laminated chipboard appears due to its use in binders in the manufacture. Scientists are looking for other components that are safer.

Despite the difficulties in the production of laminated chipboard with an indicator of E0.5, the development of such production and the large-scale production of E0.5 boards have already begun in the Russian Federation. The IKEA concern, which often places orders at Russian factories, has pushed many to such a process, as well as tougher quality requirements for export products.

The technology for the safe production of E0.5 boards is currently introduced at seven Russian factories:

1. "Dyadkovo-DOZ";
2. "First LPK",;
3. "Volgodonsk KDP";
4. - "Kronospan";
5. "EggerDrevprodukt Gagarin";
6. - "Syktyvkar FZ";
7. - Flyderer.

These plants use exclusively melamine-containing resins based on carbamide. from various manufacturers. Such resins contain up to 25% melamine. With this content, it is possible to produce boards and products based on them in accordance with the E0.5 class in a completely stable way, while the concentration of formaldehyde will vary from 2.8 to 4 mg per 100 grams.

Unfortunately, today the technology for the synthesis of melamine-containing resins is not available in Russia and is a commercial patent of Western manufacturers, which significantly hinders the development of capacities for the production of chemically safe materials in the country.

At the same time, in accordance with GOST, the E1 emission class is considered a safe alternative to E0.5. E2 and E3 are best avoided and not bought under any circumstances. But, there are people prone to allergies, including formaldehyde. How to proceed in such a case?

For those who do not want to take risks, there is a worthy replacement - MDF boards. The production technology of such products does not provide for the use of formaldehyde-containing substances. This option will be more optimal for people with respiratory diseases and allergies.

News posted Elena Vasilyeva, company Soyuzstroydetal