Frequent headaches, throat irritation, cough and runny nose that appear after a long stay in the room - the cause of this may not be an acute respiratory disease at all, but formaldehyde, which is released from the furniture. What are the symptoms of poisoning by toxic substances that furniture emits, and how to protect your health?
As we said earlier, in the production of chipboard and MDF materials for furniture, resins that contain formaldehyde are added to their composition. Standing out, this substance gradually poisons health and can lead to a number of serious diseases.
It is believed that most formaldehyde emissions occur within 6 months of buying new furniture. But even after that dangerous substances they continue to be released from furniture, and their evaporation increases significantly during the heating season in winter: under heating from batteries, formaldehyde evaporates even faster, and dry indoor air leads to an increase in its concentration in the air.
The main symptoms of formaldehyde poisoning are:
1. Irritation of the mucous membranes of the eyes and upper respiratory tract, skin.
2. Frequent headache, cough, runny nose, nasal congestion.
3. Unmotivated depression of mood.
How to recognize formaldehyde poisoning from furniture?
1. The symptoms listed above are manifested in several people who have been in this room for a sufficient time. When the environment changes, the ailments disappear.
2. On the offensive heating season the symptoms of poisoning intensify.
3. When airing the apartment, the symptoms decrease or temporarily disappear.
If you have a suspicion of poisoning with toxic substances that are released by furniture in your home, you can contact specialized organizations that will conduct a sanitary and epidemiological examination for formaldehyde. The cost of such an examination is not cheap: on average, it can range from 3 to 5 thousand UAH for an average apartment.
According to experts who conduct such examinations, in an ordinary apartment with chipboard furniture, the level of formaldehyde is 0.07-0.09 ‰, while the norm is 0.06 ‰.
During the operation of furniture, other hazardous substances are also released into the air of residential premises: ammonia, acetates and phthalates, styrene, methanol, phenol, toluene, xylene, phthalic anhydride, ethylbenzene - this list depends on chemical composition applied materials.
How to protect yourself from furniture made of chipboard and MDF?
What to do with such furniture and how to reduce the evaporation of formaldehyde and other hazardous substances?
- Apply to all exposed furniture surfaces (including rear walls) several layers of glue, varnish or paint. Take a water-dispersion paint as a paint: it does not contain toxic substances and will create a protective film.
- PVC edging can also be used as a protective agent.
- Tables, cabinets, etc. interior items can be pasted over with a self-adhesive film or covered natural materials. This will significantly reduce the amount of fumes of toxic substances.
- All furniture damage (scratches, chips, etc.) should be covered immediately with a protective agent (see point 1).
- If possible, place furniture away from radiators and other heating devices.
- Ventilate the room as often as possible and control the humidity.
To date, chipboard furniture 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.
Is there a wolf
Like chipboard, it 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 trying to improve by prohibiting dangerous species resin for bonding. 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 on laminated furniture mechanical damage then you need to eliminate them immediately. 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). adverse effects on the skin and nervous system person.
Table of the harmful effects of formaldehyde, which is part of the chipboard:
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 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.
conclusions
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.
Hello, in the past we talked about such an excellent material for furniture as chipboard, for those who missed it, the article was called,. Today we are faced with the question again "Is chipboard harmful?" or is it just a myth about harmful chipboard properties as a building material. And so, let's figure it out.
The abbreviation itself, the abbreviation of the word chipboard, stands for chipboard. She gained her popularity in furniture production due to its low price, that is, availability and, of course, a variety of types. So today, she is a good competitor natural wood, but many people are increasingly wondering if chipboard is harmful.
To date, such furniture as desks in any school, most often laminated, sliding wardrobes, which are becoming increasingly popular due to their simplicity, as well as kitchen sets for hostesses are made only from chipboard. This is due to the fact that chipboard is very practical to assemble, but this does not go to the minus of the aesthetic appearance. But as usual, everything that becomes popular sooner or later begins to find fault, so there are rumors about chipboard about its harmful properties for humans, but if we look, we will find the truth, somewhere between rumors and not true.
Is chipboard harmful? – Harmful features of the manufacturing process.
Most often, the myth about whether chipboard is harmful to people arises after people recognize the so-called technology for the production of these chipboards. For those who do not know, chipboard is made from chips from other products, more often they are called “waste”, chips and sawdust are simply glued together and pressed, formaldehyde glue usually acts as glue.
This is where the answer to the question of whether chipboard is harmful, its harmfulness depends on how much formaldehyde is contained in the glue, but remember that there are many types of glue used when gluing chipboard. In the scientific language that manufacturers use, this level is called E1, E2 markings, which will determine the level of emissions, that is, harmfulness.
Many domestic, that is Russian manufacturers they listen to European standards, which say that if the emission of this chipboard does not exceed the E1 level, then everything is fine, that is, such boards can be used even when assembling furniture for children and teenagers. The level of evaporation of formaldehyde vapors during operation will be so minimal that it will not bring harm to the human body.
Is chipboard harmful? – We check the safety of chipboard when buying.
Once upon a time, when chipboard, aka chipboard, was just conquering the market, it was bought in bulk, at low prices for the manufacture of a variety of furniture. chipboard quality that time was very terrible, as furniture manufacturers used the most cheap materials, even though it is already waste. They chose the cheapest adhesive formulations, which, as we understand, contained more formaldehyde substances, which are dangerous in large quantities.
On this moment, the whole situation of this market has changed radically, fortunately for the better side for the consumer. Buyers have become much smarter, they began to be interested in the environmental friendliness of materials in chipboard, about its harmful qualities, and so on. Especially the manufacturer is baffled by the request for a quality certificate for particle board. In general, consumers themselves forced manufacturers to treat the production of chipboard more conscientiously. And in general, if domestic production does not comply with the high quality standards that have appeared in Europe, then they will not be able to compete in the world market.
In general, ladies and gentlemen, in the modern age, the answer to the question “Is chipboard harmful?” negative. But with rare furniture, be vigilant. Sincerely, the administration of the construction and repair portal
Shooting the production of furniture chipboard:
Replacement natural materials man-made analogue has become a common practice for humans. The high cost of natural wood and its apparent shortage during the construction boom led engineers, chemists and technologists to create a similar material - chipboard.
Where and when did chipboard appear?
Few people know that the “birth” of chipboard might not have happened, since any sawdust in the first quarter of the 20th century in Europe they were used exclusively for the manufacture of briquettes for heating. Thus, these were wastes applicable only for heating the home.
But already in the 30s, the situation changed: work began on the manufacture of a composite building material from sawdust and an adhesive. At the same time, the first practical experiments appeared.
The new direction developed rapidly. During the Second World War, plywood was already used, but due to the shortage of building materials, its price increased sharply. The German Max Himmelheber from the beginning of the thirties actively experimented with wood-shaving composite, the experiments brought results. Inexpensive material was created, the technology was perfected, and in the 40s mass production of chipboard began in Germany.
There were no interruptions in raw materials: non-commercial wood and any waste from sawmills were suitable for production. Phenolic resins were used as binders, Himmelheber concluded that they were ideal for forming a strong composite board. Inexpensive and excellent technical specifications material became popular all over the world. Temporary housing is built from it, used for decoration of residential buildings and offices, and high-quality furniture is produced.
The ability to improve the individual qualities of particle boards has further expanded the scope of their application: moisture-resistant material is suitable for kitchen and bathroom, fire-resistant boards are also in demand.
Phenol-formaldehyde resin and health hazards
The first reaction of our ancestors to the achievements of chemists was the joy of the opportunity to use advanced technologies, the desire to quickly bring them to life. Subsequently, it turned out that some of the technologies not only made life easier, but also significantly shortened it. Therefore, today every product made by people is tested for toxicity and environmental safety.
- One of the substances, the attitude towards which is ambiguous, is phenol-formaldehyde resin. Being of great importance for industry (high strength, corrosion resistance), it has toxic components - phenol and formaldehyde. Employees of enterprises that produce products containing phenols and formaldehydes can receive the greatest damage from their exposure, provided that they do not use personal protective equipment. During curing in adhesive resins, oligomeric fragments are crosslinked with the participation of free phenol. As a result, the phenol content is reduced to trace amounts, which are allowed by the sanitary standards of the Russian Federation.
As chipboard became ubiquitous, filling niches traditionally occupied by others building materials (wooden board, more expensive plywood, etc.), manufacturers losing the market, attracting environmentalists, began to publish materials that harm the reputation of chipboard manufacturers.
As time goes by, standards change and technology improves.
At a time when the dangers of phenols were not thought about, the percentage of their content in the adhesive mixture was higher than today. As awareness grew, so did the standards.
Today, there is hardly a house or office where chipboard is not used. This is due to its advantages:
- acceptable price;
- flat, smooth surfaces;
- strength, uniformity, the material does not delaminate, does not twist, does not dry out;
- the widest range of applications.
So, is chipboard furniture harmful?
The human body is exposed to many harmful factors every day: emissions industrial enterprises, tar and nicotine from cigarettes, car exhaust gases, electronic background, components household chemicals and cosmetics, etc. The least damage to a person is caused by the release of volatile resin components from furniture. Moreover, some types of wood evaporate harmful substances in the same quantity as E1 class chipboard.
Rumors about the dangers of using high-quality chipboard are nothing more than speculation on consumer anxiety and the belief that everything created with the help of chemistry is harmful.
How to choose high-quality and safe material?
The key to maintaining health is the use of certified materials. Regardless of which type of chipboard is used, it is marked with which emission class for the release of free formaldehyde it belongs to:
- E1 - 100 grams of the composite emits no more than 10 mg of a volatile substance (formaldehyde content in chipboard within allowable rate). In Russia and abroad, it is allowed to make furniture for children's rooms and rooms where people are constantly located from this material;
- E2 - marking, which indicates the inadmissibility of the use of plates in children's and residential premises.
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 physical properties 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 in environment. 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.
