“Avaricious pays twice”: is chipboard furniture harmful to health, and what is the cost of saving?

For at least a month, the interior of the apartment was the resinous aroma of sawdust. Now publicly available information on the dangers of various building materials, and chipboard is no longer considered the best solution for a residential building. We offer you to learn more about the impact on budget health furniture.

For the first time such furniture was released in the United States in 1940 for refugees. Today the health damage of particleboard is a recognized fact. In 1985, WHO listed this building material as a carcinogen.

What is chipboard?

Chipboard stands for "wood chipboard". Its main components are waste from the wood industry. These are shavings, sawdust, slats and slabs of inexpensive tree species (for example, pine).

Waste is crushed by chippers. Then they add a binder material - resin. The latter evenly sticks together small chips and hardens. To obtain a wood board, the mass is placed under a hot press.

A toxic substance, formaldehyde, is present in the binder resin. It is because of it that chipboard furniture is considered unhealthy.

The effect of formaldehyde on the body

Formaldehyde is a colorless gas. It has a sharp tarry-alcohol smell, a bit like acetone. In Russia, formaldehyde was included in the list of “probably carcinogenic substances for humans” back in 1998.

In apartments with a large number of interior items made of particleboard, the concentration of formaldehyde exceeds the norm by 1.5-25 times. The stronger the smell, the greater the health hazard.

Harmful properties of formaldehyde, which appear immediately:

• may provoke allergies (symptoms - skin rash, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath);
• often causes headaches, especially in hypotensive patients;
• irritates the mucous membranes of the internal organs: eyes, mouth, larynx, stomach and intestines.

• significant weight loss;
• the occurrence of bronchial asthma;
• neuropsychiatric disorders (insomnia, thalamic syndrome);
• reproductive dysfunction in women.

But the most dangerous consequence of using chipboard furniture is an increased risk of cancer, especially cancer of the nasopharynx and blood (leukemia).

Why furniture is still made from chipboard

A reasonable question arises: if formaldehyde is so dangerous for health, why is the production of furniture from chipboard actively continuing?

The main reason is economic. In essence, particleboard is a secondary product of the woodworking industry. Material production is cheap. Therefore, an ordinary buyer with a budget can afford to regularly update the interior.

In European countries, in the manufacture of plates, the substance methylene diphenyl diisocyanate is used as a binder. Subject to technology, it is safe for health. The use of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate costs enterprises 3-4 times more expensive than resins with formaldehyde. Since the standard of living in Europe is higher than in Russia and other CIS countries, relatively expensive but environmentally friendly furniture is in demand among the population.

In addition, at the legislative level, standards and norms are established for the formaldehyde content in the material.However, they do not guarantee 100% security.

How to choose furniture and minimize harm?

The best thing you can do to keep your family members healthy is to buy new furniture from safer materials:

• natural wood (budget option - pine);
• MDF;
• biocomposite boards.

But what if finances are limited, and old interior items are in poor condition? Then you have to buy furniture from chipboard.

To minimize future health hazards, follow these guidelines:

• Ask the seller to show a certificate of quality for the product. Samples of class E-0.5 and E-1 have a much lower concentration of formaldehyde than class E-2. Subject to manufacturing technology, they are practically harmless to health.
• Choose furniture from chipboard with a protective coating. Preferably with a plastic laminate rather than melamine. Check ribs, corners, end connections. If there are large free areas with sawdust and glue, then in the future you can not avoid the evaporation of formaldehyde. It is better to choose a more enclosed furniture.
• Save the purchase certificate and cash receipt. If 10 days after the purchase in the apartment there will still be a pungent odor, then the formaldehyde concentration is high. Return the product to the seller and collect the money.

It is not recommended to buy beds with chipboard elements, furniture made of chipboard for a children's room. Think about the consequences.

How to get rid of the pungent smell in the apartment?

In people with chronic diseases of the upper respiratory tract, toxic fumes from particleboard can cause a decline in well-being. Someone just doesn't like harsh flavors. The tips below will help you get rid of the smell of tar in your home.

1. Air the room for 20 minutes 1-3 times a day.
2. Do not place furniture from chipboard near heating appliances, water sources. High temperatures and humidity enhance formaldehyde evaporation processes.
3. If there are chips or cracks on the interior, tape them with tape (where possible).
4. Plant indoor plants that absorb formaldehyde. These include ivy, elevated nephrolepis, spray chrysanthemum, golden raphidophora, any ferns.

Within 1-2 months after the purchase, try not to stay long in the room where the furniture from the chipboard is located.

conclusions

So, what is chipboard furniture - a budget option or an experiment harmful to health? Both. If finances allow, do not save on materials for the house. In extreme cases, interior items made of chipboard can be purchased for the living room and hallway. Prefer furniture from the laminated plates. Watch for humidity and ventilate the room as often as possible.