Jul 9 2010
The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute applauds U.S. lawmakers and President Obama for passing and signing into law Wednesday the Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products Act (S.1660).
The new federal law aims to protect consumers by restricting formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products sold, supplied, or manufactured in the U.S.—including those imported from foreign markets. These products include hardwood plywood, medium-density fiberboard, and particle board, as well as finished goods that are made from these composite wood products.
"We commend the federal government for recognizing the health hazards associated with exposure to formaldehyde emissions and for taking steps to minimize that exposure," says Henning Bloech, executive director of the GREENGUARD Environmental Institute. "Our mission has always been to protect public health. We do that by certifying products and materials for low chemical emissions and by educating the public about indoor air quality. While the signing of the Formaldehyde Standards Act into law is encouraging, the threat of adverse health effects from inhalation exposure to thousands of other toxic chemicals still looms. That's why the GREENGUARD Certification Program is so critical."
Products that achieve GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certification must meet stringent emission limits on more than 360 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including formaldehyde. To account for the myriad of chemicals whose health impacts are unstudied or not yet understood, products must also meet an ancillary limit on the total number of VOCs (TVOC) that they emit. Products that achieve GREENGUARD Children & Schools(SM) Certification must meet even more stringent emission limits on VOCs, as well as emission limits on phthalates. All products certified to the GREENGUARD Children & Schools standard comply with the State of California's Department of Public Health Services Standard Practice for Specification Section 01350 (CA 01350).
The Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Woods Products Act amends the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act by requiring the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to implement formaldehyde emission standards originally established by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) by 2013.
Source: http://www.greenguard.org/