'New house smell' after renovation made her seriously ill

She found out it was formaldehyde poisoning only after she was referred to a specialist

- Judith Tan

She had spent about $40,000 making her new apartment liveable, but it turned out to be anything but a cosy home for her and her two cats.

Days after moving into her unit at a condominium in the east in November 2023, the 32-year-old loan consultant, who wanted to be known only by her first name, Aden, started feeling sick.

"There was a burning sensation in my eyes, up my nostrils and down my throat. At times, I could not breathe and suffered shortness of breath," she told The Sunday Times.

She was suffering from formaldehyde poisoning, which was diagnosed only after she was referred to an ophthalmologist.

Formaldehyde is commonly used in building products and household furnishings, and products containing the chemical can release particles that are hazardous to health, should levels of exposure be high.

Often found in resins and glues used in wooden furniture - as well as in composite wood products such as plywood and fibreboard formaldehyde, commonly known as "new house smell", can cause irritation of the eyes, nose and throat, with long-term exposure linked to certain cancers.

"I should have caught on that something was not right because whenever I visited the apartment while work was going on, there was a pungent smell. It was particularly bad when the cabinets were being installed," Aden said.

Another clue that she missed was that her cats, Bobby and Fluffy, stayed on the balcony, refusing to step inside.

"They were also affected. They kept their eyes shut, and they were losing fur, leaving red patches, especially on Bobby's skin," she added.

Aden was away from January to March 2024 for work and did not have any symptoms while overseas, but when she returned and spent a day at home, she became sick again.