AWFS disputes wood dust, cancer linkage
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, January 13, 2003
Commerce, Calif. — The Assn. of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers is disputing the listing of wood dust as a "known human carcinogen" in the recently published 10th edition of "Report on Carcinogens" from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The association, along with the American Forest & Paper Assn., faults the research behind the listing.
"It is our understanding that this finding is based in large part on European studies that measured exposures which occurred before World War II," said Wade Gregory, public policy chairman for the AWFS. "We therefore question how relevant this is to the industry today."
The AWFS hopes that data based on current industry practices will come from a $1.8 million, six-year study that Tulane University is now conducting into respiratory health from wood-dust exposure. AWFS voted in 1998 to commit $120,000 to the study, which should provide results in 2004.
The Tulane study examines the relationship between wood dust exposure and non-cancer respiratory health among a population of around 6,000 workers from 12 wood and wood products facilities.
