On May 24, 2017 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a direct final rule to extend the compliance dates in the final Formaldehyde Emission Standards for Composite Wood Products (TSCA Title VI), published in the Federal Register December 12, 2016
When do the rule requirement go into effect?
This final rule is effective on July 10, 2017 with the compliance date as followings, (unless EPA receives adverse comment by Jun 8, 2017)
| Item | Compliance Date |
| Formaldehyde Emission | Mar. 22, 2018 |
| Recordkeeping | Mar. 22, 2018 |
| Labeling | Mar. 22, 2018 |
| Importer Certificate | Mar. 22, 2019 |
| Laminated Product | Mar. 22, 2024 |
What are the specific composite wood product that are covered by the final rule?
There are three composite wood products that are regulated:
Hardwood plywood (HWPW);
Medium-density fiberboard (MDF);
Particleboard (PB)
What are the formaldehyde emission requirements for covered composited wood product?
| Product | Emission Standard |
| Hardwood Plywood – Veneer Core | 0.05 ppm of formaldehyde |
| Hardwood Plywood – Composite Core | 0.05 ppm of formaldehyde |
| Medium-Density Fiberboard | 0.11 ppm of formaldehyde |
| Thin Medium-Density Fiberboard | 0.13 ppm of formaldehyde |
| Particleboard | 0.09 ppm of formaldehyde |
Who is subject to the final rule requirements?
All the entities along the supply chain, from the manufacture to the sale to the sale of composite wood products, will be affected by the final rule requirements. This include importers, distributors, retailers, panel producers, fabricators, third party certifier.
Comparison with CARB ATCM
The EPA TSCA formaldehyde rule seems very similar to California CARB ATCM as they has same emission limit and testing method. However, the labelling, reporting, recordkeeping are different. Also, in the EPA TSCA formaldehyde rule, the importer need to issue certificate after March 22, 2019 while in CARB, the importer only need to verify the product has go through the CARB certification program.
Intertek’s Service
Intertek’s experts can provide professional assistance to comply with the EPA requirement based on their rich experience in CARB Certified program.
As a CARB approved TPC from 2010, Intertek Testing Services (Shenzhen) Ltd started CARB certified program and has accumulated rich experience such as formaldehyde emission testing, factory audit, document and labelling review.
Contacts
Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact:
Ms. Cicy Tao-Customer Service and Project Leader
Cicy.tao@intertek.com
About Intertek
Intertek is a leading Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide. Our network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices and more than 100 countries, delivers innovative and bespoke Assurance, Testing, Inspection and Certification solutions for our customers’ operations and supply chains. Intertek Total Quality Assurance expertise, delivered consistently with precision, pace and passion, enabling our customers to power ahead safely.
