Appearance and Odor: Straw yellow (light brown). No distinctive odor. Flame-retardant and
moisture-resistant products may have red and green color additives, respectively.

Primary Health Hazards: Wood dust and formaldehyde vapor.

Primary Route(s) of Exposure:
Ingestion:
Skin:
Inhalation:
Eye:

Medical Conditions Generally Aggravated by Exposure: Wood dust or formaldehyde may aggravate pre-existing respiratory conditions or allergies.

Signs and Symptoms of Exposure (Wood Dust):
Acute: Wood dust can cause eye irritation. Certain species of wood dust can elicit allergic contact dermatitis in sensitized individuals. Wood dust may cause respiratory irritation, nasal dryness, coughing, sneezing, wheezing as a result of inhalation.
Chronic: Wood dust, depending on the species, may cause allergic contact dermatitis and respiratory sensitization with prolonged, repetitive contact or exposure to elevated dust levels.

Carcinogenicity Listings (Wood Dust):
NTP: Known Human Carcinogen
IARC Monographs: Group 1
OSHA Regulated: Not listed

NTP: According to its Tenth Report on Carcinogens, NTP states, “Wood dust is known to be a human carcinogen based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity from studies in humans. An association between wood dust exposure and cancer of the nose has been observed in many case reports, cohort studies, and case-control studies that specifically addressed nasal cancer. Strong and consistent associations with cancer of the nasal cavities and paranasal sinuses were observed both in studies of people whose occupations are associated with wood dust exposure and in studies that directly estimated wood dust exposure.”

IARC - Group 1: Carcinogenic to humans; sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity. This classification is primarily based on studies showing an association between occupational exposure to wood dust and adenocarcinoma of the nasal cavities and paranasal sinuses. IARC did not find sufficient evidence of an association between occupational exposure to wood dust and cancers of the oropharynx, hypopharynx, lung, lymphatic and hematopoietic systems, stomach, colon or rectum.

Signs and Symptoms of Exposure (Formaldehyde):
Acute: May cause temporary irritation of skin, eyes, or respiratory system. May cause sensitization in susceptible individuals.
Chronic: Numerous epidemiological studies have failed to demonstrate a relationship between formaldehyde exposure and nasal cancer or pulmonary diseases such as emphysema or lung cancer. UAREP concluded that there was no “convincing evidence” that formaldehyde exposure causes cancer in humans. Rats exposed to 14 ppm of formaldehyde for 24 months in the laboratory developed nasal cancer. Exposure of 6 ppm did not result in statistically significant levels. The NCI epidemiology study of 26,000 workers found little evidence linking formaldehyde exposure to cancer. Formaldehyde is classified by OSHA, NTP and IARC as a probable or potential carcinogen.

Carcinogenicity Listings (Formaldehyde):
NTP: Reasonably Anticipated to be a Human Carcinogen
IARC Monographs: Group 2A – Probably Carcinogenic to Humans
OSHA Regulated: Formaldehyde Gas

Ingestion: N/A

Eye Contact: Wash material out with clean running water.

Skin Contact: If skin abraded, seek proper first aid or medical treatment.

Skin Absorption: N/A

Inhalation: Remove to fresh air. If irritation or other symptoms persist, consult a physician.

Note to Physician: None

Flash Point (Method Used): N/A

Extinguishing Media: Water spray; carbon dioxide

Autoignition Temperature: 425° - 475°F

Special Firefighting Procedures: Fire fighting procedures for wood products are well known.

Unusual Fire and Explosion Hazards: Medium-density fiberboard is not an explosion hazard. Sawing, sanding, or machining MDF could result in the by-product wood dust. Wood dust may present a strong to severe explosion hazard if a dust cloud contacts an ignition source.

NFPA Rating (Scale 0-4): Health = 0 Fire = 1 Reactivity = 0

Steps to be Taken In Case Material Is Released or Spilled: Not applicable for product in purchased
form. Dust generated from sawing, sanding, drilling or routing this product may be vacuumed or shoveled for recovery or disposal. Wood dust clean-up and disposal activities should be accomplished in a manner to minimize creation of airborne dust.

Precautions to be Taken In Handling and Storage: Provide adequate ventilation to reduce the possible build-up of formaldehyde vapors.

Engineering Controls: Due to the explosive potential of wood dust when suspended in air, precautions should be taken during sanding, sawing or machining of wood products to prevent sparks or other ignition sources in ventilation equipment. Use of totally enclosed motors is recommended. Provide local exhaust as necessary to meet OSHA requirements for formaldehyde and wood dust exposure.

Personal Protective Equipment:
Respiratory Protection: Wear NIOSH/MSHA approved respirator when the permissible exposure limits to formaldehyde and/or wood dust may be exceeded.
Eye Protection: Recommend goggles or safety glasses as conditions indicate when sawing, sanding or machining wood products.
Skin Protection: Protective equipment such as gloves and outer garments may be needed to reduce skin contact.

Physical Description: A panel product manufactured from ligno-cellulosic fibers combined with a
systhetic resin or other suitable binder.

Stability: Unstable Stable

Conditions to Avoid: High relative humidity and high temperature increase the rate of emission of
formaldehyde from medium-density fiberboard.

Incompatibility (Materials to Avoid): Strong oxidizing agents, strong acids

Hazardous Decomposition or By-Products: Thermal and/or thermal-oxidative decomposition can
produce irritating and toxic fumes and gases, including carbon monoxide, aldehydes and organic acids.

Hazardous Polymerization: May occur Will not occur

Sensitivity to Mechanical Impact: N/A

Sensitivity to Static Discharge: N/A

Wood Dust:
• Wood dust (softwood or hardwood):OSHA Hazard Rating = 3.3; moderately toxic with probable oral lethal dose to humans being 0.5-5 g/kg (about 1 pound for a 70 kg or 150 pound person). Source: OSHA Regulated Hazardous Substances, Government Institutes, Inc., February 1990.
• Wood dust – generated from sawing, sanding or machining the product – may cause nasal dryness, irritation, coughing and sinusitis. NTP and IARC classify wood dust as a human carcinogen (IARC Group 1). This classification is based primarily on increased risk in the occurrence of
adenocarcinomas of the nasal cavities and paranasal sinuses associated with exposure to wood
dust. The evaluation did not find sufficient evidence to associate cancers of the oropharynx,
hypopharynx, lung, lymphatic and hematopoietic systems, stomach, colon or rectum with exposure to wood dust.

Formaldehyde:
• OSHA Hazard Rating = 3 for local and systemic acute and chronic exposures; highly toxic. Irritation studies: human skin, 150 ug/3 days, intermittent exposure produced mild results; human eye, 1 ppm/6 minutes produced mild results. Toxicity studies: human inhalation TCLo of 8 ppm reported, but response not specified; human inhalation TCLo of 17 mg/m3 for 30 minutes produced eye and pulmonary results; human inhalation TCLo of 300 ug/m3 produced nose and central nervous system results; LC50 (rat, inhalation) = 1,000 mg/m3, 30 minutes; LC50 (mice, inhalation) = 400 mg/m3, 2 hours.
• Exposure to gaseous formaldehyde may cause temporary irritation to the nose and throat as well as lead to respiratory disorders. However, in a thorough review of sensory/respiratory irritation studies of formaldehyde from the standpoint of occupational exposure, an expert panel has observed exposure up to concentrations of 0.3 ppm failed to produce irritation. With regard to respiratory disorders, studies have concluded the threshold for long-term chronic pulmonary effects is between 0.4 and 3 ppm and for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is 2 ppm. Pre-existing respiratory disorders may be aggravated by exposure.
• Epidemiology studies of workers exposed to formaldehyde have failed to consistently identify an
association between formaldehyde exposure and cancer. In animal studies, rats and mice exposed to high levels of formaldehyde developed nasal cancer while hamsters did not. These exposure levels are far above those levels normally found in the workplace. Formaldehyde is listed by IARC as a probable human carcinogen (Group 2A). NTP included formaldehyde in the annual report on carcinogens. OSHA regulates formaldehyde as a potential carcinogen for exposures exceeding 0.5 ppm.
Source: OSHA Regulated Hazardous Substances, Government Institutes, Inc., February 1990; Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (provided by Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety, CCINFO May 1995).

No information available at this time.

Waste Disposal Method: Incinerate or landfill in accordance with local, state, and federal regulations. This product is not considered hazardous waste under federal hazardous waste regulations 40 CFR 261. Please be advised, however, state and local requirements for waste disposal may be different than federal regulations. Dry land disposal is acceptable in most states if disposed of or discarded in its purchased form. It is, however, the user's responsibility to determine at the time of disposal whether the product meets EPA RCRA criteria for hazardous waste.

Not regulated as a hazardous material by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

TSCA: This product complies with TSCA inventory requirements.

CERCLA: NAP

DSL: NAP

OSHA: Wood products are not hazardous under the criteria of the federal OSHA Hazard
Communication Standard 29 CFR 1910.1200. However, formaldehyde emissions from this product
and wood dust generated by sawing, sanding or machining this product may be hazardous.

STATE RIGHT-TO-KNOW:
Minnesota: Minnesota Statutes, 1984, Section 144.495 and 325F.181 require that all particleboard and medium-density fiberboard used in newly constructed housing units or sold to the public as building materials in Minnesota meet the HUD Formaldehyde Emission Standard, 24 CFR Sections 3280.308 and 3280.406. Furniture and furnishings not normally permanently affixed to a housing unit are not considered “building materials” and are excluded.
New Jersey: Under certain conditions, this product may release free formaldehyde vapor at
concentrations at or above 0.1 parts per million (ppm) but less than 0.5 ppm. Formaldehyde is a
substance which appears on New Jersey’s Environmental Hazardous Substance List.
Pennsylvania: Under certain conditions, this product may release free formaldehyde vapor at
concentrations at or above 0.1 parts per million (ppm) but less than 0.5 ppm. Wood dust may be
generated by sawing, sanding or machining this product. Formaldehyde and wood dust (certain
hardwoods as beech and oak) softwood, are substances which appear on Pennsylvania’s Appendix
A – Hazardous Substance Lists.
California: California’s Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986 (Initiative Measure,
Proposition 65): Title 22 California Code of Regulations requires that a clear and reasonable warning be given before exposure to chemicals listed by the State as causing cancer or reproductive toxicity. Formaldehyde is on California’s list of chemicals known to the State to cause cancer.

SARA 313 Information: None

SARA 311/312 Hazard Category: N/A

FDA: N/A

WHMIS Classification: This product is not considered a controlled product.

Date Prepared: 9/20/87
Date Revised: 03/24/2003
Prepared By: Corporate Environment, Health & Safety
User’s Responsibility: The information contained in this Material Safety Data Sheet is based on the
experience of occupational health and safety professionals and comes from sources believed to be
accurate or otherwise technically correct. It is the user’s responsibility to determine if this information is suitable for their applications and to follow safety precautions as may be necessary. The user has the responsibility to make sure that this sheet is the most up-to-date issue.

Definition of Common Terms:
ACGIH = American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
C = Ceiling Limit
CAS# = Chemical Abstracts System Number
DSL = Domestic Substance List
EPA = U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
IARC = International Agency for Research on Cancer
LCLo = Lowest concentration in air resulting in death
LC50 = Concentration in air resulting in death to 50% of experimental animals
LDLo = Lowest dose resulting in death
LD50 = Administered dose resulting in death to 50% of experimental animals
LFL = Lower Flammable Limit
MSHA = Mining Safety and Health Administration
NAP = Not Applicable
NAV = Not Available
NIOSH = National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
NTP = National Toxicology Program
OSHA = Occupational Safety and Health Administration
PEL = Permissible Exposure Limit
RCRA = Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
STEL = Short-Term Exposure Limit (15 minutes)
TCLo = Lowest concentration in air resulting in a toxic effect
TDLo = Lowest dose resulting in a toxic effect
TLV = Threshold Limit Value
TSCA = Toxic Substance Control Act
TWA = Time-Weighted Average (8 hours)
UFL = Upper Flammable Limit
WHMIS = Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System