does gypsum board cause cancer?

Answer 1

Formaldehyde is a colorless gaseous compound, HCHO, the simplest aldehyde, used for manufacturing melamine, gypsum board and phenolic resins, fertilizers, dyes, and embalming fluids and in aqueous solution as a preservative and disinfectant.

Formaldehyde has also been observed to cause cancer in laboratory animal studies and may cause cancer in humans. Humans are typically exposed to levels that are much lower than what was used in the scientific studies. Therefore, any risk of cancer is believed to be small at levels normally encountered by the public.-

Answer 2

Not as far as studies have shown so far. If you inhale the dust it will likely cause coughing and shortness of breath. Long term exposure will no doubt cause some lung damage, which is why the companies all recommend the use of personal protective equipment. There is a minor reference to cancer made in the material safety data handling sheets for the sound deadening product, but this is because it has added substances to make it more sound proof and it is silicone that is listed as a slight cancer risk, but that is from long term exposure.

Gypsum board is just plaster sandwiched in paper to make it strong and rigid, and plaster is basically just calcium (if you want to be technical gypsum board contains calcium sulphate).

hope this helps.