Composite Wood Products ATCM
This page last reviewed March 6, 2013
Formaldehyde is produced
on a large scale worldwide. One major use
includes the production of wood binding adhesives and resins. The Air
Resources Board (ARB)
evaluated formaldehyde exposure in California and found that one of the
major sources of exposure is from inhalation of formaldehyde emitted
from composite wood products containing
urea-formaldehyde resins. The International Agency for
Research on Cancer (IARC)
reclassified formaldehyde from "probably carcinogenic to humans" to
"carcinogenic
to humans" in 2004, based on the increased risk of nasopharyngeal
cancer. Formaldehyde was also designated as a toxic air contaminant
(TAC) in California in 1992 with
no safe level of exposure. State law requires ARB to take
action to reduce human exposure to all TACs.Staff of the ARB conducted a formal rulemaking process to address formaldehyde exposure from composite wood products. On April 26, 2007, ARB approved an airborne toxic control measure (ATCM) to reduce formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products including hardwood plywood, particleboard, medium density fiberboard, thin medium density fiberboard (thickness ≤ 8mm), and also furniture and other finished products made with composite wood products. The ARB's April 26, 2007 Board Presentation is available.
The ATCM to control formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products was approved on April 18, 2008, by the Office of Administrative Law. The regulation has been filed with the Secretary of State to be codified into Title 17 of the California Code of Regulations, and is now immediately effective. The first emission standards were implemented on January 1, 2009. The final regulation text is now available. In addition, the ATCM is available in several languages and can be accessed by visiting our Foreign Outreach Webpage.
UPDATES
| Recent Activity | |
| Description | Date Posted |
Frequently Asked Questions for Consumers  | March 6, 2013 |
| Approval of GP™ Dynamic Microchamber as Alternate Small Scale Quality Control Test | June 19, 2012 |
| Public
Workshop to Discuss Proposed Amendments to the Airborne Toxic Control
Measure (ATCM) to Reduce Formaldehyde Emissions from Composite Wood
Products May 10, 2012 Air Resources Board Coastal Hearing Room 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (Pacific Time) Workshop Notice Agenda Amended Regulation Workshop Presentation | May 08, 2012 |
| Regulatory Advisory: Change to Sell Through Date for Retailers of Pre-Phase 1 Finished Goods and Distributors, Fabricators, and Retailers of Phase 1 Finished Goods | February 2, 2012 |
| Regulatory Guidance on Sell-Through Provisions | February 8, 2012 |
| Regulatory Advisory: Change to Sell Through Date for Manufactured Homes that Contain Pre-Phase 1 Medium Density Fiberboard and/or Thin MDF | October 25, 2011 |
For more information, please contact Lynn Baker at (916) 324-6997, or Angela Csondes at (916) 445-4448.
