People hear the word formaldehyde and they freak out. The name strikes fear in many people’s hearts. But it’s not as simple as assuming formaldehyde is a massive health risk. There are factors to consider when determining the level (if any) of risk formaldehyde poses on your health.

These factors include the level of exposure (measured in parts per million (ppm) of ambient air), and the the length of time you are exposed to the formaldehyde.

Formaldehyde exists naturally, indoors and outdoors, in levels around .03 ppm. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that levels of .1 ppm can trigger reactions including burning in your nose, throat or skin (as well as causing watery eyes).

But OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) has a different set of guidelines for a workspace. An “action level” of formaldehyde concentration, according to OSHA, is .5 ppm. And more specifically, employees cannot be exposed to an exposed concentration of .75 ppm or greater for more than eight hours.

Formaldehyde got a lot of attention in the 1970s, as the cause of health issues, from its use in home insulation. This resulted in it being taken off the market as a insulation source. But it’s not like formaldehyde is rare. It exists in gas stoves, wood stoves, car exhausts, paint, tobacco, paper products, cleaning products, and even cosmetics and clothing.

It exists in the products that make cabinets, furniture and yes, floor coverings. Thankfully, one good thing that came from the health issues of the 1970s it that formaldehyde now exists in much lower levels.

At FloorBrothers.com, we know your peace of mind is important. Your flooring shouldn’t just look and feel great; but it should be safe for your family. The formaldehyde emission from our bamboo flooring is less than 0.015ppm – that’s half the normal level in the great outdoors. Over time, that number will actually lessen as well.

Click here to view our entire line of Bamboo Flooring.