A Killer of Pollution: Formaldehyde

Recently, the Center for Disease Control in China has estimated that the formaldehyde in more than 92% of Chinese houses goes far beyond the standard, and 76% of which is five times higher than the standard. The report has also revealed that formaldehyde does harms to people’s health from many aspects.

Formaldehyde is rather dangerous. First of all, it stimulates the mucous membrane of the skin and combines with the protein. Such a bad function would cause edema in the respiratory tract, in eyes and in the brain. Secondly, it would lead to allergy of the skin. Last but not the least, it would bring cancer to people.

In general, different people react to formaldehyde quite differently. Most of the time, symptoms would not appear immediately. But we can find that the dangers to children and women are the severest. It is because that the immune system of children is so weak that the harmful chemical could enter the respiratory tract without any difficulty. As a result, children are easy to suffer from relevant diseases. Some children would even get chronic aplastic anemia, which is sometimes fatal. According to epidemic statistics, three in 100000 people would have the chance of get leukemia. Half of these patients are children who are from the age of two to seven. Experts tell us that it is the formaldehyde in decoration materials that cause these diseases. Statistics from Beijing Children Hospital showed that the houses of over 90% of young patients had been decorated in the past six months. Similar surveys in Shenzhen also get the same results. Pregnant women should keep away from formaldehyde as well. Doctors say that the blood pressure would go up fast. Vomit and anemia would occur from time to time. If the side effect is severe, the fetuses would be under developed or even dead. Therefore, pregnant women are advised not to stay in newly decorated houses.

Fortunately, we have various methods to deal with the terrible chemical. First of all, house decorations are better to start in warm seasons, for high temperatures can accelerate the evaporation of formaldehyde. Secondly, aeration is the most effective way to get rid of this substance. People are suggested to open the window and drawers. This very chemical volatilizes at a rather high speed. 60% of the chemical would disappear in one day if the windows keep open. And 20% more would volatilize in three months. After a few months, only a little amount of the chemical remains in the house. It would not disappear until several years or decades of years later. But it is safe enough for human beings. Experts hold the view that it is wise to move into a new house three months after the decoration.