Plywood is a workhorse, and while it can be beautiful as well as functional, in most instances it is also a large contributer to indoor air pollution. The glues in plywood are generally urea formaldehyde based. What this means is that as it sits, the formaldehyde used to create your beautiful new piece of furniture is actually off-gassing toxins into the air in your home.
Formaldehyde, depending on the level of exposure, and the sensitivity of the person exposed, can cause physical symptoms. According to the EPA (http://www.epa.gov/iaq/formalde.html#Health Effects) such exp
osures can result in: watery eyes, burning sensation or irritation of the eyes and throat, nausea, headaches, difficulty breathing, wheezing and coughing, asthma attacks, fatigue, skin rash – and may cause cancer.
Now again, not everyone experiences these symptoms, but when your family’s health is at stake, why take the risk? I don’t know about you, but if there is an alternative to using products with formaldehyde or without, my vote is for without. So, the question is, what do you use instead? Columbia Forest Products, based in Portland, Oregon – Yay Oregon! – has a wonderful product called “Purebond” (http://columbiaforestproducts.com/PureBond). Purebond is a plywood product that uses a soy-based glue rather than a formaldehyde based one. And what’s more, it’s beautiful!
Purebond is available at many home improvement stores like your local hardware or chain store, such as Home Depot. So next time you need plywood for a project consider Purebond. You and your loved ones will breathe easier.
