SACRAMENTO, CA — The Composite Panel Assn. announced that the California Air Resources Board  has finalized the toughest production standard in the world for formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products. 

The new regulation applies to all panels made for sale or use in California, whether as raw panels or as a component or a downstream consumer product such as a kitchen cabinet, door or piece of furniture. Upon further review by state officials, the first stage of implementation is Jan. 1, 2009. 

"This is a sound regulation, and this is an appropriate time to do it," said CPA Chairman Darrell Keeling of Roseburg Forest Products. "I am proud of how our industry has embraced this rule, and it is gratifying to hear the CARB staff publicly recognize the cooperative spirit we brought to the rulemaking process. Our products are made almost entirely from recycled wood waste, making them one of the greenest building materials available to the consumers. In addition, our industry has voluntarily reduced the formaldehyde emission levels in our products by 80 percent over the last 30 years.  While tough, this new regulation is simply the natural continuation of the great work our industry has been doing to produce high quality, environmentally responsible products.”

Any manufacturer, foreign or domestic,producing products for sale or use in California will be governed by the new rule. “This new rule balances the technological capabilities of industry with the health requirements of the people of California,” said Tom Julia, CPA President.  “Now we need to continue to work with the CARB staff to ensure that it is enforced equally across all manufacturers around the world.  By virtue of its rigorous certification and enforcement provisions combined with low emissions requirements, this rule creates the toughest production standard in the world for formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products.  Our North American manufacturers are prepared to meet the requirements in the rule, and we look forward to working with CARB to ensure that offshore manufacturers are held to the same standard.”

For more information, contact Tom Julia, CPA President, (703) 724–1128 or [email protected].