The US Environmental Protection Agency is pushing to update formaldehyde emission standards for composite wood products, proposing revisions that would affect manufacturers and importers of hardwood plywood, MDF, particleboard and finished products.
Wood Central understands the changes would affect the entire composite‑wood supply chain — from panel producers and furniture makers to RV manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, testing labs, and professional service firms involved in certification and compliance. The proposal also covers the laboratories and certification bodies that test and verify composite wood products, and the EPA seeks to align several scope and definition sections with updated industry standards.
The rulemaking, published in the US Federal Register yesterday, would revise the voluntary consensus standards incorporated by reference in 40 CFR part 770 under TSCA Title VI and introduce a new quality‑control test method.
Public comments are open until March 13, 2026.
EPA is proposing to update the referenced editions of several standards used for product specifications and formaldehyde testing, including ANSI A190.1‑2022 for structural glulam, ASTM D5582‑22 for desiccator testing, ASTM D6007‑22 for small‑scale chamber testing, ASTM E1333‑22 for large‑chamber testing, BS EN ISO 12460‑3:2023 and ISO 12460‑3:2023(E) for gas‑analysis methods, and NIST PS 1‑22 for structural plywood.
The agency also plans to incorporate ISO 12460‑2:2024(en) as an additional small‑scale chamber method for quality‑control testing under 40 CFR 770.20(b)(1). EPA says the method would expand manufacturers’ analytical options, including the use of laser absorption spectroscopy. California’s Airborne Toxic Control Measure recently adopted the same standard, a development EPA cites in its justification.
The move brings EPA’s testing methods closer to those used in other major jurisdictions, including the European Union, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand, all of which rely on the updated ISO 12460 series standards. However, the broader TSCA Title VI framework remains unique to the United States, with no equivalent national certification or import‑control regime elsewhere.
