Thread: MDF myths,

AFAIK, MDF is not banned in the US.

Perhaps an American member can confirm.

I think that treated pine may be banned over there though.

The prison near Sale, Victoria had some work done and they were using MDF.They were made to construct a special sealed room where the MDF was to be cut.
Ahhh, no. I don't think it was costructed of MDF.

Dust created when machining MDF is very fine. Even if it wasn't carcinogenic and that would be a very difficult thing to prove or disprove, this dust would accumulate in your lungs!

The body has no way of removing inhaled dusts apart from coughing it up and that is a very hopeless mechanism. So over years it would likely lead to some sort of pulmonary problem, be it fibrosis or other type of lung disease. The damage after significant continuous longterm exposure would be IRREVERSIBLE (once again, you cannot get rid of the dust). Similar to conditions like silicosis, anthracosis (coal workers / miners lung), etc.

Additional problems is that some of us become sensitized to this stuff and can have allergic asthma like reactions which can become a signifiant issue if you're making your living from machining MDF.

I strongly suggest that you continue being very careful with MDF and all other wood dust. It is likely that in the next few years more and more data will become available linking MDF to lung disease and or malignancy. But once again causation will be difficult to prove. There are still fools out there who refuse to accept that cigarette smoking causes lung cancer.

As with most other lung conditions the risks maybe higher if you are a smoker.

If you use power tools, use a respirator. They are annoying but may save your lungs.

Regards,

Marios

I understand that in the US there are low-formaldehyde and formaldehyde-free MDF available. Our American mates may be able to confirm this.

Most/ all? MDF in Australia is low formaldehyde - marked as LFE (low formaldehyde emissions) on the sheet edge.

CCA treated pine has been volutarily withdrawn by the timber industry in the US (writing on the wall ?) and replaced by alternative treatments such as ACQ and LOSP.


Cheers.........Sean, noxious emitter

As I understand it, wood dust is rated as a carcinogen. I also understand that in Germany, the dust from some species of wood is considered more carcinogenic than the dust from others.
As to whether MDF is poisonous or carcinogenic, or not, I don't think it really matters.
When machined or sanded MDF produces copious quanties of very fine dust.
You really want to avoid breatheing this dust as it will collect in your nasal passages and lungs and cause you problems.
So if working with MDF you should:

• collect as much dust as possible at source — this is one area where, in my opinion, collecting 80% to 90% of the dust is not good enough.

• run a workshop air filter — preferably one with a time delay that automaticly shuts down several hours after you leave the shed

• change your clothes before entering the house

• wear a good particulate respirator or powered face shield, especially if your dust collection is less than 95% effective

I am in the US and I use MDF all the time.

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I Use MDF, Too. Never Heard of it Being Banned Here

Who started this rumor all those years ago......

Originally Posted by Gaza

Who started this rumor all those years ago......

Call the Myth-Busters!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.gpmu.org.uk/hs/health/msg00009.html

I think the lungs can get rid of a bit of dust, after all we have lived in dusty caves and dirt floored huts for thousands if not millions of years and our air passages are lined with tiny little cillia which continually move a layer of sticky mucus up toward the mouth with any dirt it can trap. The real problem is if this system gets overloaded or worse -paralysed. If you smoke just one cigarette your cillia will be paralysed for about four hours so breathing fine dust and smoking is lethal in the long term. Irreversible deterioration of the lung eventually sets in known as emphasema leading to death by suffocation after about ten years. Two of my uncles died this way. Both smoked and worked in dusty environments long before dust masks or workplace health standards were thought of, one was a baker and the other a printer. So whatever you do don't breath any dust after smoking.

I'm with Len, a mucous elevator of cilia protects you all the time. The larger particles like MDF dust are trapped by nasal hair and mucous or are brought up by cilia or coughing. The smaller particles like smoke stay suspended and don't settle in the lungs as much. The medium particles like asbestos settle nicely in the alveoli or terminal parts of the lung.

Oh yeah and don't smoke
Cheers
Pulse

Originally Posted by scooter

Most/ all? MDF in Australia is low formaldehyde - marked as LFE (low formaldehyde emissions) on the sheet edge.

Cheers.........Sean, noxious emitter

Tis now but the original mdf had much higher formaldehyde emissions.
It was also harder and machined to a better finish than the modern stuff