Having read the many posts on here from woodworkers, albeit
recreational ones, regarding the ill health effects they suffer from
using MDF, wood composite boards (WBC’s) and wood dust it’s toxins and
carcinogens (natural or man made and added), I can’t believe that
there are still doubters amongst you. Wood dust per se was classified
in 1995 as a human carcinogen based on British studies of woodworkers.
Many such studies have followed since then.

There are many good peer reviewed publications about the ill health
effects of wood dust, wood composite boards and such added substances
as formaldehyde, silica, etc added to the resins and glues, fillers,
binders, etc.

From reading the postings one thing shouts out more than most besides
the word Cancer of course and that’s SINUS and SINUSES. You all seem
to complain about much the same issues, the damage and affects the
wood dust has on your sinuses and lungs whatever wood or WCB’s you’re
using.

The ill health effects aren’t limited to several types of cancers they
can also cause other respiratory and skin diseases, and maybe also
autoimmune diseases and kidney disease too. Many autoimmune diseases
start with what appear to be sinusitis, nose bleeds, colds and coughs
that won’t go away, joint pains, night sweats or coughing up blood to
name just a few symptoms. Certain autoimmune diseases and cancers,
which are largely either under diagnosed or mis-diagnosed, have been
found to be caused by silica, which is a carcinogen. Silica is not
only found naturally in wood but can also possibly have been added to
wood composite boards in sufficient quantities to blunt industrial
strength saw blades. Research has been done on this. If there is
enough to blunt industrial strength carbide and diamond tipped blades
then there must surely be enough emitted in dust to cause ill health
problems in wood workers when it is emitted in the dust to be breathed
in by the unsuspecting woodworker or wood machinist, joiner,
carpenter. Long latency periods add to the confusion and often the
link isn’t made until it’s too late. Also, genetics plays a big part,
and often although you may get lots of people exposed to the same
toxin they won’t all suffer from the same illness as a consequence of
that same exposure. So again the link may never be made.

Have any of you been affected by breathing in wood dust and/or maybe
have wives or family that you think might have been affected by the
wood dust you took home on your clothes for your wife to wash. You
have been taking a carcinogenic substance home and your wife has to
breathe it in too.

Were any of you aware that these WCB production plants are causing
very similar ill health problems to residents living nearby? Again
SINUS problems are mentioned besides cancers and respiratory and skin
diseases. Sonae, the largest of all the WCB manufacturers in the
world, are reported to be causing ill health problems for residents at
their Kirkby, UK plan and also at one in South Africa too, maybe other
all over the world due to the emissions of wood dust and fumes from
their other plants spread all over the world. Largely these are
situated in the poorest areas of the world, some would say
intentionally, so that they meet little resistance to their insidious
practices. Another reported to be causing health problems due to
emissions is the Kronospan plant in Chirk, UK. More details about the
Sonae WCB production plants can be found at www.liverpooltimes.net

I’m asking purely for personal reasons. Please, it would be really
helpful to know or if you have any advice to give I’d be grateful.

I think it’s too much of a coincidence that woodworkers (recreational
and professional)/wood machinists/carpenters and their wives/families
and also residents both young and old alike living nearby WCB plants
in the UK and South Africa are all experiencing the same types of ill
health after breathing in wood dust emissions. Something has to be
causing this!

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