Is cedar wood safe for infrared saunas?

By a notice published in the Federal Register for public comment, EPA has proposed to exempt from regulation under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), natural cedar products which consist totally of cedar wood, are not combined or impregnated with other substances, and are intended only to repel arthropods other than ticks and/or to retard mildew.

EPA believes it is unnecessary to regulate these products because they pose little or no risk to human health or the environment. Consumers are not likely to be exposed to significant amounts of cedarwood dust or oil, either dermally or by inhalation, when using these products. 

EPA is not aware of any evidence of injury to human health or the environment due to their use. The cost and effort involved in regulating these cedar products is not justified by the low risk concerns associated with them.

As you will find on the internet, all of the studies regarding wood toxicity are as occupational hazards, not just from casual contact with the wood. In the 15 years we’ve been selling cedar saunas we have never had a sauna returned to us for any issues with cedar. This idea that cedar is toxic began when the price of cedar rose quite high about 5-7 years ago. It has been perpetuated over the years.

We wrote an entire chapter on cedar wood in The Definitive Guide to Infrared Saunas that you can download for free below.