About Formaldehyde: What is Formaldehyde?

A Simple Molecule

Formaldehyde, a simple chemical made of hydrogen, oxygen and carbon, is a natural part of our world. Formaldehyde is the product of many natural processes. It is made by our bodies and occurs naturally in the air that we breathe. In fact, metabolic processes break it down to simple carbon dioxide. Plants and animals also produce formaldehyde. It is even emitted as a byproduct of certain vegetables, such as brussels sprouts and cabbage when they are cooked.

First used as a biological preservative more than a century ago, formaldehyde today is used in the production of hundreds of beneficial products that are used every day in the home and by industry.