Quick Facts
Even simple creatures such as paramecium use formaldehyde.
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Formaldehyde has been a source of food for simple life forms such as bacteria before man walked the planet. Lots of organisms use it for the carbon it contains. In the process, the simple molecule is broken down to simpler substances such as carbon dioxide. If it's not being munched on by creatures that live in soil and water, sunlight breaks it down through a process known as photodegradation.
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Nearly everything in the plant and animal kingdoms makes formaldehyde at various levels through the complicated process of living. And what the complicated organisms produce, the simple creatures eat.
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The bottom line is that formaldehyde doesn't stick around very long so it doesn't accumulate in the human body or in the environment.
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While little or no formaldehyde is present in the final product, the chemical is an essential building block in the production of some of the most common consumer items, including paper towels, photographic film, shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, lipstick and nail polish and acts as an anti-bacterial agent in such consumer products as mascara.
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Without formaldehyde, it would be tough to find a lot of products consumers use every day.
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Drugs taken in pill form are made more effective by formaldehyde, which is used to make the hard pill coatings that dissolve slowly and deliver a more complete dosage.
