Health & Safety: Regulatory Information

Formaldehyde is an extensively regulated material. Mandatory government regulations set standards to protect human health and the environment. These requirements allow for the safe production, storage, handling and use of this important building block chemical.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sets standards for workplace exposures to formaldehyde. These comprehensive health standards include limits on permissible exposures, requirements for monitoring employee exposures in the workplace, protective measures including engineering controls, medical surveillance and communication and training about hazards.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) sets standards that limit formaldehyde emissions from wood products for use in manufactured housing. Three agencies - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency(EPA), Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) - have addressed indoor air exposure to formaldehyde. Since industry voluntarily adopted product emission standards and low-emitting resins were developed, indoor formaldehyde emissions have declined significantly. CPSC determined that independent CPSC action was superfluous given the voluntary actions and low levels of formaldehyde.

California Air Resources Board's (CARB) recently released a report on indoor air pollution, which includes numerous references to formaldehyde. Read FCI's comments.