What the heck is a green cabinet?
There are as many definitions as there are, well, shades of green.
A cabinet can be green because it is healthier for consumers, or because it has a low impact on the environment, or because
its simply more durable, so it doesnt have to be replaced as often and pile up in our landfill.
Many homeowners may
wonder just what exactly makes a green cabinet healthier, eco-friendly or more durable than a traditional kitchen cabinet.
One pollutant found in many homes is formaldehyde, and one of the most significant sources of formaldehyde in the
home is products made with pressed wood specifically pressed-wood products made with adhesives containing urea-formaldehyde
resins, according to the EPA. Studies have shown that formaldehyde can cause everything from dizziness, eye irritation, coughing
and headaches to nausea, skin rashes and respiratory-tract infections.
For homeowners concerned about indoor air quality,
there are a number of green kitchen-cabinet alternatives including those made with solid woods such as cherry, maple oak or
alder, or sustainable woods like bamboo. Other alternatives include cabinets made from formaldehyde-free engineered woods
such as PrimeBoard, an environmentally safe type of particleboard made with wheat-straw and formaldehyde-free resins, and
Medite II, a medium-density fiberboard made with formaldehyde-free synthetic resin. Also, cabinetry made with exterior-grade
plywood contains phenol-formaldehyde, as opposed to urea-formaldehyde, resins and outgas far less formaldehyde.
