CARB-related Information and Updates
In 2008, Timber Products Company and SierraPine led the industry by distributing a series of regular updates prior to the implementation of the new California Air Resources Board (CARB) formaldehyde regulations. Timber Products and SierraPine will continue to be a resource for the industry with the latest information on these new formaldehyde emission levels. When new information is available, it will be posted on this page. If you have any questions on the CARB standards, email info@timberproducts.com and a Timber Products representative will respond with information.
Important CARB Links:
Composite Panel Association http://www.pbmdf.com/
HPVA http://www.hpva.org/
KCMA http://www.kcma.org/
California Air Resources Board http://www.arb.ca.gov/homepage.htm
CARB Rule http://www.carbrule.org/
Important CARB Facts:
Strict Formaldehyde Regulations Now in
Effect
The world’s strictest formaldehyde emission standards for
composite wood products took effect in California starting Jan.
1, 2009. This means particleboard, medium density fiberboard
(MDF) and hardwood plywood manufactured for sale or use in
California must comply with the new California Air Resources
Board (CARB) regulations. Even if you are not located or
currently doing business in California, you should be aware
that the Federal EPA is monitoring the CARB rule and conducting
its own risk analysis of formaldehyde emission levels, possibly
for implementing a national wood products emission standard
sometime in the near future. The following questions can help
guide your research and bring you up to date on the most recent
information:
What CARB-certified products do Timber Products
and SierraPine offer?
What about imported wood? Is it
CARB-certified?
Does CARB kill the scrap bin that we use?
What about panels manufactured before Jan. 1,
2009? Are they certified?
Does CARB have information that will be helpful on
its Web site?
Will the CARB standards go national into other
states?
How do I need to label my materials and
products?
What mills are certified?
When does Phase II start?
What CARB-certified products do Timber Products and
SierraPine offer?
Timber Products was one of the first U.S. hardwood plywood
manufacturers to have its entire product line CARB-certified.
The GreenT line of hardwood plywood and particleboard is Phase
I CARB-certified and meets all of the requirements in the
formaldehyde standards. GreenT is expected to be Phase II
CARB-certified in mid-2009. The company’s mills in Grants
Pass, Ore., Medford, Ore., and Corinth, Miss., have been
CARB-certified.
Read the press release on this full announcement at www.timberproducts.com/newsroom.
SierraPine, a leading manufacturer of composite panels with six
manufacturing facilities in California, Oregon and Georgia, has
all of its products certified to the CARB Phase I or Phase II
emission limits. SierraPine received the first NAF Exemption
Executive Order issued by the California Air Resources Board on
Dec. 5, 2008. This exemption recognizes SierraPine’s
leadership in producing sustainable medium density fiberboard
products with a no-added formaldehyde resin system.
This exemption is different than the ULEF exemption and was
granted in part because of the extremely low formaldehyde
emissions of SierraPine’s SDF product line – as low
as 0.01 ppm and even lower. While the Executive Order
significantly reduces the testing requirements, products in
this category must still follow strict labeling
requirements.
See the NAF and ULEF exemption here:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/toxics/compwood/naf_ulef/naf_ulef.htm
For a complete list of SierraPine’s CARB-certified
panels, click
here.
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What about imported wood? Is it
CARB-certified?
CARB defines an importer as any company that imports regulated
composite wood panels for sale or use in California. Not all
wood coming in from overseas meets CARB standards, so be sure
to ask your distributor or importer for complete
documentation.
So far, more than 40 mills have been CARB-certified in China,
Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and around the world. The number
of CARB-authorized certifying agencies is growing. For
up-to-date information on import certifiers, go to:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/toxics/compwood/certifiers.htm
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Does CARB kill the scrap bin that we use?
Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association Executive Vice
President Dick Titus has seen industry-changing regulation
before.
“The MACT finishing requirements in 1995 had a similar
impact on the industry to what CARB is having now,” said
Titus. “We learned from that in how we approach sharing
CARB information today. The cabinet industry has not been
heavily regulated, but this ruling is huge and it comes at a
bad time for the business. We’re advising our members
that even if they are not in California, they need to know
what’s going on because it could be coming their way
someday soon.”
Titus recommends that fabricators start the process of
understanding how they are going to get compliant boards. Then,
they need to understand the labeling and documentation
requirements they have to pass along to their customers.
“Labeling requirements need to go either on the box or on
the product. CARB recommends on the product and not to trust
the box to hold up,” said Titus.
Fabricators also need to be able to determine which batch of
plywood came from each supplier, and how that was used to make
products.
“The paper trail requirements are really new for this
industry,” said Titus. “California has more small
cabinet shops than any other state. There are literally
thousands. I think a lot of these small shops are not paying
attention to what they need to do. It could be the end for the
scrap bin because they need to keep track of all that
wood.”
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What about panels manufactured before Jan. 1, 2009? Are they
certified?
In a move that might be a big relief to manufacturers and
distributors, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) issued
an advisory that allows wood panels produced before a mill was
CARB third-party-compliant to be retroactively certified. What
this means is those panels currently in inventory or already in
the distribution pipeline, regardless of manufacture date, can
be labeled as CARB-certified if they came from a mill that has
its third party certification and can demonstrate that those
panels meet at least the Phase I emission levels.
“This allows manufacturers and distributors to look at
existing inventories and determine if product from
CARB-certified producers might be compliant,” said Timber
Products Vice President Roger Rutan. “This is a very
significant clarification from CARB that will ease pressure on
complying with the regulation.”
CARB recognizes that some of these composite wood products emit
formaldehyde at levels below the Phase I emission standards.
These products that were produced before the mill was
CARB-certified may be retroactively certified using the
“non-complying lots” provision in the airborne
toxic control measure (ATCM).
CARB has posted the regulatory advisory on its Web site at http://www.arb.ca.gov/toxics/compwood/compwood.htm.
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Does CARB have information that will be helpful on its Web
site?
If you are looking for more information directly from CARB
regarding imported material, the agency has posted two Webinars
it gave in conjunction with the International Wood Products
Association. One seminar is geared toward importers and
distributors and one is for retailers. Find both Webinars
posted here: http://www.arb.ca.gov/toxics/compwood/compwood.htm
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Will the CARB standards go national into other
states?
California’s new formaldehyde regulations are getting
national attention. Several other states, and the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA), are studying the CARB regulation,
meaning this issue is now on the radar beyond
California’s borders.
In late November 2008, the EPA issued an Advance Notice of
Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) that describes its initial steps to
investigate potential actions, and take public comments
relating to formaldehyde emissions from composite panel wood
products. The agency said it will develop risk assessments,
evaluate costs and benefits of possible control technologies
and approaches, and determine whether EPA action is needed to
address any identified risks. Public comment will be taken for
60 days from the date of the ANPR’s issue.
Read the full EPA Advance Notice here: http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/chemtest/formaldehyde/index.htm
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How do I need to label my materials and
products?
As reported in Countdown to CARB Issue #2, distributors are
still wondering how best to manage the cumbersome labeling
processes mandated under CARB. CARB issued an advisory on Dec.
5 that spells out modifications and clarifications of labeling
rules for manufacturers, distributors, importers, retailers and
fabricators. Thoroughly reviewing the advisory is the best way
to understand what you will need to do to be in compliance.
CARB has posted its labeling advisory here:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/toxics/compwood/outreach/labelingadv.pdf
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What mills are certified?
All Timber Products hardwood plywood mills are CARB-certified.
SierraPine’s five mills in California, Oregon and Georgia
are also CARB-certified. CARB has updated the list of domestic
and international mills that have been identified by an
authorized third party certifier as producing CARB-compliant
materials. Find the list here: http://www.arb.ca.gov/toxics/compwood/tpc/listofmills.htm
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When does Phase II start?
Allowable formaldehyde emissions of California’s CARB
Phase II emission levels are about half the amount required by
Phase I. Fortunately, while Phase I requirements take effect
Jan. 1, 2009, companies have some time to figure out how to
meet Phase II levels. For hardwood plywood, Phase II becomes
effective Jan. 1, 2010. Particleboard and MDF have an
additional year to comply with this final phase.
To make the transition to Phase II products as smooth as
possible, Timber Products Company and SierraPine are aiming to
introduce Phase II-certified panels well ahead of the next
deadline. In fact, depending on the product line, Phase
II-certified products are already available to the market.
Other products will be introduced mid-year 2009, providing you
with options on sourcing products that meet the lowest CARB
emission limits. This will also make the Phase II sell-through
provisions a non-issue as companies start gearing up for
implementation of this final phase.
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