Formalin is often used as a preservative and germ killer, even in household cleaning products. Formalin needs to be used with caution, because long-term exposure to this substance can cause serious health problems.
Formalin is a toxic substance that can easily spread through the air. Short-term exposure due to physical contact with formalin can cause skin, eye and respiratory tract irritation.
In addition, formalin is also known to be a carcinogen, which can cause cancer, especially if exposed in the long term.
What is Formalin?
Formalin is a chemical compound that has a pungent odor and is colorless. This substance is commonly used in wood used to make household furniture, such as wardrobes, beds, or walls.
Therefore, houses can be the source of the highest levels of formalin exposure, especially homes that have just been built or have just been renovated.
Formalin is also contained in household cleaning products and preservatives in laboratory tissue samples. In addition, formalin can also be found in cigarette smoke.
What are the Dangers of Formalin on Health?
As previously mentioned, exposure to formalin that is too high can cause various symptoms, such as dizziness, coughing, and skin irritation. When exposure lasts long term, formalin can also cause serious conditions, such as:
Respiratory Tract Infection
Inhaled formaldehyde can cause irritation of the respiratory tract. People with breathing problems, such as bronchitis and asthma, may experience a worsening of symptoms when they inhale formaldehyde.
Patients with other chronic respiratory diseases are also more susceptible to formalin exposure. Sore throat, cough, and nosebleeds are symptoms that can occur if you are exposed to this chemical compound.
Cancer
Formalin is also known as one of the substances that trigger cancer, especially throat cancer, nose cancer, and leukemia. So far, research has not proven how much formalin levels can be said to be a cancer trigger.
However, the higher the level of formalin that enters the body, the higher the risk of developing this disease. It should also be noted that children and the elderly are the age group considered to be more sensitive to formalin. They are known to get sick more easily when exposed to this substance.
How to Reduce and Prevent Formalin Exposure?
To reduce and prevent formalin exposure, there are several ways you can do, namely:
- Keep the air circulation in the house fresh by opening the windows wide, especially in the morning to evening.
- Make sure the temperature in the house is at the lowest temperature that is still comfortable, if possible you can use air conditioner (AIR CONDITIONING).
- Invite family members, especially children and the elderly to often breathe fresh air outside, especially if they suffer from respiratory problems such as asthma.
- Avoid smoking indoors and it would be even better if you stop smoking completely.
- If you are using insecticides or cleaning products, be sure to use them in the open air.
- Wash your hands and body with soap and water after using insecticides or cleaning products.
- Wash foodstuffs properly before cooking.
- Cook the food until it is cooked, because the formalin content can be lost during the heating process.
- Buy fresh fish or chicken. Avoid meat that feels tough, because it may have been given formalin.
Based on the Regulation of the Minister of Health of the Republic of Indonesia Number 33 of 2012 concerning Food Additives, there are several other ingredients, besides formalin, which are prohibited from being used as food additives, namely nitrobenzene, dihydrosafrole, boric acid, nitrofurazone, as well as essential oils such as tansy oil and sasafras oil.
Although you can't completely avoid exposure to formaldehyde, you should at least try to minimize exposure to formaldehyde by implementing the above preventive measures. Do not hesitate to consult a doctor if you feel symptoms due to too high formalin exposure.