"The agency’s final risk assessment for formaldehyde jump-starts the process to address the risk posed by the cancer-causing chemical"
"Using formaldehyde, a common chemical that can cause cancer and other chronic conditions, presents an “unreasonable risk of injury to human health” in current practices, the Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday.
With a pickle-like odor, formaldehyde is found “nearly everywhere,” officials note. People and animals produce and release it. It is also emitted when cars release exhaust, through forest fires, and smoking. And, formaldehyde is used to make glues, paints, plastics, textiles, semiconductors, construction materials, toys, and furniture. It’s a preservative in laboratories and mortuaries. Over time, it may be released from those products.
Included in products to help straighten hair or smooth curls, formaldehyde can pose a disproportionate risk to Black women and other women of color. About half of products advertised to Black women contain these kinds of chemicals, whereas just 7 percent are advertised to white women, researchers found. When used at a salon that isn’t properly ventilated, both the salon professionals and their clients are at risk of inhaling the colorless gas."
Julia Musto reports for the Independent January 2, 2025.
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