I was recently at Home Depot looking at birch plywood. My project is a baby cradle and I was considering using birch ply for the bottom which would support the mattress and would not be visible when the cradle was in use. I was suprised to see a warning label on the plywood which said it contained a substance that the State of California had found to cause cancer in humans. I assume, but don’t know, this refers to formaldehyde in the adhesives.
I’ve pretty much concluded that I’ll use slats made of solid poplar or clear pine instead of plywood, but I’m wondering what comments people have about this warning and the use of plywood generally and, in particular, it’s use in projects (furniture, toys, etc.) intended for use by children.
Replies
Formaldehyde is released as a gas, so the use of plywood or any other material that releases formaldehyde anywhere in the house will create an exposure. The gas disperses quickly so in general the use of plywood in a child's toy or furniture wouldn't create a concentrated exposure. The greater risk is that many common household materials off gas formaldehyde and the gas can build up in a well sealed building.
The problem of formaldehyde was recognized a number of years ago and in general it is much less of a problem today as manufacturers have worked to reduce it in their products. The California warning rules, as I understand them, require a warning label even if the actual risk is very low.
John White
I think there is also some arsenic in it. That's what convinced me to get the Delta dust collector with the 1 micron bag. I also wear a good mask when I work it.
Hi, Montanaman, Sorry to break the bad news to you, but arsenic can't be filtered out by your DC's filter as described.Marty from Ottawa
As a 30+ year resident of CA, I've become pretty much immune to those warnings. They seem to be slapped onto virtually every man-made product sold anywhere.
I would, however, caution you against HD plywood - of any species. I've quit using it for any of my cabinet/furniture jobs because of it's inconsistent quality. The price is right, but fighting with the voids, delaminations, twists, warps, and cups just became more trouble than it was worth. Spending more for a cabinet grade ply actually reduced my production cost.
SkippyV
This is your child! why take any avoidable risks? Use solid wood and glue them together if you can't find a piece wide enough.. I buy 22 inch wide boards all the time. a couple of them should be wide enough for your needs.
Before you use glue you had better check California's Glue Warnings. ;-D
If you're going to be making many projects for children, it'd be worth your while to research exactly what it is in the plywood the CA regs are warning against. I would think (speculation here) that if it's formaldehyde, letting it sit in your shop for awhile, and then sealing it with shellac, would pretty much eliminate the risks.
The most important think in making items for children, IMHO, is making sure that whatever finish you put on them is safe.
Source for toxin free plywood.
http://www.columbiaforestproducts.com/
You can check their dealer list to see who carries it in your area.
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It would indeed be a tragedy if the history of the human race proved to be nothing more than the story of an ape playing with a box of matches on a petrol dump. ~David Ormsby Gore
Pine may not be the best choice either due to the phenols and other compounds it outgasses. It has been linked in some studies to asthma and other problems.
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It would indeed be a tragedy if the history of the human race proved to be nothing more than the story of an ape playing with a box of matches on a petrol dump. ~David Ormsby Gore
Oak ain't no joke. That's what I'd use.
Thanks everyone for your comments. The baby, our second grandchild (and thus my second cradle project), will be here soon so Grandpa has got to get finished. No time to research and as frechy points out, why would I take any chances? The cradle will have solid wood slats and not a ply bottom.
Looking ahead to other projects, I'll see what else I can find on the web about the hazards and also check out the non-toxic products from the supplier dgreen mentioned. There's a dealer here in Phoenix.
I think that in California, just about everything has been found to cause cancer. If they were truly serious about the subject they would post that warning on their air in LA.
What part of Kalifornia are you in? I live in So Cal. and can give you recomendations on supplyers
When my son was younger (30 years ago) most of his toys from my shop were selected scraps or formed objects made from air dried basswood. A great soft wood to chew on.
Have yet to find a viable argument against using that wood for whatever you want to make for children.
He has since grown to be very well educated and successful with a beautiful wife and two gorgeous children.
SkippyV,
Be sure and post a pic of the cradle when you're finished.
Alan - planesaw
The cradle is coming along nicely. Now I just need that little one to wait just awhile longer....no early arrivals like her mom. I'm in Phoenix, AZ and the expectant parents are in Chicago, so as soon as it's done it will be broken down, packed and shipped. If I remember to take a picture in the rush I'll post it. Funny, about 2 years ago I made one in western Michigan and drove it to Phoenix, AZ. Now I'm living and making one here in Phoenix and sending it to Illinois. I've got to wonder where the 3rd cradle (I've got one more kid) will be built and where it will be going to.
The actual dangers have been elaborated on in enough detail. The warnings you saw posted are Prop 65 in action, and the problem is that everything is getting tagged as containing something that is believed to cause cancer.
With so many of these warning notices being applied, the risk is that the warnings themselves become devalued. We are reaching a point where manufacturers could put legitimately dangerous products into the market, slap a prop 65 warning notice on them and be in the clear. Obviously the application of a warning label does not indemnify a manufacturer of the liability associated with a truly dangerous product, but my point is still valid, the boy who cried wolf fable comes to mind.
Gawd, the next thing you know they'll have a label that says the warning label causes cancer!
Regards,Bob @ Kidderville Acres
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
Nah the next thing you know is they will be telling you not to remove the labels on matresses
Getting on a plane yesterday in San Francisco I notices a warning sign on the jetway that it contained materials "known to cause cancer in California". The jetway operator said she understood that the state wanted to post the same signs in all the airplanes that landed or took off in California. Don't know if it is true.Howie.........
Well, my new grandson arrived a little early, the cradle arrived a little late, but he seems to like it. Thanks for everyone's replies to my original post. Here's a picture. Unstained hard maple, General Finishes salad bowl finish. The design is a slight modification from the plan in Jeff Miller's book, Children's Furniture Projects.
Very nicely done ! What sleep number do you have it set on ? ;-)Work Safe, Count to 10 when your done for the day !!
Bruce S.
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