The Airborne Toxic Control Measure (ATCM) to reduce formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products proposed by Air Resources Board (ARB) was approved by the Office of Administrative Law of California on April 18, 2008.

The requirements of the new regulation

Beginning January 1, 2009, new “Phase 1” formaldehyde emission standards would take effect. More stringent “Phase 2” emission standards would be phased in between 2010 and 2012. The ATCM applies to manufacturers, distributors, importers, fabricators, and retailers that sell, offer for sale, or supply HWPW, PB, and MDF panels or finished goods for use in California. However, it does not apply to those sold or used outside of the state.

The ATCM requires manufacturers to verify compliance by using a third party certifier approved by ARB. A finished good does not comply with the ATCM if it contains any composite wood product which does not comply with the emission standards or is found exceeding the applicable emission standards as shown in Table 1.

Finished goods manufactured before the Phase 1 and Phase 2 effective dates containing HWPW-VC, HWPW-CC, PB, MDF, or thin MDF may be sold, supplied, offered for sale for up to 18 months (grace period) after each of the specified effective dates. The grace periods are shown in Table 2.

Related Testing Services

• California formaldehyde testing method
  ASTM E 1333 / ASTM D 6007 / ASTM D 5582

• EU standard for wood based boards and finished products EN 13986: 2004
  EN 120 (formaldehyde content testing) / EN 717-1，EN 717-2 (formaldehyde emission testing)

• Formaldehyde in toys and gifts
  EN 717-3 (formaldehyde emission testing)

• China standard
  GB 18580 / GB18581 / GB 18584

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