Senate Committee Looking at Formaldehyde

Washington, DC, Dec. 9, 2009--The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee is scheduled to legislation Thursday that would set a national standard for formaldehyde emissions for composite wood products.

The proposed bi-partisan legislation would require that products sold in the U.S. meet a formaldehyde emission standard of 0.09 parts per million by 2012.

It also would require third-party testing and certification to make sure that formaldehyde-containing products comply and would direct U.S. EPA and other federal agencies to enforce the standards.

Formaldehyde is used as an adhesive in many pressed wood products, such as furniture, cabinets and flooring. It is classified as a carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer and as a probable carcinogen by EPA.

The bill aims to even the playing field between goods made by domestic manufacturers, which have adopted voluntary standards to limit the chemical, and imported goods, which may contain higher levels. The standards would match regulations recently passed by California's Air Resources Board.