On August 21, 2019, Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, published a final rule that provides technical amendments to the December 12, 2016 formaldehyde rule.
The amendments will further align EPA’s TSCA Title VI regulation with the California Air Resource Board’s Airborne Toxic Control Measure to reduce formaldehyde emissions from composite wood and provide clarity on certain rule provisions.
The highlights of the amendments to the final regulation are the following:
- Removing annual correlations between the Third-Party Certifier’s (TPC’s) chamber and the mill quality control chamber;
- Allowing equivalence on like-size or similar model chambers at TPC lab and mill;
- Averaging of emission test results from quarterly testing;
- Establishing testing emission ranges;
- Allowing for equivalence only if mill uses a TPC to conduct all testing;
- Updating correlational coefficients and “r” value alternatives;
- Updating the notification of an exceedance of quality control limit;
- Updating NAF and ULEF exemption testing requirements;
- Updating the ISO 17025-2017 and 17011-2017 voluntary consensus standards;
- Updating text in the non-complying lot provisions;
- Clarifying that labels on compliant products are required at point of entry in the United States; and
- Clarifying the June 1, 2018 manufactured-by date following a court ruling in 2017.
Read the technical issues final rule Federal Register notice.
