The National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA) recently submitted comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on its proposed regulations of formaldehyde in composite wood products. Specifically, the NWFA responded to concerns regarding new or expanded regulation covering producers of lumber core, veneer core, and bamboo flooring, as well as regulation of third-party certifiers.
"The proposed EPA regulations could result in a toxic label on some of the flooring industry's most sustainable products. The unintended consequences from these regulations could be significant decreases in the marketability of all types of engineered wood flooring, bamboo flooring, and laminate flooring, as well as leading to a further commoditization of the market," Dan Natkin, director of wood & laminate at Mannington Mills Inc. (Salem, N.J.) and chairman of the NWFA Government Relations committee, said in a statement.
NWFA voiced concern over proposed regulations in four areas: the significant deviation from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) program, a short timeframe to become a certified company, the lack of protection of confidential business information and the inclusion of downstream fabricators who would absorb a double certification burden.
"While the NWFA appreciates the EPA's desire to protect the public health, our desire is to see the regulations structured in such a way that prevents unnecessary burdens on an industry still recovering economically," explained Elizabeth Baldwin, Environmental Compliance Officer for Metropolitan Hardwood Floors (Kent, Wash.), who spearheaded the task force. "The task force felt very strongly that any expansion beyond CARB must be investigated further and urged the EPA to adopt regulations that closely mirror that existing program."
Find resources including links the EPA proposed regulations, NWFA's responses, and the FWIC letter to the EPA here. For more in-depth information on the proposed regulations, see Baldwin's HF Green Blog on the Hardwood Floors website.
