Customwood Frequently Asked Questions

What can I do to ensure a safer workplace regarding wood dust?

In order to ensure a safe working environment, when machining timber or wood panel products, priority should always be given to limiting the volume of dust. Dust extraction equipment should be fitted to machinery and workplaces to minimise the volume of dust. People working with wood panels should take appropriate steps to minimise exposure to dust. Where possible wood products should be cut or machined in a well-ventilated area. It is very important to maintain volume and concentration of dust below safe exposure levels. More information on dust is available in the Materials Safety Data Sheet (MSDS).

What are the products used to manufacture Customwood and what approximate percentage of it?

Customwood is made using wood fibres (mostly from Radiata Pine), Urea Formaldehyde (UF) resin and a minute amount of paraffin wax. Wood is at least 80%, the UF resin between 10 and 20% and paraffin wax is less than 1%.

FORMALDEHYDE: What is it?

Formaldehyde is a simple chemical made of hydrogen, oxygen and carbon – it is a gas and a natural part of our world. We make it in our bodies and it occurs naturally in the air we breathe. Formaldehyde occurs as a natural product in most living systems and in the environment. In addition to these natural sources, common non-occupational sources of exposure include vehicle emissions, materials, carpets, paints and varnishes, food and cooking, tobacco smoke and the use of formaldehyde as a disinfectant.

Levels of formaldehyde in outdoor air are generally below 0.001 mg/m3 in remote areas and below 0.02 mg/m3 in urban settings. The levels of formaldehyde in the indoor air of houses are typically 0.02–0.06 mg/m3.

Man-made formaldehyde is no different from naturally occurring formaldehyde. It has been commercially manufactured for more than 100 years. Formaldehyde is part of the adhesives used to manufacture Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF) and Particleboard. The IARC recognizes formaldehyde as carcinogenic for humans.

Daiken New Zealand Limited offers to the market the lowest range of formaldehyde emitting MDF: Formaldehyde Emission E1 and E0 according to AS/NZS 1859.2:2004; JIS F3 Star and F4 Star according to JIS A 5905:2003, CARB P1 and P2 according to California Air Resource board regulations.

Should I be concerned about the possible health effects caused by exposure to dust from Customwood MDF?

All dust, regardless of whether it comes from MDF, Particleboard or any other wood or non-wood based material, is potentially harmful. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies wood dust as a Group 1 Carcinogen. This means the substance is carcinogenic to humans. This classification is not unique to MDF and it equally applies to all wood dust from timber and wood panel products (MDF, Particleboard, Plywood, etc).