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Lumber Liquidators’ Chinese-made laminate flooring, which has been under investigation since early 2015, could be linked to some health problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The flooring discounter has been subject to federal investigations, public criticism and lawsuits from consumers due to accusations that the company sold flooring that contains unsafe amounts of formaldehyde.
Federal agencies “found that exposure to formaldehyde in the (Consumer Product Safety Commission)-tested laminate flooring sold at Lumber Liquidators could cause irritation and breathing problems,” the CDC reports.
“Irritation and breathing problems can happen in anyone, but children, older adults, and people with asthma or other breathing problems are more likely to have these symptoms. If your home already has elevated levels of formaldehyde from other products (like cabinets, furniture, or curtains) and you have this type of flooring in your home, the formaldehyde levels could affect everyone in the home.”
Ways to combat any potential health problems associated with the flooring would include opening windows in a house daily, not smoking tobacco indoors and installing and using exhaust fans, according to the CDC.
Tests on samples of the wood laminate showed that the amounts of formaldehyde contained in the flooring would drop dramatically within two years of installation, and is not close to quantities linked to cancer, the CDC states.
“We estimated the risk of cancer from exposure to this flooring and it’s low,” the agency reports.
CBS had reported March 1 that Lumber Liquidators sold laminate flooring with higher levels of formaldehyde than permitted by California’s health and safety standards. A multi-agency federal investigation of the company began, and Lumber Liquidators stopped selling the Chinese-made laminate flooring.
