US EPA

In June 2010, EPA released an external review draft of the formaldehyde reassessment for public review and comment. The IRIS Toxicological Review of Formaldehyde (Inhalation) provides scientific support and rationale for the hazard and dose-response assessment pertaining to chronic inhalation exposure to formaldehyde.

Then in 2014, EPA began revising its assessment to address the 2011 NAS peer review recommendations (see related links). This assessment addresses both noncancer and cancer human health effects that are relevant to assessing the risks from chronic inhalation exposure to formaldehyde. To facilitate discussion of several scientific issues pertinent to the assessment, EPA convened a public workshop held on April 30 and May 1, 2014. This workshop focused on the following three themes:

• Evidence pertaining to the influence of formaldehyde that is produced endogenously (by the body during normal biological processes) on the toxicity of inhaled formaldehyde, and implications for the health assessment;
• Mechanistic evidence relevant to formaldehyde inhalation exposure and lymphohematopoietic cancers (leukemia and lymphomas); and
• Epidemiological research examining the potential association between formaldehyde exposure and lymphohematopoietic cancers (leukemia and lymphomas).

The draft toxicological review of formaldehyde - inhalation assessment provides scientific support and rationale for the hazard and dose-response assessment pertaining to chronic inhalation exposure to formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is present in a wide variety of products including some plywood adhesives, abrasive materials, insulation, insecticides and embalming fluids. The major sources of anthropogenic emissions of formaldehyde are motor vehicle exhaust, power plants, manufacturing plants that produce or use formaldehyde or substances that contain it (i.e. glues), petroleum refineries, coking operations, incinerating, wood burning and tobacco smoke.

The draft Toxicological Review of Formaldehyde-Inhalation Assessment provides scientific support and rationale for the hazard and dose-response assessment pertaining to chronic inhalation exposure to formaldehyde.

An updated timeline will be posted in the June 2021 IRIS Program Outlook.

U.S. EPA. IRIS Toxicological Review of Formaldehyde (Inhalation) (External Review Draft, 2010). U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC, EPA/635/R-10/002A, 2010.

In 2019, EPA announced the release of the Toxicological Review of Formaldehyde-Inhalation Assessment in a June 2, 2010 Federal Register Notice. This draft assessment was provided for public viewing and comment. Public comments received on the Toxicological Review within 90 days after the release of the FRN were provided to the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) independent scientific peer review committee for its consideration. Any comments not received within the requested time period will be considered by EPA in revisions. This FRN also includes notice of a public listening session that was held on July 27, 2010.