Is new furniture dangerous for your health? Harmful furniture: how to distinguish it and what to do with it? What harmful substances are contained in the furniture.

Many people who buy new furniture or plan to renovate an apartment are faced with such a thing as formaldehyde. It turns out that this colorless gas can be released into the air for years and adversely affect health. What is the source of formaldehyde and how dangerous it is, we will consider in this article.

Brief description of the substance

Formaldehyde (methanal, formic aldehyde) is a colorless, toxic, highly soluble gas with a pungent odor, hazard class 1 in water, polar solvents and alcohols. An aqueous solution of formaldehyde stabilized with urea is used in the furniture and woodworking industries in the production of chipboard and other "plywood" materials. It is used in the manufacture of thermoplastic polymers and in industrial organic synthesis. It is widely used in light industry, medicine, cosmetology, agriculture. It is characterized by good antiseptic, bactericidal, tannic and preservative properties.

• The maximum single maximum allowable concentration (MPC) of formaldehyde (Russia) is 0.05 mg/m³;
• The average daily MPC (Russia) is 0.01 mg/m³;
• MPC substances in the air of residential premises (European countries): 120 μg / m 3;
• Odor threshold: 0.07-0.2 mg/m 3 ;
• The threshold of the reflex response of the animal organism: 0.04-0.098 mg/m 3 ;
• Threshold of irritant effect on the mucous membrane of human vision: 0.012 mg/m 3 .

Human danger

Formaldehyde is a major air pollutant. It accumulates in the human body and is very difficult to remove from it. The most dangerous is the long-term effect of the substance on the body, in which it has allergenic, mutagenic and carcinogenic effects. Clinical manifestations can develop in a different period of time, which largely depends on the state of immunity. For some it's months, for others it's years. Children, the elderly and people suffering from chronic diseases are prone to strong negative influences.

• It has a pronounced toxicity and adversely affects the reproductive organs and genetic material. The danger as a mutagen lies in the fact that the substance not only leads to the development of somatic mutations, but also the body itself accumulates these mutations and subsequently they are transmitted to offspring.
• Poisons the lungs, irritates the respiratory tract and makes breathing difficult. It can cause asthma and provoke asthmatic attacks.
• Irritates the eyes and skin, provokes the development of neurotic eczema.
• Causes the development of gastrointestinal ulcers, damage to the kidneys and liver, leads to unreasonable weight loss.
• It has a pronounced negative effect on the central nervous system: it causes fatigue, headaches, depression, depression. It impairs performance and general well-being.

Listed as a carcinogen. An international cancer risk assessment agency has proven that formaldehyde, which is used in the production of plastics, resins, paints and varnishes, textiles, as well as a preservative and disinfectant, is associated with an increased risk of oncological neoplasms of the nasopharynx.

Sources of formaldehyde emission in everyday life

Our houses and apartments, which are a place for body and soul to rest, can be turned into a real chemical laboratory by ourselves or by the hands of negligent builders and workers! In addition to dangerous formaldehyde, phenol, toluene, xylene, benzene, styrene, etc. can be in the air of residential premises. If elementary ventilation is neglected, the concentration of harmful chemicals can double in just a day.

According to WHO statistics, the air in urban residential areas is 4-6 times dirtier than in the street, and the main contribution to the chemical "bouquet" is made by finishing and building materials and furniture.

Formaldehyde vapor is a combustion product of organic substances that are present in:

• car exhaust gases (therefore, excesses are more often recorded in apartments of houses located along major transport routes);
• smog;
• tobacco smoke, including from electronic cigarettes;
• fumes from fireplaces, gas stoves.

Chemical vapors evaporate into the air from building materials:

• Chipboard, fiberboard, FRP, from which the prevailing amount of modern furniture is produced. Plates impregnated with urea-formaldehyde and phenol-formaldehyde resins (which make up 6-18% of the total mass of the material) are the main building material - a source of formaldehyde in the house. For those who do not know the smell of formaldehyde, there is an easy way to “get to know it” - go to the point where they sell chipboard in the market and sniff the plates;
• MDF, OSB, plywood with phenol-formaldehyde resins in the composition, used for interior decoration and insulation of residential buildings;
• adhesives, mastics, paints, varnishes, sealants (especially cheap ones);
• market, non-certified finishing materials: wallpaper, laminate, linoleum, skirting boards, etc., which are the brightest of finishing materials.

Also, the source of the substance can be:

• all cracks that are sealed with sealant. The prevailing share of sealants is made on the basis of resins that emit harmful gas;
• soundproofing materials and insulation made of foam plastic, cheap components bonded with resins;
• beds, mattresses, sofas and other upholstered furniture, carpets, heavy curtains. Formaldehyde is emitted from furniture if it was used in its production (at any stage of technological production). But formaldehyde in fabrics (carpets and curtains) can accumulate from other sources and subsequently be released into the air.

One of the first signs of the presence of an increased content of a substance in the air is the appearance of a sharp characteristic odor, which can be described as a hospital or pharmacy. This smell is noticeable even at a concentration 25 times less than the permissible one. Some people think that it smells like new furniture, but in fact, it is the smell of formaldehyde.

Symptoms of acute and chronic formaldehyde poisoning

Serious poisoning with the internal intake of a formaldehyde solution and contact with the substance on the skin, as well as poisoning with its vapors, is possible in the conditions of chemical and other production in which this chemical is part of the technological process. At home, formaldehyde is inhaled into the body during breathing.

Formaldehyde poisoning can develop in three ways:

• when ingested;
• by inhalation;
• upon contact with the skin.

Accordingly, the symptoms will also vary, prevailing from a certain system: when swallowed, the gastrointestinal tract is more affected, and when inhaled, the respiratory organs are affected.

A short-term ingestion of a large amount of a substance into the body leads to the development of acute poisoning, and a long-term intake in small doses, even slightly exceeding the MPC, causes chronic poisoning. Signs of poisoning vary and vary from person to person.

Internal intake of 60-90 ml of an aqueous solution of formaldehyde (formalin) leads to death! An airborne concentration of 20 mg/m 3 results in death within 30 minutes of exposure!

If timely first aid is not provided for acute poisoning, the following conditions develop that pose a direct threat to life:

• Gastrointestinal bleeding. This is a consequence of the internal ingestion of a substance into the body (accidental or intentional use), which develops when the vascular walls of the submucosal layer of the stomach and duodenum are corroded. The patient notes increasing weakness, dark vomiting or vomiting with blood, black loose stools.
• Acute liver failure, toxic hepatitis. It also develops when a substance is ingested. The skin and mucous membranes become noticeably yellow, there is severe pain in the right hypochondrium, consciousness is disturbed.
• Acute kidney injury: edema, complete absence of urine.
• Acute circulatory failure.
• Edema of the mucous membrane of the larynx, lungs develops in case of poisoning with vapors and leads to suffocation.

First aid for the injured

The most important thing is to immediately call an ambulance! The life of a person often depends on the time of her arrival.

• The victim needs to provide an influx of fresh air and rest. If inhalation poisoning occurs, the person should be removed/carried out of this room.
• Give the victim clean cool water to drink (if he is conscious and there are no signs of ingestion of the substance). You can not try to wash the stomach on your own, induce vomiting: this will be done by doctors using special solutions.
• Rinse the affected area of ​​the skin with running cool water for 15-20 minutes, another formaldehyde solution has got on the skin.
• Ensure the airway is open if the person is unconscious: lay him on his back and turn his head to the side.

Inpatient treatment of acute formaldehyde poisoning

As a rule, even at the scene of the incident, the first aid team takes measures to prevent further complications and save a person's life:

• Probe washing of the stomach cavity with water or saline.
• The introduction of hemostatic drugs in the event of signs of bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract.
• The introduction of painkillers for severe pain (often with a burn of the esophagus), drugs that stabilize vital signs: heartbeat, pressure, breathing.
• Setting a dropper with solutions to reduce intoxication.
• Intubation and artificial respiration for laryngeal edema.

The victim is hospitalized in the intensive care unit or in the toxicology department, where he is diagnosed and treated as follows:

• the introduction of ammonium carbonate or 3% chloride - formalin antidotes;
• hemodialysis (with kidney damage);
• surgery in the presence of bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract;
• other infusion therapy in the required volume.

The prognosis largely depends on the timeliness of medical care. In any case, this is a life-threatening condition that requires serious inpatient treatment. After suffering poisoning, sensitivity to formaldehyde increases significantly, so a subsequent similar situation can become fatal!

How to test indoor air for formaldehyde

It is easy to suspect trouble: if you feel bad at home, do not get enough sleep, there is constant irritability and discomfort - it's time to take air measurements in the apartment. People react differently to the chemical, and some are more sensitive. You should be especially vigilant if you have recently moved into a new house or renovated your apartment.

The concentration of formaldehyde that is created in the premises depends not only on the sources of its release, but also on the temperature and humidity of the air, the type and speed of ventilation (ventilation frequency), the type of heating (central or stove) and the presence of other sources using combustion processes (smokers , gas stoves).

• New materials are active releases of chemicals into the air.
• Formaldehyde emission decreases as materials “age” and reaches background levels after 3-5 years. However, if we are talking about upholstered furniture, the release of chemistry can occur even after 10 years of operation.
• High temperatures and high humidity, stove heating, gas stoves determine the increased release of the substance into the air.

How and when to start analyzing indoor air?

Most often, people turn to the laboratory immediately after buying furniture or repairing. But it is better to wait 1-3 months. Even after the highest quality repairs, it is recommended to properly ventilate the apartment for several weeks. The same applies to the option when new furniture is purchased.

• You should not contact the organizations on the basis of which the laboratory operates (even if it is accredited) and which carry out apartment repairs themselves. There is a high chance that the results will be falsified in order to impose their repair and "safe" materials on you.
• Measurements should be carried out by representatives of the sanitary and epidemiological service or specialists from an independent accredited laboratory.
• Household devices for home monitoring of the air environment give only an approximate estimate!

How are measurements taken? Most often, laboratory specialists conduct air tests in the apartment and on the street at the same time, and at once for several of the most common pollutants - formaldehyde, nitrogen, ammonia, carbon, phenol and hydrogen sulfide. On average, the procedure takes 30-40 minutes. With the help of devices, air is pumped through special liquid reagents, which are placed in sorption tubes (each chemical has its own). The analysis of the selected samples is carried out by different methods already in the laboratory, one of the modern ones is gas chromatography with mass spectrometric detection

How to test furniture for formaldehyde?

Chemical analysis of a material sample is carried out in laboratories and requires the provision of this very sample. those. part of the furniture will have to say goodbye. Well, if the furniture was made to order, and the sample was preserved. In other cases, you will have to sacrifice something.

We are in a hurry to disappoint those who believe that it is possible to save on materials and then check them for "purity" by handing them over for examination - examining materials for the presence of formaldehyde in it is an expensive pleasure, so in the end the purchase can become golden, and if it turns out to be that the material is of poor quality, it will be doubly insulting.

How to protect yourself from harmful chemicals

Unfortunately, no preventive measure can guarantee the cleanliness of indoor air 100%. However, following some simple safety rules will minimize the likelihood that you are breathing a mixture of chemicals, and not pure air:

• Carefully choose building and finishing materials and buy them in stores, not in the markets.
• If possible, give preference to products made of solid wood or metal. When buying materials from pressed wood, you should choose laminated products or with veneered ends.
• Ask sellers for documents that are a mandatory requirement of the technical regulation on the safety of building materials:
  • certificate or declaration of conformity with the prescribed manufacturer and place of production;
  • quality passport;
  • technical documents on safe use.
• Be sure to keep copies of certificates and receipts. If in the future toxic substances are detected in the air of the premises, the source of which was certain materials, a claim can be made to the store within 2 years.
• Do not use materials that are intended for outdoor use for interior repairs! Yes, they are often cheaper, but they are subject to other safety requirements, less stringent.
• Do not buy into the signs "environmentally friendly", "environmentally friendly". They are not regulated by law in any way and do not at all guarantee that the material is safe. The main confirmation of safety is the relevant documents!
• Also, do not buy into quick-drying, super-flexible, extra-strong and other materials with improved properties. Most often, all these additional effects are achieved through a variety of chemical additives.
• Do not move into an apartment / house immediately after repair and “packing” it with new furniture: at least for the first 3 months, your cozy home is nothing more than a small environmental disaster. Even if individually each chemical does not exceed the norm, but their combined effect, and sometimes mutual reinforcement of the negative impact on humans, creates dangerous air pollution.
• Maintain a healthy microclimate in your living quarters: ventilate rooms often and do not abuse heaters.
• Wash fabrics before use.
• Get indoor plants that can absorb "chemistry": dracaena, fern, bush chrysanthemum, ivy.
• When purchasing air purifiers, give preference to photocatalytic devices. It has been scientifically proven that they are able to remove formaldehyde from the air.
• As for the protective polyurethane coating on pressed wood products, which is able to retain the substance inside the product and prevent its evaporation into the air, this is relative protection. For effective protection, such coatings must completely cover the surface of the product, including corners, edges, edges, which is not always feasible.

In addition to chemical air pollution, radiation, electromagnetic radiation, bacterial pollutants, allergens, dust mites and a number of other environmental factors can have a negative impact on health and worsen the well-being of people, so it is recommended to conduct a comprehensive environmental assessment of residential premises, which, unfortunately, will cost a lot. .

An integral attribute and in some way even a symbol of comfortable housing are various types of furniture. It can be an inherited grandmother's closet and an ultra-modern bed, a modest bookshelf and luxurious kitchen furniture. All this is part of the atmosphere in a house or apartment, which is commonly called home.

However, not everyone knows that furniture can often represent a certain health hazard. First of all, the materials from which home furniture is made and manufacturers who allow (often directly violating the law) the presence of unsafe and even clearly toxic components in furniture are to blame for this. Therefore, when buying furniture, you should be careful not to bring a source of various pathologies into the house, and also carefully consider some of the interior components - are they the cause of frequent headaches and colds, allergies and loss of strength?

To begin with, you should find out exactly which materials and components of the home are capable of posing a threat. First of all, it is worth noting such a common material as chipboard (chipboard) - as studies show, more than 70% of the entire range of furniture from the lower and middle price segments is made using this material.

Meanwhile, resins, which are the main adhesive used in chipboard production, at the slightest heating and even without it, formaldehyde is emitted - a poisonous gas, the aqueous solution of which is called formalin. Formaldehyde irritates the respiratory tract, promotes the development of malignant tumors, is extremely toxic to the central nervous system and is especially dangerous for children. For this reason, chipboard-based furniture cannot be used in children's rooms.

Of course the manufacturers furniture and the state are trying to reduce the harmful effects of using such a dangerous, but at the same time common and cheap material - sanitary standards prescribe a level of formaldehyde emission of no more than 10 mg per square meter of chipboard, in addition, it is covered with special protective films in furniture. However, at the slightest damage to them and non-compliance with sanitary standards by manufacturers, symptoms of chronic poisoning occur - headaches, malaise, decreased immunity.

The second common furniture material whose safety is questionable are various types of plastics. Acrylic, PVC and other plastics are firmly entering our lives, displacing other materials. This also applies to materials that are used in the manufacture of furniture. However, the debate over the safety of plastics is either dying down or resurfacing. In particular, there is evidence that PVC materials are a source of toxic gases such as hydrogen chloride, benzene, and vinyl chloride.

All these gases are by-products during the synthesis of these plastics and should normally be removed during purification. However, it often happens that several cleaning cycles are not enough, and so these substances are transferred from the manufacturing plant to people's homes. Indirect signs of hazardous plastics are the low price of products (including furniture), a typical unpleasant "plastic smell" that can be felt from a distance. Buying furniture with such characteristics can be hazardous to health.

Do not fall behind in danger for health some materials are soft. For example, in recent years, cases have become more frequent when, instead of pure foam rubber, material with a small amount of solvent or other substances of the chemical industry was laid in the upholstery. Often this happens in cases where a sofa or chair is varnished and painted not before installing the upholstery, but after. And foam rubber, due to its structure, partially absorbs these substances.

When sleeping on such couch there is nausea and a severe headache in the morning, and a strong smell is felt from the piece of furniture itself. Therefore, you need to be careful when buying, so as not to get a bed with such a "surprise". No less dangerous is the outer upholstery of a sofa or bed, and, oddly enough, upholstery made from natural materials is more dangerous. For example, on wool upholstery, the presence of pathogens, up to anthrax bacteria, is possible. Yes, and during the operation of furniture with such upholstery, difficulties are possible - it attracts a large amount of dust and dust mites, which can cause severe allergies. It is safest to use leather or velvet upholstery on upholstered furniture, which can be easily vacuumed.

To keep safe yourself and your family, you should carefully look at updating furniture in the house, buy interior items only in large stores with all the relevant certificates. You should not chase sales and high discounts, because the harm to health that materials from such furniture can cause cannot be measured with any money.

The production of furniture includes operations, performing which the worker exposes his health to harmful factors. These are jobs performed by professions:

· typesetter of facing materials for furniture employed in works with the use of synthetic adhesives containing phenol, formaldehyde, formalin and urea;

· veneer of furniture parts, engaged in veneering parts in hydraulic presses using synthetic adhesives;

· a preparer of padding and flooring materials, employed in work with polyurethane foam and other synthetic padding materials;

· Apparatus for the production of adhesive thread;

· manufacturer of products made of foaming materials;

· the operator of drying installations, engaged in drying stuffing materials;

· Workers involved in soldering, gluing, welding products from PVC film.

Therefore, such workers employed in heavy and hazardous industries are provided with certain benefits and compensations by the labor legislation. These include various types of additional cash payments, additional vacations, the issuance of free meals, work clothes, and so on.

The list of industries, shops, professions and positions with harmful working conditions, giving the right to additional leave and approved by the Decree of the USSR State Labor Committee, the Presidium of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions of October 25, 1974 No. 298 / P-22. Decree of the USSR State Committee for Labor, All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions dated November 21, 1975 No. 273 / P-20 approved instructions on the procedure for applying the list of production shops, professions and positions with harmful working conditions, work in which gives the right to additional leave and a shorter working day.

In accordance with Article 146 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, remuneration for labor of workers engaged in heavy work, work with harmful, dangerous and other special working conditions is made at an increased rate.

In accordance with Article 147 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, remuneration for labor of workers engaged in heavy work, work with harmful and (or) dangerous and other special working conditions is set at an increased rate in comparison with tariff rates, salaries (official salaries) established for various types of works with normal working conditions, but not below the size established by labor legislation and other regulatory legal acts containing labor law norms.

The minimum wage increase for employees engaged in heavy work, work with harmful and (or) dangerous and other special working conditions, and the conditions for this increase are established in the manner determined by the Government of the Russian Federation, taking into account the opinion of the Russian tripartite commission for the regulation of social and labor relations.

Article 219 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation determines that the amount of compensation to workers engaged in heavy work, work with harmful and (or) dangerous working conditions, and the conditions for their provision are established in the manner determined by the Government of the Russian Federation, taking into account the opinion of the Russian tripartite commission for the regulation of social labor relations.

Until the Government has established the amount of compensation, production organizations have the right to be guided by the industry lists of the indicated works, approved by the Decrees of the USSR State Committee for Labor and the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions.

The standard regulation on the assessment of working conditions at workplaces and the procedure for applying sectoral lists of jobs where additional payments to workers for working conditions can be established was approved by the Decree of the USSR State Committee for Labor and the Secretariat of the All-Union Central Council of Trade Unions dated October 3, 1986 No. assessment of working conditions at workplaces and the procedure for applying sectoral lists of jobs where additional payments to workers for working conditions can be established.

Increased or additional compensation for hard work with harmful and (or) dangerous working conditions may be established by a collective agreement, a normative act, taking into account the financial and economic situation of the employer (Article 219 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation).

The specific amounts of additional payments are determined on the basis of attestation of workplaces and an assessment of working conditions at them in accordance with the Model Regulations approved by Decree No. 387 / 22-78.

Note!

With regard to the taxation of personal income tax and unified social tax of these amounts, we note the following. So employees of the financial department believe that if an organization makes additional payments to employees for difficult and harmful working conditions, then such payments increase the amount of remuneration for workers employed in work with harmful working conditions, as provided for in Article 147 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, that is, they are equated to the amounts for wages. Therefore, the calculation of personal income tax and UST is carried out in the usual manner (Letter of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation dated October 24, 2006 No. 03-05-02-04 / 166).

Employees associated with difficult and harmful working conditions in accordance with the provisions of Article 117 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation are annually provided with additional holidays.

Note that Decree No. 298 / P-22 contains a list of employees involved in the manufacture of furniture who are granted additional leave.

Furniture production belongs to the woodworking industry. An employee engaged in hazardous production, depending on the profession, may be granted additional leave in the amount of 6 to 18 days.

In accordance with Article 116 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, annual additional paid holidays are granted to employees employed in jobs with harmful and (or) dangerous working conditions, employees with a special nature of work, employees with irregular working hours, employees working in the Far North and equated to localities, as well as in other cases provided for by the Labor Code of the Russian Federation and other federal laws.

Article 117 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation defines the procedure for granting additional annual leave to employees employed in work with harmful and (or) dangerous working conditions.

Article 120 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation establishes that additional (as well as basic) holidays are calculated in calendar days. In Resolution No. 298 / P-22, the number of days is set in working days. To get rid of this "discrepancy", the organization should indicate in the collective agreement how many calendar days correspond to working days.

For more information on the issues related to the accrual of vacation pay and the procedure for their payment, you can find in the book of the authors of CJSC "BKR INTERCOM-AUDIT" "Vacations".

Payment for additional leave for profit tax purposes in accordance with paragraph 7 of Article 255 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation is included in labor costs. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that for the purposes of Chapter 25 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, the cost of additional leave can be taken into account in taxation only if the leave provided to the employee by the employer does not exceed the period provided for in Decree No. 298 / P-22. If the duration of the additional leave exceeds the specified norms, then the employer organization must attribute the payment for "excessive" days to expenses that do not reduce taxable profit (clause 24 of article 270 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation). A similar position is shared by employees of the financial department (Letter of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation dated December 20, 2006 No. 03-03-04 / 1/846).

When concluding with an employee, the employer has certain obligations in relation to this employee, that is, he must ensure safe working conditions and labor protection. One of these duties is to provide the employee with special clothing and personal protective equipment. According to Article 212 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, the employer is obliged to ensure the purchase and issue at his own expense of certified special clothing, special footwear and other personal protective equipment, flushing and neutralizing agents in accordance with established standards to employees employed in work with harmful and (or) dangerous working conditions , as well as in work performed in special temperature conditions or associated with pollution.

The rules for providing workers with special equipment were approved by Resolution No. 51.

Lists of professions, names and norms of issued overalls are established by the following documents:

Decree of the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation dated December 16, 1997 No. 63 “On approval of standard industry norms for the free issue of special clothing, special footwear and other personal protective equipment to employees”;

Decree of the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation dated December 25, 1997 No. 66 “On approval of standard industry norms for the free issue of special clothing, special footwear and other personal protective equipment to employees”;

Decree of the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation dated December 29, 1997 No. 68 “On approval of standard industry norms for the free issue of special clothing, special footwear and other personal protective equipment to employees”;

Decree of the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation dated December 30, 1997 No. 69 “On approval of standard norms for the free issue of special clothing, special footwear and other personal protective equipment to workers in cross-cutting professions and positions in all sectors of the economy”;

Decree of the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation dated July 22, 1999 No. 26 “On approval of standard industry norms for the free issue of special clothing, special footwear and other personal protective equipment for workers in chemical industries”;

Decree of the Ministry of Labor of the Russian Federation dated August 30, 2000 No. 63 “On approval of standard industry norms for the free issue of special clothing, special footwear and other personal protective equipment to bank employees”;

Near other regulatory documents.

Note!

The provision by the employer of free overalls and footwear and other personal protective equipment, washing and disinfecting agents, is precisely compensation payments related to the performance of work duties by the employee. And the amounts of compensation payments in accordance with the tax legislation of the Russian Federation are not subject to personal income tax (Article 217 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation) and UST (Article 238 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation) (Letter of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation dated April 18, 2006 No. 03-05-01-04 / 91) .

In addition, in accordance with paragraph 2 of Article 10 of the Federal Law of December 15, 2001 No. 167-FZ "On Compulsory Pension Insurance in the Russian Federation", these amounts are not charged for compulsory pension insurance.

Learn more about questions related to accounting and taxation in organizations engaged in the production of furniture, as well as in organizations trading in furniture production, you can find in the book of the authors of CJSC "BKR-INTERCOM-AUDIT" "Furniture from production to write-off".

Probably there is not a single person who has not encountered chipboard at least once. This material is used in various fields (construction, finishing and decorative work), it is used to produce furniture for the medium and economy segments, and much more. Due to its special composition, it is often considered unreliable and unsafe materials. But how harmful is chipboard to health? Let's try to figure it out.

What is chipboard. Characteristics and features

Chipboard is a composite made from a mixture of sawdust and thermosetting resins. The raw mass goes through several stages of production and is pressed under pressure in a hot way. After cooling, it is cut into plates of various sizes.

According to the density, chipboard is distinguished:

• extra small indicators - 350-450 kg / cu. m., (production of furniture cases, heat and noise insulation);
• small - 450-650 kg / cu. m., (manufacturing of facades by the frame method and repair of buildings, rough coatings);
• medium level - 650-750 kg / cu. m.;
• high degree - 700-800 kg / cu. m., (used for roofing, foundation work, production of large-format furniture).

The structure of the chipboard may vary depending on the purpose. These are single-layer slabs, three-layer (on the outer layers the fraction is smaller than inside) and multi-layer (the size of sawdust decreases in layers from the middle to the surfaces).

According to the degree of moisture resistance, we can distinguish:

• ordinary plates that can withstand an average air humidity in the range of 30-50%;
• Moisture-resistant, containing polymer or paraffin additives, which makes it possible to use the material at humidity up to 80%.

An important fact: like any product, chipboard is labeled in accordance with the past selection and division into grades. The first category includes products that meet all the requirements for the quality of raw materials, resistance to stress, etc. Chipboard with lower parameters and defects on the front part already belongs to the second class and is most often sent to the construction industry.

Advantages of chipboard:

1. High compressive and flexural strength. Fasteners are perfectly kept in the plates;
2. Ease of processing, including external finishing. Coloring, varnishing, lamination, veneering, etc. are allowed;
3. Shock and moisture resistance;
4. Wide size range. The length of the material varies from 1.8 to 5.6 m, width - 0.4 to 2.5 m, and thickness - from 3 mm to 40 mm.
5. Low price.

Of the minuses, we note:

• The impossibility of using various methods of figured processing, including milling, complex parts, etc.;
• Sharp edges. Paradoxical as it may seem, but chipboard furniture is almost always traumatic, as a rare manufacturer tries to round the edges or process it with a soft U-shaped edge tape;
• The second time, the hardware is very difficult to install in the body of the plate. It will be necessary to use adhesive mixtures such as "cold welding", epoxy plastic masses;
• Constant release of toxic volatile compounds (formaldehyde and others). When a certain concentration (maximum content) is reached, they can cause negative consequences for the body. This is typical for second-rate material.

It is the last minus that makes one wonder if chipboard causes harm to others, and whether it is dangerous for health to buy furniture from it, to clad walls, floors, ceilings.

The harmfulness of chipboard: myth or reality

The state and supervisory services impose high safety requirements on products widely used in everyday life and construction. Furniture, decoration and other household items should be made from materials that are safe for the population.

What does this have to do with chipboard? The most direct. In the production of boards, melamine, urea-formaldehyde or phenol-formaldehyde resins are used as a binder. As a result of certain reactions, the chipboard almost constantly emits a volatile compound that is poisonous to humans - formaldehyde.

Its harm does not even need to be proved once again - it is officially recognized as a carcinogen, which, with constant exposure at a certain concentration (percentage in the air), can cause various disorders, poisoning, diseases, including by no means harmless dermatitis and dangerous cancer.

However, it will not be possible to completely get rid of this incredibly harmful substance. Even wooden furniture or decoration contains a certain amount of bound compounds of formaldehyde, phenol, benzene, not to mention the plastic we love so much, used in all areas - from household appliances to constantly used dishes.

According to Russian and European legislation, the maximum permissible content of formaldehyde in the air for chipboard boards is determined by the emission class:

• E1 - no more than 8 mg per 100 g. dry chipboard inclusive;
• E2 - up to 30 mg inclusive.

These indicators depend not only on the quality of raw materials, but also on external processing. Harm can be significantly reduced if the emission area is reduced. To do this, it is enough to veneer the sheet with a laminated film on all sides, and trim the ends with an edge tape.

From plates of the first category, furniture is produced for the residential sector, commercial and other institutions. Material with a minimum value and all-round cladding can be used for the release of a children's or hospital environment.

Slabs of the second class without external finishing are allowed to be used only in repairs for decorative and finishing cladding. Otherwise, the harm of second-rate material is manifested in a deterioration in well-being, the appearance of headaches, asthma attacks, signs of poisoning and other consequences.

Chipboard factories are well aware of this, so the assortment always includes products with different emission classes. Another thing is that economy-class furniture manufacturers do not always use the appropriate raw materials in the manufacture of their products. But it's easy to check:

1. Carefully inspect the surface and edges of the furniture - if the film bubbles and the ends are not closed, then most likely the lining is homemade, not factory, therefore, plates that do not meet the standards were used;
2. After unpacking, pay attention to the smell. The sharp, literally knocking down "plastic" smell of formaldehyde indicates the low quality of the chipboard used;
3. Ask about certificates. There is nothing wrong with asking the supplier for a sanitary and hygienic conclusion, on the back of which the normative and practical release of formaldehyde compounds must be indicated, as well as the period of testing and the validity of the certificate.

The harm of formaldehyde resins has been proven, but this does not mean that chipboard should be completely abandoned. It is enough to take a responsible approach to the choice of products made from wood-shaving materials and not save on your own health.

Furniture forums are full of messages from outraged buyers complaining about the smell of new chipboard furniture, which has not disappeared “for a week now”; “harmful formaldehyde is to blame for everything,” say the most knowledgeable. Let's try to figure out what's going on.

Indeed, any new furniture retains industrial smells for some time after assembly. There is no escape from this. It is necessary to ventilate the room daily and do wet cleaning.

Now help:

“Formaldehyde in its pure form is officially recognized as a carcinogen – that is, a toxic substance that can cause cancer. It is a colorless and strongly smelling gas. Formaldehyde has an irritating effect on the respiratory organs (on the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, larynx), skin and the central nervous system. Its high concentrations can cause asthma attacks.

Formaldehyde is used not only in the production of chipboard, but also in the production of paints and varnishes, plastics, adhesives, it is contained in many natural materials, in vehicle exhausts, and even in some food products. In high concentrations, evaporation is really extremely dangerous for human health.”

Of course, furniture made of chipboard (laminated chipboard) is budget-class furniture. Cost is the main advantage of this material. The advantages include a wide range of sizes, a wealth of choice of exterior finishes, ease of processing, shock and moisture resistance, high compressive strength and bending. Of the minuses - the inability to use various methods of figured processing, including milling and complex parts; undesirable use by allergy sufferers and people with respiratory diseases; sharp impact edges.

The basis of production is chipboard, which can be of various densities - single-layer, three-layer (on the outer layers, the fraction is smaller than inside) and multi-layer (the size of sawdust decreases in layers from the middle to the surfaces). The binding component of wood shavings in it is glue, which includes urea-formaldehyde or phenol-formaldehyde resins. Next, the plate is covered with laminate, and the ends are fed with melamine or PVC edge, which prevent the evaporation of harmful substances.

Furniture made of high-quality laminated chipboard practically does not smell. A slight smell of natural wood is possible.

In addition, the state and supervisory services impose high safety requirements on products widely used in everyday life and construction. Therefore, like any product, chipboard is labeled in accordance with the past selection and division into grades. The first category includes products that meet all the requirements for the quality of raw materials, resistance to stress, etc. Chipboard with lower parameters and defects on the front part already belongs to the second class and is most often sent to the construction industry.

The products of many leading Russian chipboard manufacturers comply with European standards, and these enterprises are constantly working to improve environmental performance.

The safest material is considered to be class E-1 (up to 10 mg of formaldehyde per 100 g of absolutely dry wood board).

Data on the quality of the material used can be found in the hygiene certificate (certificate of quality that is attached to any furniture product) - the seller will provide it at your request.

Material with a minimum value and all-round cladding can be used for the release of a children's or hospital environment.

• It is necessary to distinguish between the concepts of chipboard and chipboard. Chipboard is a plate hermetically sealed on all sides, the finish of which prevents the release of harmful substances. It is from it that economy-class furniture is made. Pay attention to the quality of the edge, the absence of chips and open areas of chipboard. After purchase, follow the recommendations that help preserve the protective layer of laminated chipboard: protect furniture from frequent and excessive moisture, maintain a certain temperature in the room for such furniture (in the range from -1 to +30 degrees Celsius), in case of mechanical damage, restore properties with wax.
• Formaldehyde is harmful in its pure form, and in the glue that is used in the manufacture of furniture, it is only an integral part. So, everyone's favorite plastic used in everyday life, gives a greater amount of formaldehyde fumes.
• Formaldehyde is a gas and is only harmful in high concentrations. Under the influence of high (over +45) temperature, formaldehyde is activated, so you should not put furniture made of laminated chipboard close to heating appliances. And regular ventilation of the premises will save you from the problem of accumulation of fumes.

It turns out that the devil is not as scary as he is painted!

In any case, you should not save on your health and it is better to choose furniture from a higher quality laminated chipboard from a trusted manufacturer. In the salons of Spartak, a huge amount of just such furniture is presented - which has passed a tough competitive selection. Consultants will provide you with all the necessary information about the properties and quality of furniture from our suppliers, and the prices, I am sure, will pleasantly surprise you. Happy shopping!