The chemical can trigger health problems and causes more cancer than any other toxic air pollutant. Our reporters traveled around New York City and New Jersey with equipment to measure its presence. The results proved concerning.

Invisible Danger: Formaldehyde, a colorless pungent gas, can cause cancer, breathing problems and reproductive harms.

Greatest Threat: Most of us face the highest risks in our homes, where formaldehyde is released by some types of furniture, gas stoves and other everyday products.

Our Testing: We found concerning levels of formaldehyde in furniture stores, inside a nail salon, in cars and at a dinner party.

  • Enceladus@lemmy.ca
    0·
    12 days ago

    So basically, the safest choice is to buy used furniture that left most of its formaldehyde at the previous owner since the industry is far from regulating it and there is no way to avoid it without living in a cave, but theses have radon gas aplenty.

    • Bell@lemmy.worldOP
      0·
      12 days ago

      I think solid wood is the key, the problems are in the plywood and chipboard. For many things that will mean buying good quality used furniture.

      • Enceladus@lemmy.ca
        0·
        12 days ago

        Definitely, but solid wood isn’t affordable since the early 00’s. By that metric, IKEA is the only low formaldehyde content affordable fournitures since they are mostly honeycomb cardboard and covered in latex paint.