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Formaldehyde Sensitivity: Read the Fine Print(1 viewing) (1) Guest
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- MudCaulk
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We learned last year that the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products Act. This bill incorporates aspects of the California formaldehyde standard. The bill cleared the Senate earlier this month and will now be sent to the President for his signature. The regulation applies to some hardwood plywood, particleboard and medium density fiberboard and all products made with these as component parts. However, finished goods products such as cabinets are not included in the legislation.
The bill’s sponsor’s worked with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to craft the legislation to establish lower limits for formaldehyde in composite wood products and define enforcement and testing methods. The bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish implementation, testing and compliance provisions for the standard that can be implemented on a national level. A major challenge with the federal formaldehyde standard will be establishing reasonable testing and compliance provisions.
As with most bills in Congress, lobbying and economics, not our family’s health, played a major part in the passage of the bill. The furniture manufacturers’ argued that one of the greatest challenges with the California rule was establishing adequate sell-through periods for non-compliant products as the lower emission limits were phased in. Unlike in California, where non-compliant inventories could be moved to other markets, there is no practical solution to non-compliant inventories within the national marketplace
The economic conditions in the last few years have left manufacturers with higher than normal inventories of non-compliant products. The bill allows 36 months for finished goods inventory to be sold to consumers following the deadline. Simply stated, we should be very careful and diligent when purchasing products for our homes and businesses.
Some noteworthy product exemptions to the new standards:
*Structural Plywood
*Glued Laminated Lumber
*Wood Packaging
*Some Wooden Window Products
Just wanted to share some info with the members of the site
The bill’s sponsor’s worked with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to craft the legislation to establish lower limits for formaldehyde in composite wood products and define enforcement and testing methods. The bill directs the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to establish implementation, testing and compliance provisions for the standard that can be implemented on a national level. A major challenge with the federal formaldehyde standard will be establishing reasonable testing and compliance provisions.
As with most bills in Congress, lobbying and economics, not our family’s health, played a major part in the passage of the bill. The furniture manufacturers’ argued that one of the greatest challenges with the California rule was establishing adequate sell-through periods for non-compliant products as the lower emission limits were phased in. Unlike in California, where non-compliant inventories could be moved to other markets, there is no practical solution to non-compliant inventories within the national marketplace
The economic conditions in the last few years have left manufacturers with higher than normal inventories of non-compliant products. The bill allows 36 months for finished goods inventory to be sold to consumers following the deadline. Simply stated, we should be very careful and diligent when purchasing products for our homes and businesses.
Some noteworthy product exemptions to the new standards:
*Structural Plywood
*Glued Laminated Lumber
*Wood Packaging
*Some Wooden Window Products
Just wanted to share some info with the members of the site
