Elevated cancer risk in Lumber Liquidators laminate flooring — CDC

Now the CDC says it miscalculated the ceiling height, a factor that resulted in lowering the cancer exposure and risk.

Last year, it was discovered that some of the company’s laminate flooring from China contained high-levels of formaldehyde.

The chain is preparing to report fourth-quarter earnings on February 29. The company also repeated that it has strengthened its quality-assurance procedures, suspended sales of Chinese laminate and offered free air tests to customers.

Tessy Contreras, a homemaker from Texas City, Tex., and her husband Gilberto installed Lumber Liquidators laminate flooring affected by the issue in their home two to three years ago.

In the wake of the revised report from the CDC, Lumber Liquidators’ shares were down 22.9 percent to $10.97.

The report said this calculated estimate is likely lower than the modeled measurement, which the CDC will share the results of when it becomes available.

The news is a blow to Lumber Liquidators, which had begun to recover from a deep stock slump prompted by the original reports of problems with its wood flooring.

“Despite the errors in CDC’s calculation, we note that they do not expect to change their recommendations”, according to a company statement.

The company eventually reached a $10 million settlement with the Justice Department last fall and pleaded guilty to making false declarations on import documentation about the source of some of its flooring. Instead, the report suggests taking steps to improve air exchange and ventilation in the interim in order to reduce exposure, until the flooring has been installed long enough to reduce emissions.

This video includes clips from Lumber Liquidators and images from Getty Images.

Formaldehyde is a colorless gas with a pungent smell, used among other things to manufacture building materials and household products.

CDC said its recommendations for dealing with the floor products are the same. The analysis found the amount of formaldehyde released by the new flooring could increase that level by as much as another 280 micrograms – a six-fold increase.

“We remain committed to operating with integrity and delivering quality flooring to our customers”, the company said in a statement.