What Is Formaldehyde?
The EPA describes formaldehyde as a colorless, flammable gas at room temperature with a strong odor, and says exposure may cause adverse health effects. It lists household products such as glues, permanent press fabrics, paints and coatings, lacquers and finishes, and paper products among its sources, and the National Cancer Institute says people may breathe it from pressed-wood products, tobacco smoke and car exhaust, and from unvented fuel-burning appliances such as gas stoves, wood-burning stoves and kerosene heaters.
ATSDR says nasal and eye irritation, neurological effects and increased risk of asthma or allergy have been observed in people breathing 0.1 to 0.5 parts per million, and eczema and changes in lung function at 0.6 to 1.9 ppm. On cancer, the NCI says the EPA classified formaldehyde in 1987 as a probable human carcinogen under unusually high or prolonged exposure, that IARC classifies it as a human carcinogen, and that the National Toxicology Program named it a known human carcinogen in 2011.
Federal rules cap emissions from composite wood. Under the EPA's TSCA Title VI standards, which apply to composite wood products sold, supplied or made in the United States on or after June 1, 2018, the limits are 0.05 ppm for hardwood plywood, 0.11 ppm for medium-density fiberboard, 0.13 ppm for thin medium-density fiberboard and 0.09 ppm for particleboard.
Sources checked September 15, 2026. Every point below links the page it came from.
The sources behind this answer
- Government sourceThe EPA describes formaldehyde as a colorless, flammable gas at room temperature with a strong odor, and says exposure may cause adverse health effects. US EPA ↗
- Government sourceThe EPA lists household products such as glues, permanent press fabrics, paints and coatings, lacquers and finishes, and paper products among places formaldehyde is found. US EPA ↗
- Government sourceThe National Cancer Institute says people may breathe formaldehyde from pressed-wood products, tobacco smoke, car exhaust and unvented fuel-burning appliances such as gas stoves and kerosene heaters. National Cancer Institute ↗
- Government sourceATSDR says nasal and eye irritation, neurological effects and increased asthma or allergy risk have been observed in people breathing 0.1 to 0.5 ppm formaldehyde, and eczema and lung function changes at 0.6 to 1.9 ppm. ATSDR, CDC ↗
- Government sourceThe NCI says the EPA classified formaldehyde as a probable human carcinogen in 1987, IARC classifies it as a human carcinogen, and the National Toxicology Program named it a known human carcinogen in 2011. National Cancer Institute ↗
- Regulatory filingEPA's TSCA Title VI limits for composite wood products made or sold on or after June 1, 2018 are 0.05 ppm for hardwood plywood, 0.11 ppm for MDF, 0.13 ppm for thin MDF and 0.09 ppm for particleboard. US EPA, 40 CFR 770.10 (eCFR) ↗
Sources checked September 15, 2026. A brand statement is the company’s own claim, which we report but have not verified. Our grades are model-based estimates, not lab tests.