I read an article which I can no longer find, about the dangers of chemicals found in your own home, including formaldehyde, used in floor finish, latex paints, particle board, and permanently pressed clothing. In searching for the original article, I discovered that there is a controversy as to whether exposure to formaldehyde causes cancer or not. Formaldehyde exposure comes in the form of a "gassing out," which occurs as the floor finish is drying, or soon after the permanently pressed article of clothing is exposed to air. This article mentions the dangers of formaldehyde in the home.¹ This article suggests using household plants to reduce the amounts of formaldehyde in your home.² According to the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses (AORN) journal, exposure to formaldehyde carries the following risks:

Exposure to airborne concentrations above 0.1 parts per million (ppm) can cause irritation of the eyes and upper airway. A 30-minute exposure to 100 ppm can be fatal, and pulmonary edema has been diagnosed after exposures of 50 ppm. These levels can be generated by small formaldehyde spills of only one pint or less, even in ventilated areas.(15) Blindness can result from splashes in the eyes, and dermal contact causes various degrees of reactions, including sensitization.(16) For these reasons, formalin should be stored and dispensed carefully in a centralized location. Individual specimen containers can be filled under controlled conditions and stored at the central location, close to eye wash, cleanup, and decontamination facilities in the event of an accidental spill or injury.³

¹ Science News, Jan 9, 1999 v155 i2 p22(1)
² The University of California, Berkeley Wellness Letter, Oct 1994 v11 n1 p4(2)
³ AORN Journal, March 2000 v71 i3 p688

Research for a forthcoming article on the "does formaldehyde cause cancer" controversy.