US and Canada Formaldehyde Emissions Certification

Before composite wood panels can be offered for sale in the US or Canada they must be tested and certified by a third-party certifier (TPC) recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), such as SGS.

Our testing and certification services verify compliance with:

• US Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products Act (the Toxic Substances Control Act, Title VI (TSCA Title V1), the Act)
• Canada’s Formaldehyde Emissions from Composite Wood Products Regulations (SOR/2021-148, the Regulation)

The Act and the Regulation set the standard for formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products that are manufactured (including imported), offered for sale, sold or supplied in the US or Canada, respectively.

Which products are within scope?

The US and Canada regulate hardwood plywood-composite core (HWPW-CC), hardwood plywood-veneer core (HWPW-VC), particleboard (PB), medium density fiberboard (MDF), thin-MDF, and laminated products within the meaning of HWPW, as well as finished goods manufactured from these composite wood products. Examples of finished goods containing these materials include the following:

• Children’s wooden toys
• Composite wood panels
• Counter tops
• Flooring
• Furniture and related products
• Kitchen cabinets
• Mobile homes/recreational vehicles, molding in homes
• Picture frames
• Prefabricated wood buildings
• Shelving
• Travel trailers and campers

Formaldehyde emission certification

With a network of EPA-recognized TPCs we provide a wide variety of international services to give you peace of mind in complying with the Act and the Regulation. These include, but are not limited to:

• Consultancy on how the legislation applies to your products
• Certification of panel manufacturers (mills), including gap assessments, setting up an in-house lab and quality control system, correlation testing and quality control personnel
• Factory inspection services
• Correct labeling procedures
• Documentation and record keeping

Why choose SGS?

We have several EPA-recognized TPC laboratories offering global certification services for products destined for the US or Canadian market.

For more information contact your local SGS office today.