Formaldehyde naturally occurs in natural wood and bamboo, which are then used in wood composite materials. Urea and formaldehyde are heated on the wood to make adhesives and finishes. Urea-Formaldehyde has many attributes including high tensile strength, flexural modulus, low water absorption, mould shrinkage, and volume resistance. Approximately 1 million metric tons of urea-formaldehyde are produced every year.
So why use no-added-urea-formaldehyde products?
At rates above 0.1 ppm urea-formaldehyde can cause watery eyes, nose irritations, wheezing, coughing, fatigue, skin rash, and even severe allergic reactions. There have also been links to canter, insomnia, and anorexia. Since 1980 Canada has banned Urea Formaldehyde in products such as foam insulation (UFFI), Japan and Europe have also banned urea formaldehyde. The California Air Resource Board now required products sold in California to be CARP certified and use limited amounts of urea formaldehyde. This has opened new markets for no-added-urea-formaldehyde products. We at IWCI are excited about this initiative. These no-added-urea-formaldehyde products are not only better for customers and employees, but the environment at well.