SG 30/23
The US EPA has issued a final rule to revise the Formaldehyde Standards for Composite wood Products Act. This final rule will become effective on March 23, 2023.
In 2016, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a Final Rule to implement the Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products Act (the Act) – a landmark piece of legislation which added Title VI to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA Title VI).
On February 21, 2023, the EPA issued a Final Rule (88 FR 10468) to revise the Act (40 CFR Part 770). The latest Final Rule contains several important changes to the Act. It:
Highlights of the revisions on voluntary consensus standards in the latest update are summarized in Table 1.
| Entry | New Standard | Current Standard |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ANSI A208.1-2022 ‘Particleboard’ | ANSI A208.1-2016 |
| 2 | ANSI A208.2-2022 ‘Medium-density fiberboard’ | ANSI A208.2-2016 |
| 3 | ANSI/HPVA HP-1-2020 ‘Hardwood plywood’ | ANSI/HPVA HP-1-2016 |
| 4 | ASTM D5456-21e1 ‘Structural composite lumber’ | ASTM D5456-14b |
| 5 | ASTM D5055-19e1 ‘Prefabricated wood I-joists’ | ASTM D5055-16 |
| 6* | BS EN ISO 12460-3:2020 ‘Wood-based panels. Determination of formaldehyde release by gas analysis method’ ISO 12460-3:2020(E) ‘Wood-based panels – Determination of formaldehyde release – Part 3: gas analysis method’ | BS EN ISO 12460-3:2015 (E) |
| 7* | JIS A 1460:2021(E) ’24-hour desiccator method’ | JIS A 1460:2015(E) |
| 8 | PS 1-19 ‘Structural plywood’ | PS 1-09 |
| 9 | PS 2-18 ‘Structural panels’ | PS 2-10 |
*Quality control testing methods
Table 1
According to the final rule, the revisions will become effective on March 23, 2023
SGS is committed to providing information about development in regulations for consumer products as complimentary services. Through a global network of laboratories, SGS provides a wide range of services including physical/mechanical testing, analytical testing and consultancy work for technical and non-technical parameters applicable to a comprehensive range of consumer products. Contact us for more information or visit our website. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested.
© SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA. This publication or website is a property of SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA. All contents including website designs, text, and graphics contained herein are owned by or licensed to SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA. The information provided is for technical and general information purposes only and offers no legal advice. The information is no substitute for professional legal advice to ensure compliance with the applicable laws and regulations. All information is provided in good faith “as is”, and SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA makes no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, and does not warrant that the information will be error-free or meet any particular criteria of performance or quality.
