On Feb 21,2023,The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized updates to the Formaldehyde Emission Standards for Composite Wood Products rule under TSCA, This final rule will:

1. Update ten voluntary consensus standards to reflect the current editions that are in use by regulated entities and industry stakeholders. These updates are needed to ensure continued consistency with the standards adopted and used by industry.
2. Allows for remote inspections in the event of unsafe conditions that would prevent a third-party certifier (TPC) from traveling in-person to the area. During the COVID-19 public health emergency, EPA provided temporary flexibility to allow TPCs to conduct remote inspections to satisfy the requirements of the rule. EPA is proposing to make this flexibility permanent and allow TPCs to conduct the required initial on-site inspection or quarterly inspections and sample collections remotely when in person, on-site inspections are temporarily impossible because of unsafe conditions.
3. Includes certain technical corrections and updates to create additional flexibilities for the third-party certification process, as well as clarifying language as it relates to the production of wood products. These corrections will better align EPA’s rule with the California Air Resources Board (CARB)