Lumber Liquidators: Litigation and News for April 2015

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Certified laboratory testing performed on laminate wood flooring purchased from Lumber Liquidators locations in Virginia, Florida, Texas, Illinois, and New York revealed levels of formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, that exceed those permitted by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the Formaldehyde Emissions Standards for Composite Wood Products Act, which will take effect nationwide this year. According to this testing, certain laminate flooring samples contained up to 20 times the legal level of formaldehyde. The 60 Minutes report indicates that these extreme levels of formaldehyde raised concern among laboratory employees, who suspected that their testing equipment may be faulty.

A certain amount of formaldehyde is present and legally permissible in laminate flooring manufactured by Lumber Liquidators in America, and by other companies. Lumber Liquidators laminate flooring sold at Home Depot and Lowes stores is CARB-compliant, as it contains levels of formaldehyde which the California Air Resources Board has deemed safe. 

These Lumber Liquidators lumber products  may contain excessive and illegal amounts of formaldehyde: 

• 8 mm Bristol County Cherry Laminate Flooring
• 8 mm Dream Home Nirvana French Oak Laminate Flooring
• 12 mm Dream Home Kensington Manor Antique Bamboo Laminate Flooring
• 12 mm Dream Home St. James Oceanside Plank Bamboo Laminate Flooring
• 12 mm Dream Home Kensington Manor Warm Springs Chestnut Laminate Flooring
• 15 mm Dream Home St. James Sky Lakes Pine Laminate Flooring
• 12 mm Dream Home Ispiri Chimney Tops Smoked Oak Laminate Flooring
• 12 mm Dream Home Kensington Manor Imperial Teak Laminate Flooring
• 12 mm Dream Home St. James Vintner’s Reserve Laminate Flooring
• 12 mm Dream Home Kensington Manor Cape Doctor Laminate Flooring
• 12 mm Dream Home St. James Cumberland Mountain Oak Laminate Flooring
• 12 mm Dream Home Ispiri Americas Mission Olive Laminate Flooring
• 12 mm Dream Home Kensington Manor Glacier Peak Poplar Laminate Flooring
• 12 mm Dream Home Kensington Manor Golden Teak Laminate Flooring
• 12 mm Dream Home Kensington Manor Handscraped Imperial Teak Laminate Flooring (SKU 10029601)
• 12 mm Dream Home Kensington Manor Handscraped Summer Retreat Teak Laminate Flooring
• 12 mm Dream Home Kensington Manor Sandy Hills Hickory Laminate Flooring
• 12 mm Dream Home Kensington Manor Tanzanian Wenge Laminate Flooring
• 8 mm Dream Home Nirvana Royal Mahogany Laminate Flooring
• 12 mm Dream Home St. James Blacksburg Barn Board Laminate Flooring
• 12 mm Dream Home St. James Brazilian Koa Laminate Flooring
• 12 mm Dream Home St. James Golden Acacia Laminate Flooring
• 12 mm Dream Home Ispiri Poplar Forest Oak Laminate Flooring
• 12 mm Dream Home Kensington Manor Fumed African Ironwood Laminate Flooring
• 12 mm Dream Home St. James African Mahogany Laminate Flooring
• 12 mm Dream Home St. James Chimney Rock Charcoal Laminate Flooring

At high levels, formaldehyde is considered a known human carcinogen because it can cause various types of cancer, including myeloid leukemia and nasopharyngeal cancer. At low levels, formaldehyde exposure can cause a number of additional problems such as respiratory issues, asthma and irritation of the eyes, nose and throat. According to the 60 Minutes report, children may be most susceptible to these issues, as they are often in close contact with the flooring.

Adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow. This type of cancer usually gets worse quickly if it is not treated. It is the most common type of acute leukemia in adults. AML is also called acute myelogenous leukemia, acute myeloblastic leukemia, acute granulocytic leukemia, and acute nonlymphocytic leukemia.


Nasopharynx cancer or nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the most common cancer originating in the nasopharynx, the uppermost region of the pharynx ("throat"), behind the nose where the nasal passages and auditory tubes join the remainder of the upper respiratory tract. NPC occurs in children and adults. NPC differs significantly from other cancers of the head and neck in its occurrence, causes, clinical behavior, and treatment. It is vastly more common in certain regions of East Asia and Africa than elsewhere, with viral, dietary and genetic factors implicated in its causation. It is most common in males. It is a squamous cell carcinoma or an undifferentiated type. Squamous epithelial cells are a flat type of cell found in the skin and the membranes that line some body cavities. Differentiation means how different the cancer cells are from normal cells. Undifferentiated is a word used to describe cells that do not have their mature features or functions.