Carcinogenic Cribs and Changing Tables?

Thursday, May 08, 2008
Posted by Jennifer Taggart

Environment California has documented high levels of formaldehyde emissions from baby furniture commonly found in the nursery. Environment California’s report shows that cribs and changing tables can emit high levels of formaldehyde. When these sources are added to other sources likely to be found in the home, the levels may exceed those shown to have adverse health effects on children.

Formaldehyde in cribs and changing tables shouldn’t be a surprise. It is common for composite wood products – like particle board and medium density fiberboard (MDF) – are held together with formaldehyde based resins. Unfortunately, the formaldehyde escapes from these products, polluting indoor air. And formaldehyde can be released for many years. But, you might not have thought that a crib or changing table could contribute significantly to formaldehyde emissions in the home. Unfortunately, Environment California’s testing shows that cribs and changing tables can be significant sources. And when you consider that your baby spends a lot of time in that nursery, you might want to look for alternatives. A bit of good news? The California Air Resources Board has enacted a regulation that will start to limit formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products beginning in 2009.

Why is formaldehyde emitted from baby furniture? Wood has naturally occurring formaldehyde. But, more formaldehyde is added to composite wood products to hold together the wood particles. And baby cribs and baby changing tables, along with other similar furniture and cabinets, are typically made of these products. The California Air Resources Board (CARB) reports that formaldehyde off gasses (or escapes) from these products, often for many years. Formaldehyde is released from unreacted formaldehyde present in the resin and as a result of chemical degradation over time. And, unfortunately, porous materials and furnishings, such as upholstered furniture, carpets, walls, and window coverings, can absorb formaldehyde and then re-emit it later. Basically, they act as formaldehyde sinks. So that comfy nursing chair may be absorbing formaldehyde, and the can re-emit it later.

Why do we care about exposure to formaldehyde? Unlike bisphenol A (BPA) in polycarbonate plastic, there isn't much debate about the health effects associated with exposure to formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is a carcinogen. Chronic exposure to formaldehyde is linked to an increased risk for developing allergy sensitization and/or asthma. Several studies have documented that children exposed to elevated levels of formaldehyde are at high risk of developing asthma and other respiratory diseases.

What did Environment California do? It took baby furniture purchased from major retailers such as Target and put the furniture in an enclosed environmental chamber. An independent laboratory measured the formaldehyde emissions from each piece of furniture. Then, the emission rate from the furniture was extrapolated to determine how much the products contributed to the indoor air concentrations of formaldehyde in a typical house.

The results? Of the products tested, the highest emitter, the Child-Craft Oak Crib (purchased at Target), would result in an indoor air concentration of formaldehyde at 20 ppb if it was the only source in the house. Since an elevated risk of asthma has been found in children exposed to indoor air concentrations of formaldehyde at 50 ppb, this is significant. Most homes have many formaldehyde sources, from cabinets to other furniture. Other high formaldehyde emitters were the Bridget 4 in 1 Crib by Delta (Wal Mart), Kayla II Changing Table by Storkcraft (Babies R Us), Berkely Changing Table by Jardine Enterprises (Babies R Us), Country Style Changing Table by South Shore Furniture (Target) and Rochester Cognac Crib by Storkcraft (Target).

So what can you do?

Try these Smart Mama Simple Steps:

• Skip composite wood products.
• Go for non-toxic finishes. If you are buying wood furniture, make sure the coating is non-toxic. Look for natural finishes made with plant oils (although this includes d-limonene), tree resins, minerals and beeswax, or low or no-VOC finishes.
• Just say no to formaldehyde. If you are buying furniture made with manufactured wood products, look for formaldehyde free products. Avoid bare, uncoated urea-formaldehyde pressed wood products that can emit relatively high amounts of formaldehyde.
• Let it off-gas outside. Buying green can be expensive, and sometimes difficult to find. If you can’t find formaldehyde-free particleboard, then let the furniture off gas outside of the nursery, and preferably the home, before bringing the furniture inside. Make sure that the area has fresh air passing by so the formaldehyde will be removed.
• Control climate. The amount of formaldehyde released is increased with increasing temperature and humidity. Keep the humidity and temperature low, and you can reduce the amount of formaldehyde released.
• Seal bare urea-formaldehyde wood products with multiples layers of water resistant sealants. Research indicates that sealing bare urea-formaldehyde wood products can reduce formaldehyde emissions for months to years after application. Seal all unfinished edges of finished furniture. Of course, the sealants themselves may release other VOCs, so check labels carefully. Use a no or low VOC sealant.
• Ventilate. Since babies spend 90% of their time indoors, make sure to keep the home well ventilated. Opening windows and using fans to move and circulate the air will lower formaldehyde levels inside.
• Go green (literally). Some plants have shown an ability to remove pollutants from the air based upon a study by NASA to maintain air quality in confined spaces. Plants shown to remove formaldehyde are those with large leaf surface areas, including Azalea Aloe Vera, Bamboo Palm, Boston ferns, Corn Plant, Chinese evergreen, Chrysanthemum, Date Palm, Dieffenbachia, Golden Pothos, Mini-Schefflera, Peace lily, Peperomia, Mother-in-law's tongue, Philodendron (Heart-leaf, Lacy tree, or Elephant ear), Poinsettia, Snake Plant, and Spider Plant. But, I would consider avoiding those plaints considered poisonous to infants. Also, indoor plants can be problematic. Mold can grow in potted soils and release spores into the air. Houseplants add moisture, thereby fostering the growth of mold and dust mites. No study confirms that houseplants remove significant quantities of pollutants in the home environment, but they may help remove some.

Posted by  on  05/09  at  06:26 AM

Does ALL particle board/pressed board/manufactured wood contain formaldehyde? My crib and changing table (Jenny Lind from Delta) are made out of some manufactured wood pieces so I called the company a few months ago to ask if there was formaldehyde in these pieces and the VP of Marketing told me no. My daughter’s toy box also has a piece of pressed wood in the bottom and I called that manufacturer and they also told me that it does not contain formaldehyde. Are these people lying? Should I get rid of my crib and changing table before I use them for my second baby? I purchased my particular crib even though I could have afforded a more expensive one because Consumer Reports rated it as very safe.

Posted by Jennifer Taggart  on  05/09  at  12:32 PM

Lisa - Not all particle board/pressed/manufactured wood contains formaldehyde.  As the blog indicates, formaldehyde based resins are commonly used.  But, as indicated in the simple steps, there are certainly formaldehyde free options available.  The Jenny Lind crib and changing table are both described as solid wood construction, but I have attempted to contact the manufacturer to confirm whether any manufactured wood is used.  As of yet, I haven’t gotten a response.  The Consumer Reports recommendation was based upon safety (hardware failure, etc.) and assembly, not formaldehyde emissions.