Lumber Liquidators has been sued again over allegations that its product, this time its laminate flooring, from China emits formaldehyde levels well above the level requiring package labels in the state of California.
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Lumber Liquidators has been sued again over allegations that its product, this time its laminate flooring, from China emits formaldehyde levels well above the level requiring package labels in the state of California.
The lawsuit, filed by environmental advocacy group Global Community Monitor, says the plaintiff conducted more than 50 tests of Lumber Liquidators' Chinese-made laminate flooring. The results showed average initial formaldehyde exposures to be more than 100 times the amount allowed to be sold without a warning label under California's toxics law, Proposition 65.
"The levels of formaldehyde our tests found in Lumber Liquidators' laminate flooring are astounding and alarming," said Denny Larson, executive director of Global Community Monitor, in a statement. "It's unconscionable that Lumber Liquidators would sell this product to customers to install in their homes without informing families of the potential health risks involved, especially since they make a point of bragging about how environmentally safe it is."
Lumber Liquidators released a statement that said the allegations are "simply flat-out false."
"Our product meets relevant environmental standards and undergoes rigorous, independent, third-party testing. More specifically, our internal testing and that conducted by third parties concluded that product levels fell well below the Proposition 65 'safe harbor' limits.
"In addition to providing safe, high-quality products, we are transparent about our quality control and assurance processes - for our California customers, we provide Proposition 65 notices on customer invoices and in-store signage," the statement continues.
"In short, all of our flooring meets the highest quality and environmental standards - that's why we sell it, that's why we use it in our own homes, and that's why we are a market leader. We will not let factually inaccurate and legally flawed lawsuits filed by a party with a clear financial motive influence our approach to our business or our customers."
The lawsuit is one of five filed against Lumber Liquidators since fall. Of the three lawsuits related to formaldehyde emissions, one has been dismissed.
