14/10/2024
Formaldehyde, formalin, and health risks: what you need to know to protect yourself
Formaldehyde, commonly known as formalin in liquid form, is a chemical compound widely used in various fields but poses significant health risks. This article explores the dangers associated with exposure to formaldehyde, citing key figures from surveys and statistics on occupational diseases, and proposes solutions for protection.
What are formalin and formaldehyde?
Formaldehyde is a volatile organic compound (VOC) frequently found in many indoor environments, including construction products, furniture, and certain cleaning products. It is also commonly used in the wood industry, construction materials, resin production, disinfection, and preservation. In liquid form (formaldehyde), it is often used in the fields of medicine and research.
Although its properties are useful, its health effects are particularly concerning for exposed workers. This pollutant, classified as a carcinogen by the WHO, is especially harmful to respiratory health, causing irritation of the respiratory tract, asthma attacks, and allergic reactions.
Threshold limits for formaldehyde according to different authorities
Details of thresholds
- IAQ Decree (ERP): This decree imposes mandatory monitoring of formaldehyde concentrations in establishments open to the public (ERP), with a threshold of 30 µg/m³ as an annual average.
- WHO: The WHO sets a limit of 100 µg/m³ for a 30-minute exposure, aimed at preventing short-term irritation of the respiratory tract.
- ANSES: ANSES recommends a threshold of 10 µg/m³ as an annual average to protect against the chronic effects and potential risks associated with formaldehyde.
- INRS (VLEP): The INRS proposes two thresholds for workers: 50 µg/m³ for a working day (8 hours) and 100 µg/m³ for a 15-minute exposure (short-term).
- Haut Conseil de la Santé Publique – Opinions and Recommendations
What are the health risks associated with formaldehyde?
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified formaldehyde as a human carcinogen since 2004. Prolonged or repeated exposure to formaldehyde can lead to various health problems, including :
- Respiratory tract cancer: formaldehyde has been associated with an increased risk of nasopharyngeal and nasal cavity cancers.
- Irritation and allergies: even in low doses, formaldehyde can cause irritation and allergic reactions, particularly in hypersensitive people.
- Chronic respiratory diseases: frequent exposure to formaldehyde can lead to chronic respiratory diseases such as occupational asthma and bronchitis.
Key figures on occupational illnesses linked to formaldehyde
The impact of formaldehyde on workers’ health is quantifiable, and studies have produced statistics highlighting the importance of prevention:
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- Cases of occupational asthma: a study by the Institut National de Recherche et de Sécurité Sanitaire (INRS) and the Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l’Alimentation, de l’Environnement et du Travail (ANSES) has shown that formaldehyde is involved in 7% of cases of occupational asthma reported each year in France. Formaldehyde is therefore one of the most common causes of occupational respiratory allergy.
- Chronic bronchitis : according to the World Health Organisation, workers exposed to formaldehyde are around 30% more likely to develop chronic bronchitis than those not exposed. Bronchitis is one of the most common chronic respiratory illnesses among people in prolonged contact with products containing formaldehyde.
- Sinus and throat cancer: according to an analysis by the American Cancer Society, people regularly exposed to formaldehyde are 2.5 times more likely to develop respiratory tract cancer than the general population. The professions most affected are woodworkers, healthcare workers and laboratory workers.
- Allergic skin reactions: a study conducted by the European Journal of Dermatology revealed that 15% of workers in direct contact with formaldehyde develop allergic skin reactions. These reactions can range from redness and itching to severe eczema, sometimes leading to reassignment.
Which professions come into contact with formaldehyde?
Many professions are frequently in contact with formaldehyde, which represents a major risk to their respiratory health. Employers, particularly in the industrial, medical and construction sectors, are legally responsible for ensuring a safe and healthy working environment for their employees. Here is a list of the most exposed professions:
- Woodworkers and furniture manufacturers: Formaldehyde is present in glues, resins and particleboard used in furniture manufacture.
- Laboratory workers: Formaldehyde is used as a preservative for biological samples.
- Construction and renovation professionals: Painters, carpenters and construction workers can be exposed to formaldehyde present in construction materials such as fibreboard, glues and floor coverings.
- Embalmers and funeral directors: Formaldehyde is commonly used as a preservative in embalming solutions.
- Hairdressers and beauticians: Some hair products, such as straightening treatments, contain formaldehyde.
- Textile industry workers: Formaldehyde is used to fix colours and prevent textiles from shrinking.
- Medical and paramedical staff: In hospitals, formaldehyde is sometimes used as a disinfectant or to preserve fabrics.
- Chemical plant workers: Formaldehyde is used in the production of plastics, resins and other chemical products.
- Cosmetics manufacturing technicians: Formaldehyde is sometimes used as a preservative in certain cosmetic products.
Failure to comply with exposure thresholds exposes employers to legal action, fines and a negative impact on their employer brand.
What are the precautionary and protective measures against formaldehyde?
The main preventive measures
To minimise the impact of formaldehyde on workers’ health, it is essential to take appropriate safety and prevention measures:
- Controlling exposure levels: in France, the occupational exposure limit (OEL) for formaldehyde is set at 0.5 ppm for 8-hour exposure and 1 ppm for short-term exposure (15 minutes). Companies are required to monitor and limit their employees’ exposure to these thresholds.
- Personal protective equipment (PPE): the use of filtering masks and gloves specially designed for the chemical is essential for workers handling formaldehyde.
- Ventilation and air filtration systems: in enclosed work environments, adequate ventilation and air filtration systems are essential to prevent the accumulation of formaldehyde in the air.
- Awareness and training: training workers in the risks associated with formaldehyde, appropriate handling methods and protective equipment is a priority for companies.
Why is ventilation not enough to reduce formaldehyde?
Formaldehyde is a volatile organic compound (VOC), whose volatility poses a real challenge to its dissipation in indoor air. Unlike pollutants such as CO2, which dilute relatively quickly with ventilation, formaldehyde has a high volatility index, which means that it tends to persist in the air and to re-emit continuously from indoor materials such as furniture, building materials, and household products.
The relationship between CO2 and formaldehyde
CO2 is a good indicator of air quality and can be easily removed by appropriate ventilation. However, VOCs such as formaldehyde do not react in the same way. Even with good ventilation, formaldehyde continues to be released from surrounding surfaces, so its concentration remains relatively stable. In other words, although ventilation reduces CO2, it does not effectively eliminate formaldehyde because of its volatile nature.
Faced with this challenge, NatéoSanté ‘s EOLIS Air Manager air purifier offers an advanced technological solution, specially designed to eliminate high concentrations of formaldehyde from the air.
Air purification to eliminate formaldehyde with EOLIS Air Manager
To combat the harmful effects of formaldehyde in complex environments, NatéoSanté’s EOLIS Air Manager air purifier offers an effective, innovative solution. Designed to improve air quality in high-risk areas such as laboratories, hospitals, clinics and veterinary clinics, the air purifier uses advanced filtration and decontamination technologies that have been tested, verified and approved in laboratories and in the field.
A high-performance activated carbon filter
Unlike other purifiers that simply filter out suspended particles, the EOLIS Air Manager is equipped with a high-density activated carbon filter, made up of pockets of granules specially developed to capture and neutralise formaldehyde. This filter, which weighs up to 1 kg on its own, acts by adsorbing the formaldehyde molecules present in the ambient air, considerably reducing their concentration in enclosed spaces. The effectiveness of this activated carbon filter is enhanced by its unique design, which ensures optimum airflow performance even in environments with high concentrations of VOCs.
Optimised airflow for maximum contact
One of the strengths of theEOLIS Air Manager lies in its air flow rate, which is precisely calculated to maximise the contact time between the polluted air and the activated carbon granules. This process guarantees maximum adsorption of VOCs, particularly formaldehyde, ensuring rapid, effective treatment of indoor air. Compared with other purifiers on the market, even in the professional category, EOLIS Air Manager stands out for its ability to maintain constant efficiency, even in highly polluted conditions. This makes it unrivalled for environments requiring strict air quality control.
Unrivalled performance
Tests carried out by independent laboratories show that EOLIS Air Manager can reduce formaldehyde concentrations by up to 79% in 15 minutes, with extrapolation to 100% in 90 minutes in a 50m³ room. This level of performance is superior to that of many professional air purifiers available on the market, which are often not as effective at capturing gaseous pollutants such as formaldehyde.
Scientifically proven effectiveness
Tests carried out by an independent laboratory
The tests, carried out by the independent research body Tipee in accordance with standards XP B44-200 and XP B44-013, show thatEOLIS Air Manager can reduce formaldehyde concentrations by up to 79% in 15 minutes (42 µg/m³), with extrapolation to 100% in 90 minutes (0 µg/m³) in a test chamber containing an initial concentration of 200 µg/m³.
This result is in line with the current value of 30 µg/m³, which applies to premises receiving sensitive members of the public from1 January 2023, but also with the stricter ANSES guide value of 10 µg/m³, to protect against potential carcinogenic effects from prolonged exposure.
This level of performance is superior to that of many professional air purifiers on the market, which are often not as effective at capturing gaseous pollutants such as formaldehyde.
Find out more about EOLIS Air Manager’s performance on formaldehyde.
Proven performance in real-life situations
Tests carried out in a French veterinary clinic showed a 60% reduction in the maximum value of formaldehyde in the air. This was achieved using a combination of high-efficiency filtration technologies, including activated carbon filters and decontamination systems using controlledozone to neutralise chemical pollutants such as formaldehyde. This technology also significantly improves air quality standards, increasing compliance with safety standards by up to 80% and creating a safer environment for staff and customers.
What’s more, the effectiveness of the EOLIS Air Manager purifier is enhanced by the patented Deep Clean 60 function, which uses ozone to purify both air and surfaces without the use of chemicals, reducing contaminants by 99% in 60 minutes. This technology, certified by the Eurofins laboratory, means that treated surfaces can be reused quickly, making this purifier particularly suitable for environments requiring optimum hygiene.
Find out more about surface sanitisation
Thanks to these features, the EOLIS Air Manager purifier offers a complete solution foreliminating formaldehyde and other contaminants, contributing to a healthier working environment and meeting the requirements of health professionals and sectors affected by this pollutant.
Conclusion: managing employer risk and improving the employer brand
Formaldehyde is an essential substance in many sectors, but poses significant health risks, particularly in the workplace. Given the alarming figures for respiratory illnesses, cancers and allergies caused by formaldehyde, increased vigilance and strict safety measures are needed to protect workers.
Conclusion: managing employer risk and improving the employer brand
Formaldehyde is an essential substance in many sectors, but poses significant health risks, particularly in the workplace. Given the alarming figures for respiratory illnesses, cancers and allergies caused by formaldehyde, increased vigilance and strict safety measures are needed to protect workers.
Effective ventilation systems and professional air purifiers capable of filtering out formaldehyde and other VOCs are essential to reducing the risk of occupational illness. Devices like theEOLIS Air Manager, with its activated carbon filter, are essential for reducing levels of formaldehyde in the air. They make it possible to comply with current standards and protect workers’ health.
Implementing occupational risk prevention initiatives not only improves worker safety, but also strengthens the employer brand. A company that is perceived as proactive when it comes to occupational health attracts more talent and improves employee retention. By incorporating VOC safety measures and raising awareness among their teams, companies are strengthening their reputation as a responsible employer, contributing to a better quality of working life and increased employee loyalty.
Investing in air quality measurement systems such asAir Coach Pro and quality purifiers such as EOLIS Air Manager enables employers to meet health expectations while protecting their image.
Sources
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- INRS and ANSES – Report on occupational asthma in France
- WHO – Environmental health report on chemical substances
- American Cancer Society – Epidemiological analysis of the cancer risks associated with formaldehyde
- European Journal of Dermatology – Study of allergic skin reactions associated with formaldehyde
- Ministry of Labour – France – Regulations on Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs)
