The Spark

How Mushrooms Can Be Used To Make Particle Board Less Toxic

In episode 8 of The Spark, a New York company is turning to an unlikely alternative to a known carcinogen in a common building product.

Making Wood Without Trees

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Think much about particle board? You should. It’s in everything from the chairs we sit on to the houses we live in.

Problem is, the close cousin of plywood is usually made using urea formaldehyde to help bind the wood particles together. The substance has been classified as a known human carcinogen by the Environmental Protection Agency.