Haynes and Boone's Newsroom
American Funeral Director Guest Article: Government Elevates Concerns of Formaldehyde
09/07/2011
Stan Perry
In mid-June, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Toxicology Program listed formaldehyde as a "known human carcinogen" in its 12th Report on Carcinogens. From my perspective and experience from working on benzene-related cases, this is the likely tipping point for lawsuits to be filed by individuals and groups claiming that their exposures to formaldehyde - in the workplace, household or even community - caused their cancer.
The American Chemistry Council was quick to respond to the 12th Report on Carcinogens, stating "HHS ignored the recently released, independent, peer-review report from the National Research Council, which strongly questioned whether the scientific evidence supports the claim of human carcinogen for leukemia."
While the ACC is correct that the National Research Council minimized the chemical's linkage to cancer and a World Health Organization report indicated that normal human exposures to formaldehyde do not present a risk of cancer, the 12th Report on Carcinogens trumps earlier studies. For every business and industry that uses the chemical, the June report is significant.
Excerpt from American Funeral Director, Aug. 2011. Online link unavailable.