The EPA Formaldehyde Rule—Clarity Will Come

I know the NWFA’s been swamped with calls. Certainly I’ve received multiple emails and phone calls regarding the newly released prepublication of the EPA rule on composite wood products, and I’m telling everyone the same thing—it’s a lot better than the originally proposed rule and, on the whole, the industry should have no trouble complying with it. However, that’s not to say there aren’t some points that require clarification, and I would encourage everyone to hold off on making assumptions. Yes, there are going to be new labels and documentation requirements to learn, some expansion into new products, and, yes, some manufacturers are going to be folded into direct certification under the rule over time. But hold off on making plans—we have time.

Your industry associations—the NWFA, the IWPA, the CPA, the KCMA and many others formed “FWIC,” The Federated Wood Industries Coalition, at the start of this long process, to help speak as one voice to the EPA. These associations, together with legal experts and testing agencies and with CARB, are all working with the EPA to get clarity on perhaps a dozen major points. These associations are working to develop guidelines and material that will help all of their membership understand their responsibilities under the new rules. I will be posting bullet points in the future, as well, and we hope that within a few months, we will all understand all the details.

So I know everyone has information on the rules, but, more importantly, we want to be sure we have the RIGHT information—give everyone, be it a manufacturer, distributor, retailer or importer, exactly what they need to know to ensure compliance with the regulations.

The good news is we have time—anywhere from one to seven years—to develop compliance, depending on what part of the rule is being considered. So give your associations a month or two more to get all the questions answered, and you will have all the info you need to plan for your future actions to make sure you’re in line with the new rules.

Clarity will come!