Case Study

First formaldehyde emissions accreditations allowing timber products into the US market

The Metallurgy, Furniture, Wood, Packaging and Polishing Technology Institute, AIDIMME, and the FCBA technology Institute have obtained ENAC’s accreditation for firstly testing and certification, and secondly for certification of low emission formaldehyde wood by-products, therefore complying with the U.S. (TSCA) Toxic Substances Control Act.

This regulation was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce air toxicity by reducing wood by-product’s formaldehyde emissions such as particle board, medium density fibre boards and plywood boards manufactured or sold throughout the country.

U.S. law limits the amount of formaldehyde released by these products. It also recognises bodies to test and certify the emissions limit compliance, by requiring certification bodies and testing laboratories to be accredited by an agency recognized by the EPA. ENAC is one of the accreditation bodies recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency so that ENAC-accredited bodies and the reports and certificates issued by them are valid to the TSCA.