What's Your Health Worth? (Formaldehyde)

There has been an ongoing battle in Washington DC over how to regulate formaldehyde, a common chemical used in foam insulation and adhesives, often in flooring and furniture.  Formaldehyde became more widely known as a health risk when many people living in temporary trailers after Hurricane Katrina became ill with sore throats and irritated eyes and noses.  According to the EPA’s web site, the EPA considers formaldehyde a “probable human carcinogen.” 

So you might think the US government would act on this quickly right? Think again.  In 2010, a law was passed regarding formaldehyde in composite wood products, such as flooring and furniture.  In 2012, the EPA first proposed regulations to implement the 2010 law; since then, the agency has been struggling to find a way to adopt plans to reduce the potentially dangerous levels of harmful chemicals from off gassing from these products into the air we breathe.  Why is this taking so long when there is a potentially serious health risk?

A key question is how to balance the rights of employees and building occupants to a safe environment and the ability of furniture manufacturers and lawmakers to avoid “expensive" regulations that aim to protect our health.  Manufactures, trade associations, the Chinese government, and politicians from “furniture making states” argue that the proposed regulations are too expensive, particularly for smaller manufacturers.  And on the other side, many health officials, scientists and environmental groups and homeowners argue that the health risks outweigh manufacturing jobs and cheaper construction materials.  

As a society, we need to reevaluate how we look at expenses, benefits, and economic opportunities and costs.  We need to think about illnesses prevented as a gain, and we must start thinking about transitioning to a greener and healthier economy as the only option.  Short-sighted thinking will not preserve the environment, or create a sustainable global marketplace.  Instead of thinking about the expense of producing safer products and homes, we need to think about the opportunity of building safer, more valuable homes in a competitive green and healthy marketplace.  There’s simply no excuse for building something substandard and dangerous.

For more information, see: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/19/opinion/the-fight-to-regulate-formaldehyde.html?emc=eta1&_r=0  The New York times is right to focuson this.  Why aren't people more upset?  Formaldehyde is everywhere.