Bill wrote:


"Mark & Juanita" wrote in message
...
Bill wrote:

I find that after I visit big stores that have lots of dusty particle
board, plywood and MDF stacked around that I have a shortness of breath
for a while
afterward. This is true to some degree even if I don't go near the wood
(as the formaldehyde-laden dust is most likely being ventilated
throughout
the store).

Would hardly think that the source of the dust is the particle board,
but
is dust that has settled onto the particle board from other sources.
Would
be very surprised if the dust itself has *any* urea-formaldehyde content
at
all. Now, in those stores, if it is new particle board, there is
certainly
the possibility that the material is still out-gassing. But that is
entireley different than assigning the blame to dust.



I sanded some particle board by hand and got a very bad reaction. I
assume it's the "dust". If I spend some time in Home Depot or Mennards I
end up with some shortness of breath. Ace Hardware, Sears, Kmart, Harbor
Freight---no problems. Knowing this, would you still not blame the dust?

-Bill

When you sanded the particle board, you were generating particle board
dust and also exposing layers that may not have fully out-gassed. When you
visit a retail store that sells PB, the dust you see on the PB is very
unlikely to be PB dust. However, the PB in those establishments is
relatively new and probably still out-gassing. If you are truly sensitive
to Urea-formaldehyde, it is most likely the out-gassing from the new
materials that is bothering you.


--
If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough