New Study Finds Formaldehyde Levels in California Daycare Centers Exceed Standards
IAQ Index™ provides test kits used to identify formaldehyde and other indoor air quality (IAQ) contaminants in schools, homes, and offices.
Last month, it was reported that researchers from UC Berkeley found that 9 out of 10 California daycare centers exceeded state safety guidelines for formaldehyde. As part of the study, samples were taken from 40 daycare centers in Alameda and Monterey counties from 2010 and 2011. The California Air Resources Board funded the tests.
This research is of special concern since it was conducted in environments meant for children. Children breathe more air in comparison to their body size than adults and exposure to formaldehyde is recognized as a potential health threat.
In 2011, the United States’ National Toxicology Program, an interagency program of the Department of Health and Human Services, named formaldehyde as a known human carcinogen in its 12th Report on Carcinogens. Unfortunately, formaldehyde is a widely used chemical used in many common building materials, furnishings, and even a number of consumer products found in most homes and buildings.
Exposure to formaldehyde can result in adverse health effects in addition to concerns over its carcinogenic properties. Watery eyes or burning sensations in the eyes, nose, and throat occur with some people exposed to this chemical. Coughing, nausea and skin irritation are also possible reactions.
For parents, teachers, and others who are concerned about exposure to formaldehyde there are ways to test the air quality for this chemical. “One of the most affordable ways to determine if formaldehyde is a problem is to use a test kit,” reported Bruce Jacobs, CIH, President of IAQ Index, an indoor air quality and formaldehyde test kit manufacturer. “IAQ Index has developed an affordable test kit that allows anyone to test for formaldehyde. The results are then presented in a format that is color coded and easy to understand.”
An online video discussing how indoor air quality test kits from IAQ Index can help determine the air quality can be seen at:
http://youtu.be/_Zzav8NbPcc
To learn more about testing for formaldehyde or other indoor air quality contaminants, please visit IAQ Index at http://www.IAQIndex.com, email info@IAQIndex.com or call (888) 259-3883.
About IAQ Index
IAQ Index was developed by a Certified Industrial Hygienist with decades of experience dealing with indoor air quality issues. IAQ Index was developed as a health-based, easy-to-understand, air quality index that is calculated from data generated for various parameters commonly measured during IAQ surveys. The approach is similar to the EPA’s Air Quality Index that has been used historically to communicate the risks posed by common pollutants in the ambient air.
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