UPDATE: California officials relax some formaldehyde deadlines

But finished goods retail date remains unchanged

Heath Combs -- Furniture Today, July 31, 2009

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Because of the weak economy, the California Air Resources Board has extended the deadlines for composite panel distributors and retailers to sell off product that doesn't meet the state's new formaldehyde emission limits.

But the July 1, 2010, deadline for retailers of finished goods to sell off any non-compliant products remains in place.

CARB recently began a survey of panel distributors to find out how much non-compliant inventory was still in the pipeline. The agency wants to find out how those products are selling and track distributors' plans for disposing of the inventories.

The moves are the early stages in enforcement of the California formaldehyde limits that took effect in January. A new regulation sets caps on emissions allowed from composite panel products including hardwood plywood, particleboard and medium density fiberboard (MDF) - materials that are commonly used in furniture.

In May, CARB extended the sell-through dates for distributors and retailers of composite panel, pushing them out by four months. Distributors now have until Sept. 30 and retailers of composite panel until April 30, 2010, to sell through their inventories of non-compliant board.

Officials said that because of the economic downturn, distributors and retailers still have significant amounts of non-compliant inventory, manufactured before Jan. 1.

Compliance dates for furniture suppliers and retailers were not affected and enforcement begins July 1, 2010. After then, they will be required to produce and sell only products that contain panel that has been deemed CARB-compliant.

The American Home Furnishings Alliance is in talks with officials at the agency to extend deadlines for fabricators and retailers, said Bill Perdue, vice president of environmental, safety and health issues and standards. But he said that thus far, the agency's extensions have occurred only on items with the most pressing deadlines.

"Down the road we're hoping to see an extension," Perdue said.

He said the AHFA still has concerns over items such as floor samples, which some large retailers could move to other states but smaller retailers might not.

Officials with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which is considering rulemaking for a national formaldehyde standard for composite panel, say they are developing risk assessments on potential adverse health effects associated with formaldehyde's use in pressed wood products and are evaluating control technologies and approaches.

The EPA has not reported any deadlines for its work on formaldehyde. It has held a series of stakeholder meetings for the composite panel industry and other businesses to comment on a national rule.

California's new rules require composite panel producers to obtain third-party certification from a laboratory saying their facilities produce compliant board. The rules cover everything in a store, from kiosks, lamp bases and accent items to the board used in case goods and upholstered furniture frames. Even shipping pallets are covered.

Stores will have to keep documentation on products that traces the supply chain back to the board producer. Everyone along the supply chain - board supplier, manufacturer and retailer - is held responsible and liable.