Emission of formaldehyde from furniture: Assessment of its impact on indoor air quality

The emission of formaldehyde from a variety of furniture was measured in climate chambers. Most tests show low emission of formaldehyde; however, there are a few exceptions. One product emitted significant amounts of formaldehyde, but according to the Danish Indoor Climate Labelling Criteria for furniture the impact on the formaldehyde concentration was low due to a small surface area in the standard room. One product led to a high concentration of formaldehyde in the standard room since both emission and material load were high. Even with a moderate area-specific emission rate of formaldehyde, furniture with high material load in the standard room, such as bookcases, can have a significant impact on the indoor air. The results showed that furniture on the Danish market may have an emission of formaldehyde resulting in indoor concentrations above the WHO recommended limit of 0.1 mg m-3. Therefore, some furniture on the Danish market can cause unsatisfactory air quality in the indoor air.