Wood Product Manufacturers Bracing for CARB 2009
The air is going to get a little bit cleaner come January, 2009 - and that has nothing to do with a new presidential administration. The California Air Resources Board’s dramatic Air Toxic Control Measure known as “the CARB rule” will go into effect January 1 and will, among other things, mandate a reduction in formaldehyde levels in composite wood products like particle board, hardwood plywood, and medium density fiberboard. Manufacturers of composite wood products have less than four months to adapt to the new requirements or they will be unable to manufacture or sell their products in California.
Formaldehyde came into the public consciousness this past Winter as trailers used for Hurricane Katrina victims were found to contain dangerous levels - click here for those findings. Urea-formaldehyde is a volatile organic compound that has been linked to health issues ranging from persistent eye and skin irritation to asthma to, in extremely high levels, cancer. It has been practically banned in Europe, Japan, and Canada. The United States Green Building Council awards LEED credits for buildings that have eliminated added urea-formaldehyde. The inclusion of the word “added” is due to the fact that small levels of formaldehyde occur naturally in wood. Urea-formaldehyde is used in composite wood as a drying agent for glues and adhesives, significantly speeding up the manufacturing process of the composite wood. For this reason, non-formaldehyde composite woods will come at a higher price. Add in the increased demand due to the CARB rule and the current limited supply of formaldehyde-free composite wood and we could see increased prices across the board for composite wood products like furniture, cabinets, moldings and millwork, doors, and many other products.
