The Globe and Mail

The kitchen cabinetry in designer Eric Tomas' recent renovation project is formaldehyde-free particleboard. If that doesn't sound very hip and trendy, consider how very un-hip the sound of coughing and wheezing is. As a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-accredited designer, Mr. Tomas, 33, helps clients avoid the pitfalls of indoor air pollution. "A lot of the products we use to build and furnish our homes contain pollutants," he says. "One solution is to source materials that are low in known toxins such as formaldehyde. So many things like cabinets, engineered wood joists, floors and carpeting are potentially full of volatile organic compounds that can cause health problems. There are products such as formaldehyde-free particle board, but it's hard for the consumer to wade through everything to find them." Indoor air pollution is the new frontier in the quest for green, ecologically-responsible lifestyles and homes. Statistics for respiratory diseases such as asthma frighten, and there is always the spectre of cancer to scare the perfume right off our skin! Parents of young children and expectant parents are among the most strongly concerned.