California sets emissions compliance deadlines
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, May 26, 2008
Sacramento — Manufacturers and retailers face a series of deadlines to comply with California's new rules clamping down on formaldehyde emissions from hardwood plywood, particleboard and medium-density fiberboard.
Manufacturers of the hardwood plywood made with a veneer core and particleboard, medium density fiberboard (MDF) and thin MDF — boards with a thickness of eight millimeters — may sell board manufactured before Jan. 1, 2009, until March 31, 2009. Starting April 1, 2009, they can sell only compliant board.
For makers of hardwood plywood with a composite core, board manufactured before July 1, 2009 must be sold by Sept. 30, 2009. Starting Oct. 1, 2009, they can sell only compliant board to bring their products into compliance with the new rules. To clear out their inventories, they will still be able to sell non-compliant products for three months after those dates.
Retailers selling finished goods — such as furniture — containing the various types of boards also face dates when all products in their stores must be in compliance. For most finished goods containing composite panel, board containing non-compliant material must be sold by June 30, 2010.
Only compliant material can be sold starting July 1, 2010, for products containing particleboard, MDF and hardwood plywood with veneer core, and Jan. 1, 2011, for products containing hardwood plywood with composite core.
Sell through dates for manufacturers, distributors and retailers of composite panel can be found beginning on page 29 of this California Air Resources Board Final Regulation document: http://www.arb.ca.gov/regact/2007/compwood07/fro-final.pdf
