Formaldehyde

More Formaldehyde In Your Life

This New York Times article discusses Lynn Dekleva, who has recently taken a senior role at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) overseeing the approval of new chemicals. Previously, Dekleva was a lobbyist for the American Chemistry Council, where she led efforts to block regulations on formaldehyde, a chemical known to cause cancer and respiratory issues. Reduce stuff that causes cancer or make more money? She is squarely on the “make more money” side.

The EPA had been working to regulate formaldehyde since 2021, but faced strong opposition from the chemical industry, spearheaded by Dekleva. Her appointment, alongside another former industry lobbyist, Nancy Beck, raises concerns about potential conflicts of interest and the influence of the chemical industry on EPA policies under the current administration. Dekleva and Beck will lead to weaker regulations on harmful chemicals. That’s a nice way of saying it: the chemical industry is celebrating. Weak regulation of cancer-causing chemicals like formaldehyde means more sales and more profits. It also means more cancer and death.

How Formaldehyde Causes Cancer And Kills You

Formaldehyde causes cancer through a combination of direct damage to your cells and the chaos it unleashes in your body over time. It’s a tricky chemical: small, reactive, and good at sneaking into places it shouldn’t. Here’s how it destroys your body.

Step One: It Gets In and Stays In

When you breathe in formaldehyde (say, from off-gassing furniture or cigarette smoke), it hits your nasal passages, throat, and lungs first. It’s water-soluble, so it sticks to moist tissues like a clingy guest. If it’s on your skin (from cosmetics or fabrics), it can absorb there too. Once inside, it doesn’t just sit around; it’s a reactive little molecule, eager to bond with stuff in your cells.

Step Two: DNA Damage – Breaking the Blueprint

Formaldehyde is an electrophile, meaning it loves grabbing onto electron-rich molecules like DNA and proteins. It reacts with the building blocks of DNA (especially adenine and guanine) and forms what’s called DNA adducts – weird, unwanted attachments. These adducts mess up the DNA’s structure, like using your unreadable handwriting to scribble over a perfect recipe honed over well since God created human beings. When your cells try to copy that DNA to make new cells, they can misread it, leading to mutations: permanent typos in the genetic code. If those mutations hit critical genes (like ones controlling cell growth), you’ve got a potential cancer starter.

It also cross-links DNA strands or DNA to proteins, messing up the works even more. This makes it harder for cells to repair damage or divide properly, piling on the risk of errors.

Step Three: Chronic Irritation and Inflammation

Formaldehyde isn’t a one-and-done deal; it’s a slow burn. Repeated exposure (think years of breathing it in from your MDF desk) irritates tissues, especially in the nose and throat. This constant irritation triggers inflammation – a state where your immune system’s on high alert, pumping out chemicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS are like tiny wrecking balls, causing more DNA damage. Over time, this cycle of irritation and inflammation wears down your body’s defenses, giving damaged cells a chance to go rogue.

Step Four: Cell Growth Goes Haywire

Those mutations and inflammation can flip switches in your cells. Normally, genes like tumor suppressors (e.g., p53) keep cell growth in check, while oncogenes push it forward. Formaldehyde’s damage can turn off the brakes (mutating tumor suppressors) or slam the gas (activating oncogenes). The result? Cells start dividing uncontrollably, piling up into abnormal clumps—tumors. If they’re in the right (or wrong) spot and keep mutating, they can turn malignant: cancer.

Where It Hits Hardest

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies formaldehyde as a Group 1 carcinogen: definitely cancer-causing in humans. The strongest evidence ties it to nasopharyngeal cancer (nose and throat) and sinonasal cancer (sinuses), since that’s where inhaled formaldehyde lingers. There’s also a link to leukemia, though it’s trickier to pin down. Scientists think formaldehyde or its byproducts (like formaldehyde-damaged proteins) might travel through the blood to bone marrow, screwing up blood cell production and leading to cancerous changes there.

Dose and Time Matter

It’s not instant; cancer from formaldehyde takes chronic exposure, often at higher levels than most folks get daily (think factory workers, not just someone with a new dresser). Studies of industrial workers exposed to 1-2 parts per million (ppm) over years show the risk spiking. For context, household levels are usually below 0.1 ppm, but they add up, especially in poorly ventilated spaces. The longer and more intense the exposure, the higher the odds. Keep this in mind: most homes are poorly ventilated. Most homes have a lot – a lot more than you think – of stuff that off-gasses formaldehyde. We’ll get to thet in just a bit.

Why It’s Sneaky

Your body can detox small amounts via enzymes (like aldehyde dehydrogenase), turning formaldehyde into harmless formic acid. But overwhelm that system – say, with daily doses from multiple sources – and the damage accumulates. That’s almost all of us living in an industrialized environment. It’s a numbers game: more hits to DNA, more chances for a cancer-causing mutation to stick.

In short, formaldehyde causes cancer by smashing into your DNA, sparking inflammation, and letting mutated cells run wild. It’s a slow, relentless process, not a lightning strike, perfectly suited to its role as an everyday lurker in our stuff.

Formaldehyde Is Everywhere Where You Don’t Want It To Be

Formaldehyde is a sneaky little chemical; it’s everywhere in everyday life, often in ways you wouldn’t suspect. It’s a colorless, pungent gas used as a preservative, disinfectant, or adhesive, and it’s either added directly to products, released over time from other chemicals, or used in the manufacturing process of materials we touch every single day. Here’s a breakdown of the things normal folks use regularly that have formaldehyde in them, on them, or involved in their creation, along with the materials tied to it. Brew a cup of coffee, and sit in your comfy chair; it’s a long list.

Household Items and Furniture

• Pressed Wood Furniture (Desks, Shelves, Beds, Cabinets)
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Used in the adhesives (like urea-formaldehyde resins) that glue together wood particles or layers.
  • Materials: Particleboard, plywood, medium-density fiberboard (MDF). These are made from wood chips, sawdust, or thin wood sheets bonded with formaldehyde-based resins.
  • Daily Use: You’re sitting at your desk, storing books, or sleeping on a bed frame—most affordable furniture has this stuff.

Most furniture are made using thin slices of wood that are glued together. Big chunks of wood are hard to come by; we have chopped down most of the large trees. And we are impatient: we can’t seem to wait for trees to grow large enough to have big, thick chunks of wood. Unless you are into antiques, or are ultra-rich to afford truly solid wood furniture, almost all of the modern furniture that you have around you is slowly killing you.

• Upholstered Furniture (Couches, Chairs)
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Found in the foam padding or fabric treatments for stain resistance or durability.
  • Materials: Polyurethane foam (sometimes treated with formaldehyde), synthetic fabrics like polyester or blends treated with formaldehyde finishes.
  • Daily Use: Plopping down on your sofa after work? It might be off-gassing formaldehyde.

Synthetic fabrics. Stay away from them, even if it’s “just” 10% or 20%. What’s a lot harder is the foam; it is almost always synthetic. Find cushions that can be unzipped and replace the synthetics inside with organic cotton or wool, the good kind.

• Laminate Flooring
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: In the glue binding the layers or the protective coating.
  • Materials: Wood fibers or particles with formaldehyde resins, topped with a synthetic layer.
  • Daily Use: Walking across your living room or kitchen floor.

Flooring that looks and feels like wood isn’t wood, most of them anyway. Unless you’re paying a lot of money, that “wood” is plastic. If you can, avoid laminate flooring. Find old homes that are being demolished and ask if you can take the old wooden floors or anything that’s solid wood. Those are much better than the synthetic crap that’s going to be slowly making you sick.

• Curtains and Drapes
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Added to make them wrinkle-resistant or “permanent press.”
  • Materials: Cotton, polyester, or blends treated with formaldehyde-based finishes.
  • Daily Use: Hanging in your windows, subtly releasing fumes as they age.

Curtains made with 100% cotton that does not wrinkle? Don’t buy it. That’s been treated with “anti-wrinkle” poison.

• Carpets and Rugs
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Used in adhesives for backing or as a treatment for stain resistance.
  • Materials: Synthetic fibers (nylon, polyester) or natural fibers (wool) with formaldehyde-containing glues or coatings.
  • Daily Use: Under your feet or where your kids play.

Stain-resistant 100% cotton or 100% wool rugs? These things will off-gas poison every time you step on it. Don’t get any carpet with rubber backing. Better yet, don’t get carpet. If your feet are cold, wear a nice pair of socks or slippers or both.

• Insulation (Walls, Attics)
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI) was big in the ‘70s; traces linger in older homes.
  • Materials: Foamed resins with formaldehyde.
  • Daily Use: You don’t touch it, but it’s in the walls of some homes, quietly off-gassing.

This is a tough one. Replacing toxic insulation requires planning, a lot of time, and a lot of money. Most of us don’t have that kind of luxury. This is where it would be good to consider crafting a bill that can completely offset the cost of retrofitting toxic insulation.

Clothing and Textiles

• Wrinkle-Free or Permanent Press Clothing (Shirts, Pants, Dresses)
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Applied to fabrics to keep them smooth and resist wrinkles.
  • Materials: Cotton, cotton-poly blends, or synthetics treated with formaldehyde resins.
  • Daily Use: That crisp button-up or dress you wear to work or school.

Don’t get wrinkle-free clothing, even if it’s 100% cotton. Don’t get iron-free clothing, even if it’s 100% cotton. Don’t get clothing that has synthetic materials in it.

• Bedding (Sheets, Pillowcases)
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Same deal—wrinkle resistance or shrinkage prevention.
  • Materials: Cotton or cotton blends with formaldehyde finishes.
  • Daily Use: You’re sleeping on it every night.

Any bedding – fitted sheets, flat sheets, pillow cases, sham cases, bidet covers, etc. – that claim to wrinkle resistant you don’t want to buy, even if it’s 100% cotton. Don’t worry about wrinkles; worry about your health. Sometimes wrinkles, like the ones you get from 100% organic linen sheets, look really good. And they won’t poison you.

• Towels and Washcloths
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Used in some treatments for durability or mildew resistance.
  • Materials: Cotton or cotton-synthetic blends.
  • Daily Use: Drying off after a shower.

Stay away from towels that have synthetic textiles blended into them. Microfiber? Don’t buy. Polyester? Nope. 100% cotton with a claim that it is more durable? Look carefully and make sure it has not been treated with toxic materials like formaldehyde.

• Shoes (Leather or Synthetic)
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Used in tanning leather or treating synthetic materials.
  • Materials: Leather or synthetic fabrics with formaldehyde-based preservatives.
  • Daily Use: On your feet all day.

Personal Care and Beauty Products

• Shampoo and Conditioner
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Released by preservatives like DMDM hydantoin or quaternium-15 to prevent bacterial growth.
  • Materials: Water-based formulas with these formaldehyde-releasing chemicals.
  • Daily Use: Washing your hair in the shower.
• Body Wash and Liquid Soap
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Same preservatives as above.
  • Materials: Water, surfactants, and formaldehyde releasers.
  • Daily Use: Cleaning your body or hands.
• Lotions and Moisturizers
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Preservatives keep it shelf-stable.
  • Materials: Emulsions with formaldehyde-releasing agents.
  • Daily Use: Rubbing it into your skin.
• Nail Polish and Hardeners
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Sometimes added directly or in resins for durability; formalin (liquid formaldehyde) in hardeners.
  • Materials: Synthetic resins or formaldehyde itself.
  • Daily Use: Painting your nails.
• Hair Smoothing Treatments (e.g., Brazilian Blowouts)
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Used (or released) to lock in straightness; some are labeled “formaldehyde-free” but still release it.
  • Materials: Keratin formulas with formaldehyde or releasers like methylene glycol.
  • Daily Use: Applied at salons, but you live with the residue.
• Cosmetics (Foundation, Mascara)
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Traces from preservatives like imidazolidinyl urea.
  • Materials: Water-based makeup with these chemicals.
  • Daily Use: Putting on your face for the day.
• Deodorants
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Preservatives to extend shelf life.
  • Materials: Water or alcohol bases with formaldehyde releasers.
  • Daily Use: Under your arms every morning.

Cleaning and Household Products

• Dishwashing Liquid
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Antibacterial agent or preservative.
  • Materials: Water, surfactants, and formaldehyde or releasers.
  • Daily Use: Washing dishes.
• Fabric Softeners
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Preservative or fabric treatment.
  • Materials: Chemical emulsions with formaldehyde traces.
  • Daily Use: Softening your laundry.
• All-Purpose Cleaners
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Preservative or disinfectant.
  • Materials: Water-based solutions with formaldehyde releasers.
  • Daily Use: Wiping down counters or sinks.
• Paints and Varnishes
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: In resins or as a preservative; off-gasses after drying.
  • Materials: Synthetic binders or coatings with formaldehyde.
  • Daily Use: On your walls or furniture.
• Glues and Adhesives
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Core ingredient in many formulas (e.g., urea-formaldehyde glue).
  • Materials: Synthetic resins.
  • Daily Use: DIY projects or repairs around the house.

Everyday Consumables and Appliances

• Paper Products (Paper Towels, Napkins)
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Added to improve wet strength.
  • Materials: Wood pulp treated with formaldehyde resins.
  • Daily Use: Wiping spills or your face.
• Cigarettes and E-Cigarettes
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Byproduct of combustion or vaping liquid breakdown.
  • Materials: Tobacco or vape juice (propylene glycol, glycerin) that forms formaldehyde when heated.
  • Daily Use: Smoking or vaping.
• Gas Stoves and Kerosene Heaters
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Released as a combustion byproduct.
  • Materials: Natural gas or kerosene.
  • Daily Use: Cooking dinner or heating your home.

Miscellaneous

• Wallpaper
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: In adhesives or coatings.
  • Materials: Paper or vinyl with formaldehyde-based glues.
  • Daily Use: Decorating your walls.
• Grocery Bags (Paper)
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: Strengthens the paper.
  • Materials: Wood pulp with formaldehyde resins.
  • Daily Use: Carrying your groceries home.
• Toys (Plastic or Wooden)
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: In plastic production or wooden parts bonded with formaldehyde glues.
  • Materials: Plastics or pressed wood.
  • Daily Use: Kids playing with them.
• Car Interiors (Seats, Dashboards)
  • Formaldehyde’s Role: In adhesives, foams, or plastic molding.
  • Materials: Synthetic fabrics, polyurethane foam, or plastics with formaldehyde resins.
  • Daily Use: Driving to work or the store.

Why It’s Everywhere

Formaldehyde is cheap, effective, and versatile. It binds things together (furniture, fabrics), kills bacteria (cleaners, cosmetics), and preserves stuff (nail polish, bodies in morgues). The catch? It off-gasses – releases vapor over time – especially in new products or warm, humid conditions. Most exposure comes from breathing it in, though skin contact matters, too.

Not every item has high levels; some just have traces from manufacturing. Modern regulations (like in California) push for low-emission versions, but it’s still in tons of stuff. You’re surrounded by it: your couch, your shirt, your shampoo, even your car. It’s not always a panic-level threat—small amounts are normal—but it adds up, especially indoors where ventilation’s poor.

Want to dodge it? Go for solid wood, organic fabrics, and products labeled “formaldehyde-free” or “low-VOC.” Air out new purchases, and open your windows if the outside air is cleaner than the air inside your home. Your daily life’s full of it, but you’ve got some control, if you’re really picky.

Going back to Dekleve and Beck at the EPA: there will be less regulation for chemicals like formaldehyde. We have no choice but to be super picky about what we buy. Going forward stuff available for purchase will have a bunch more chemicals that will cause cancer and kill us.