The European Biosafety Network (EBN) today publishes a new white paper examining the occupational risks posed by formalin and formaldehyde in healthcare settings across Europe and the United Kingdom, and the role of closed-system specimen containers in protecting healthcare workers from exposure to this hazardous substance.
Read the full white paper here: https://www.europeanbiosafetynetwork.eu/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/EBN-White-Paper_Formalin-and-Formaldehyde_April-2026-2.pdf
Formalin is the liquid form of formaldehyde used to preserve tissue samples. It remains indispensable to diagnostic pathology. It is also classified as a Category 1B carcinogen under both the EU CLP Regulation and the UK’s GB CLP Regulation, meaning there is strong evidence it can cause cancer.
The white paper draws on occupational health research, regulatory analysis and clinical implementation data to assess the scale of exposure risks facing healthcare workers, and the effectiveness of available control measures.
The white paper sets out:
- Formalin and formaldehyde’s role in healthcare
- Occupational risks to healthcare workers
- The regulatory and legal landscape in Europe and the UK
- Cancer risks associated with formaldehyde
- Exposure control in occupational settings
- Health effects at low dose
- Evidence for closed-system interventions
- Evaluating closed-system solutions.
The paper concludes that healthcare workers who handle formalin regularly are being exposed to formaldehyde vapour at levels that can cause real harm. In pathology laboratories, concentrations can be up to 33 times higher than those found in a normal indoor environment, and up to eight times higher than the World Health Organisation’s recommended limit for indoor air. There are a range of safety systems available to protect healthcare workers from exposure to harmful vapours at work and employers must review the attributes of each system to find the most appropriate solution for their workplace.
