The Chinese-made laminate sold by Lumber Liquidators between 2012 and 2014 contains formaldehyde levels that pose only a marginal cancer risk, but may cause other short-term issues, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Log in to view the full article
The Chinese-made laminate sold by Lumber Liquidators between 2012 and 2014 contains formaldehyde levels that pose only a marginal cancer risk, but may cause other short-term issues, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Lumber Liquidators’ stock started to nosedive last year after the company announced “60 Minutes” would air an investigation alleging the company’s Chinese-made laminate product contained dangerous levels of formaldehyde. Although still down more than 80 percent since the announcement on Feb. 23, 2015, the stock rose 2.6 percent to $12.41 within an hour after the CDC released its report on Wednesday.
“Formaldehyde exposure from the tested laminate flooring would be much lower and would last for less time than the exposures linked to cancer,” the CDC said in a summary of the report. “We estimated the risk of cancer from exposure to this flooring and it’s low.”
Lumber Liquidators released a statement after the CDC report was published:
“Lumber Liquidators appreciates the work that the agency has done to produce this report. We support their recommendations and share their commitment to educating consumers. We have invested significant time and resources, and have continued to work with outside third parties, as part of our ongoing efforts to provide customers with the highest quality products.”
The CDC’s full report is available online.
The tests were conducted by three accredited labs contracted by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The labs did not test the laminate using the deconstructive method chosen by “60 Minutes” investigators and Whitney Tilson, the hedge fund manager who shorted Lumber Liquidators stock and pitched the story to “60 Minutes.”
According to the report, the typical amount of formaldehyde in indoor air averages 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air, with the range between a few micrograms per cubic meter of air and 240 micrograms per cubic meter of air. Ninety-five percent of the samples tested released formaldehyde between 60 and 280 micrograms per cubic meter of air.
The CDC estimates that at that level, between two and nine additional cancer cases will occur for every 100,000 people exposed to the formaldehyde off-gassing from the laminate products tested. For comparison, in the U.S., one in two men and one in three women will develop cancer from all causes, according to the American Cancer Society.
Exposure to the formaldehyde in the laminate flooring tested will increase the chance of symptoms like short-term eye, nose or throat irritation or breathing problems developing in children, older adults and people with asthma, the CDC said.
However, the chance of any ill effect decreases over the lifespan of the laminate product.
“If the flooring was installed more than two years ago, the levels of formaldehyde have most likely returned to what is normally found in homes—so there is probably no reason to remove it,” the CDC said.
The CDC provided a list of steps for concerned homeowners who want to lower the amount of formaldehyde in a home, including opening the windows for a few minutes each day, keeping the temperature and humidity at the lowest comfortable setting and using exhaust fans.
If someone has symptoms, and those symptoms only occur at home, they should see a doctor, the CDC said, adding that homeowners need to get their home tested only if they can smell strong chemical odors or if they show symptoms.
