Dust Almanac

Meranti

Shorea spp. · Dipterocarpaceae · hardwood

Also known as: lauan, Philippine mahogany, seraya, red meranti, dark red meranti, light red meranti, white meranti, yellow meranti, Shorea pauciflora

Region: Southeast Asia: Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Borneo

Planed board of red meranti with pinkish reddish-brown heartwood, coarse open grain and fine pale resin lines.

Meranti, lauan and seraya are trade names for a large group of Southeast Asian Shorea (and related) species, grouped by colour into red, white and yellow meranti. The wood is used for joinery, window frames, doors, mouldings and especially plywood, where it is often sold as lauan or 'Philippine mahogany' even though it is not a true mahogany.

Health hazards

  • Skin irritation

    Evidence: Listed by an agency

    The UK safety regulator lists skin irritation among the reported effects of meranti and lauan timbers.1

    Effects
    skin irritation
    Exposure route
    skin
    From
    dust

  • Skin allergy

    Evidence: Reported

    Case reports describe hives on the skin after contact with meranti dust, and hives with runny nose and itchy eyes in a worker exposed to lauan (Philippine red mahogany).23

    Effects
    contact urticaria (hives), rhinoconjunctivitis
    Exposure route
    skin, inhalation, eyes
    From
    dust

  • Asthma / respiratory allergy

    Evidence: Reported

    Occupational asthma from meranti (reported as Shorea pauciflora, a red meranti) is listed in a peer-reviewed review of wood dust allergy; we have not yet confirmed the species in the original studies.4

    Effects
    asthma
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

  • Cancer

    Evidence: Applies to all wood dust

    IARC classifies all wood dust as carcinogenic to humans, mainly linked to cancers of the nasal cavity and sinuses after long-term exposure.5

    Effects
    nasal and sinus cancer
    Exposure route
    inhalation
    From
    dust

Not finding a hazard listed here does not mean this wood is safe. All wood dust is hazardous; see how to protect yourself.

Exposure limits

Workplace exposure limits (8-hour average, mg/m³)
BodyLimitNotes
ACGIH TLV1 mg/m³ (inhalable) source
EU binding limit (hardwood)2 mg/m³Applies to all hardwood dust
UK WEL (hardwood)3 mg/m³Applies to all hardwood dust
NIOSH REL1 mg/m³Recommended limit for all wood dust

Compare limits across agencies.

Cancer classifications

Trade names meranti, lauan and seraya cover dozens of species across Shorea, Rubroshorea, Parashorea and Pentacme, so a report about one may not apply to all. 'Philippine mahogany' is unrelated to genuine mahogany (Swietenia).

Sources

  1. Health and Safety Executive. Toxic woods. Woodworking Information Sheet No 30 (Revision 1), WIS30(rev1). HSE; first published 11/2012. Withdrawn from hse.gov.uk (404 since c. Jan 2020); archived copy cited. Link
  2. Koh WL, Ang CC, Lim SP. A rare case of occupational contact urticaria syndrome caused by meranti wood dust. Contact Dermatitis. 2016;75(1):56-58. Link
  3. Goransson K. Contact urticaria and rhinoconjunctivitis from tropical wood (Lauan, Philippine red mahogany). Contact Dermatitis. 1980;6(3):223-224. Link
  4. Schlünssen V, Sigsgaard T, Raulf-Heimsoth M, Kespohl S. Workplace exposure to wood dust and the prevalence of wood-specific sensitization. Allergol Select. 2018;2(1):101-110. Link
  5. IARC Working Group on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans. Wood Dust and Formaldehyde. IARC Monographs on the Evaluation of Carcinogenic Risks to Humans, Vol. 62. Lyon: International Agency for Research on Cancer; 1995. Link
  6. US Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Occupational Chemical Database: Wood Dust. Last updated 06/23/2023. Link

Last reviewed .