Furniture is getting closer to being 100% environmentally friendly every year. The only obstacle to this is the residual formaldehyde contained in wood and board materials. This primarily concerns upholstered furniture, where there is no decorative layer covering the board surface and edges. However, is there really that much formaldehyde in Ukrainian furniture, and what standards apply to it – we explain further.
- There is no such thing as “formaldehyde-free” furniture these days
It is a misconception to think that furniture that does not “smell” is completely formaldehyde-free. Formaldehyde is present to a greater or lesser extent in all modern wood-derived materials. The task of manufacturers of such materials is to minimize the presence of formaldehyde in them as much as possible, and for furniture makers – to accordingly use such raw materials. In turn, consumers of wood products must learn to operate them properly.
- Ukrainian standards regarding formaldehyde emissions are the same as European ones, and some are even stricter!
Currently, the State Standards of Ukraine relating to the formaldehyde content in particleboard (PB) are harmonized with European ones. In other words, PB manufacturers in Ukraine and Europe follow the same standard: in Europe EN 312:2010 “Particleboards – Specification”, in Ukraine – DSTU EN 312:2018 (EN 312:2010, IDT) “Particleboards. Technical requirements”. According to the requirements of this standard, the formaldehyde content in class E1 PB should not exceed 8mg/100g of absolutely dry board.
Furniture and carpentry-building products made from wood-based panels (particleboard, fiberboard, MDF, OSB, HDF, plywood, etc.), both domestic and European production, during the state sanitary and epidemiological surveillance in Ukraine, are found to be non-compliant with the State sanitary norms for formaldehyde emission, which leads to numerous conflicts between panel manufacturers, furniture (carpentry-building products) manufacturers, and consumers.
The reason is the overly low norms regulated by DSanPiN 8.2.1-181-2012 and Hygienic Regulation No. 52 dated 14.01.2020 (GDK s.d.=0.01 mg/m3, GDK s.d.=0.003 mg/m3). Meanwhile, recommendations of the World Health Organization, international and European standards regulate significantly higher standards (0.1 – 0.124 mg/m3):
- According to DSanPiN 8.2.1-181-2012 “State sanitary norms and rules. Polymer and polymer-containing materials, products, and structures used in construction and furniture production. Hygienic requirements” during state sanitary and epidemiological surveillance to establish safety:
✓ Particleboard, fiberboard, plywood, which have not been processed with other materials (laminate, varnish, films, etc.), have a permissible level of formaldehyde emission (GDK s.d.) of 0.01 mg/m3;
✓ For finished furniture structures, in which particleboard, fiberboard, plywood that have been processed, the GDK s.d. (average daily) formaldehyde for atmospheric air is applied – 0.003 mg/m3.
- According to the World Health Organization (WHO guidelines for indoor air quality: selected pollutants), the regulatory value of the mass concentration of formaldehyde in the air is 0.1 mg/m3.
- In EN ISO 16000-1:2006 (ISO 16000-1:2004, IDT) “Indoor air — Part 1: General aspects of sampling strategy”, the regulatory value of the mass concentration of formaldehyde in the air is 0.1 mg/m3.
- The normative level of formaldehyde emissions for the E1 emission class according to DSTU EN 717-1:2022 (EN 717-1:2004, IDT) “Wood-based panels – Determination of formaldehyde release – Part 1: Formaldehyde emission by the chamber method” is 0.124 mg/m3. The GDK s.d. of formaldehyde for atmospheric air, equal to 0.003 mg/m3, established in DSanPiN 8.2.1-181-2012 for finished furniture structures, in which particleboard, fiberboard, plywood (laminated, edged, coated with LFM, etc.), corresponds to the level of formaldehyde emission from wood in the forest.
It is unclear why in DSanPiN 8.2.1-181-2012 the permissible level of formaldehyde emission for particleboard, fiberboard, plywood, which have not been processed with other materials (laminate, varnish, films, etc.) differs by 3.3 times from that for finished furniture structures, in which particleboard, fiberboard, plywood, which have been processed with other materials, are used.
It should be noted that the norms in the above-mentioned regulatory documents cannot be compared, as they are established by different testing methods. The norms of DSanPiN are established according to Instruction No. 6035 A-91, the methodology of which is outdated, while the norms regulated by international and European standards are obtained by more modern methods.
Therefore, to adjust the permissible level of formaldehyde emission (GDK s.d.), it is necessary to conduct large-scale experimental studies by different methods, including Instruction No. 6035 A-91.
The Ukrainian Association of Furniture Manufacturers, together with the Association of Woodworking Enterprises of Ukraine, is initiating a project aimed at reviewing and updating sanitary norms for the permissible level of formaldehyde emission during state sanitary and epidemiological surveillance to ensure the safety of particleboard (DPS), fiberboard (FDP), plywood, and finished furniture structures using processed and unprocessed wood-based materials.
- More about formaldehyde:
It’s also worth knowing that formaldehyde in small proportions is necessary for human cells for their normal vital activity. So, although it has an unpleasant odor, it does not pose a threat in household conditions. Moreover, our body is adapted to “cope” with its excessive amount. Excess formaldehyde is quickly destroyed by normal metabolic processes and excreted from the body. There is a concept of “half-life time”, during which the concentration of this substance in the body is halved. So, the half-life of formaldehyde in our blood is just one minute. This means that after twenty-two minutes, the formaldehyde concentration will decrease a million times.
Nevertheless, it is worth avoiding its excess in the air we breathe. Even because of its caustic unpleasant smell. Furniture makers have long known well: a reliable way to significantly reduce formaldehyde emissions is to properly edge the panels. Therefore, responsible furniture manufacturers edge (wrap with edgebanding) all sides of particleboard furniture parts. In addition, formaldehyde is present in other products that surround us and are made of synthetic polymer materials – these are building structural and finishing materials, lighting fixtures and even dishes.
The main sources of formaldehyde emissions in an apartment are:
First, vapors of free formaldehyde are part of the combustion products of organic substances: smog, vehicle exhaust, tobacco smoke, and even vapor from electronic cigarettes, evaporation from a fireplace and gas stove;
Second, evaporation of formaldehyde occurs from household materials:
Particleboard (from which a large amount of furniture is made), plywood, MDF, HDF, OSB, laminate and other floor coverings, baseboards, doors made of MDF or HDF, etc.
According to scientific data, an ordinary apartment can contain more than 150 types of various toxic chemical compounds.
There is another interesting fact that few people know about. In the solid wood of many tree species (we are talking about living growing trees in nature), the natural formaldehyde content sometimes reaches 12 mg/100g. On a sunny hot day in a pine forest, the formaldehyde content in the air can exceed the maximum permissible amount twice. So it is simply impossible to make a laminated particleboard completely without formaldehyde.
Therefore, it is recommended to THOROUGHLY VENTILATE rooms in which new composite and polymer materials (particleboard, fiberboard, MDF, plywood, laminate, vinyl wallpaper, linoleum) or products made from them occupy a significant area: complete air renewal in the room is needed for an hour and for several weeks. In cold weather, it is necessary to use household air purifiers with an “ozonation / ionization” function.
All composite boards with the E1 emission class, and products made from them, are completely safe for use in any residential premises according to sanitary norms. In cases where there are increased requirements for air quality – for example, in children’s rooms – it is advisable to order or choose to purchase furniture made from boards with minimized formaldehyde content (E 0.5 or E-LE) or from fk-grade plywood. According to manufacturers, such boards include Egger F**** laminated particleboard, Kronospan E-LE, and CARB2 class MDF.
- Rules for using particleboard and laminated particleboard furniture
To maintain quality and long service life of laminated particleboard (LDSP) furniture, certain conditions must be met:
1. Ensure a dry and warm room.
2. A room with new furniture should be ventilated for at least one hour per day during the first month.
3. Choose a location for the furniture away from direct sunlight. Remember, open sunlight provokes color change of the product.
4. Install particleboard furniture at maximum distance from any heating appliances (radiators, heating ovens, electric heaters, open ovens, turned on hotplates, lighting fixtures, hot steam, etc.). Harmful temperature for furniture facades is above +70°C, under its influence deformation, delamination and peeling of the film occurs.
5. Protect furniture from moisture getting onto the edge parts covered with film (mechanically treated bevels of parts) – this leads to swelling of the particleboard. In addition, moisture can cause the surface coating to change color.
6. Please use particleboard furniture for its intended purpose.
7. Install furniture only on a level surface.
8. Calculate the load to prevent damage to the furniture components.
9. When changing the location of particleboard furniture in a living room, first clear it of items. It is also recommended to remove the doors and inner shelves, pull out the drawers.
10. Furniture should be carried firmly holding the side walls and bottom, lifting it off the floor.
11. Attention! Pushing along the floor, lifting by the top cover for carrying has destructive consequences for the product.
12. If furniture repair and restoration is required, you should contact specialists.
13. For dust removal, use a dry soft cloth or special furniture wipe.
14. Do not use chemical cleaners containing acetone, paint thinners, detergents and various abrasive materials, as they can destroy the coating.
By following these conditions, you will maintain the quality appearance and extend the safe service life of particleboard and laminated particleboard furniture for many years.
The article was prepared with the support of Natalia Marchenko, candidate of technical sciences (Ph.D.), associate professor, deputy head of TC18 “Forest resources”
