Phase I of the Composite Wood ATCM implemented on January 1, 2009!

The CA Air Resources Board’s (ARB) Composite Wood Air Toxic Control Measure (ATCM) was written into state law in April. The first emission standards was implemented on January 1, 2009. This law is designed to reduce formaldehyde emissions from all composite wood products sold or produced for use in California. The law targets manufacturers of hardwood plywood (HWPW), particleboard (PB), and medium density fiberboard (MDF) and also substantially impacts fabricators, distributors, and retailers of furniture and all other finished products made with these composite wood products. The text of the final regulation, other documents, and all program information are available at: www.arb.ca.gov/toxics/compwood/compwood.htm 

Compliance with the emissions standards by a composite wood mill must be verified by a Third Party Certifier (TPC) approved by ARB. Laboratories work under the control of the TPCs and don’t have a direct relationship with ARB. The currently approved list of TPCs is posted at: www.arb.ca.gov/toxics/compwood/certifiers.htm

ARB has approved small-scale chamber testing according to ASTM Standard Test Method D 6007 as a secondary test method. However, there is substantial overhead associated with selecting this path as each laboratory must annually validate the secondary method against the primary method, ASTM Standard Test Method E1333 following a rigorous and costly procedure. In addition, a set of three small-scale chamber runs must be completed for each test. Nevertheless, we still believe that small-scale testing may be a practical way to meet the anticipated demand for certification testing. 

The BAA White Paper, "Meeting the Requirements of the California Composite Wood ATCM Using Chambers of Different Sizes" provides background information on the ATCM and ASTM Methods E 1333 and D 6007, reviews the principles of chamber testing, and gives examples of how ATCM certification testing requirements can be meet using small scale chambers.

BAA has the capability to test composite wood and finished products for formaldehyde emissions in our small and mid-scale chamber facilities using a number of protocols.