Canada approved the formaldehyde emission regulation for composite wood (SOR / 2021-148)

On July 7, 2021, the Ministry of environment and health of Canada approved the formaldehyde emission regulation for composite wood, which has been published in the second part of the Canadian Gazette and will come into effect on January 7, 2023. The following are the key points of the regulation:

1. Scope of control

This regulation applies to any composite wood products containing formaldehyde. Most of the composite wood products imported or sold in Canada must meet the corresponding requirements. However, the emission requirements for laminates do not take effect until January 7, 2028. In addition, products manufactured or imported in Canada prior to the effective date are not subject to this regulation as long as there is a record.

2. Formaldehyde emission limit

The regulation stipulates the maximum formaldehyde emission standard for composite wood products. These emission limits are expressed by the formaldehyde concentration obtained by specific test methods (ASTM D6007, ASTM e1333), which are the same as the emission limits of EPA TSCA Title VI regulations in the United States

0.05 ppm for hardwood plywood

09 ppm for particleboard

11ppm for MDF

13ppm for thin MDF and

0.05ppm for laminated products

3. Labeling and certification requirements

All composite wood products must be labeled before they are sold in Canada, or the seller must keep a copy of the label and provide it at any time. Composite wood products that already have bilingual labels (English and French) indicating compliance with TSCA Title VI regulations in the United States will be recognized as meeting the labeling requirements of Canada. Composite boards and laminated products must also be certified by the third party certification authority (TPC) before they are imported or sold (Note: composite wood products with TSCA Title VI certification will be accepted by this regulation).

4. Record keeping requirements

Manufacturers of composite boards and laminates will be required to keep a large number of test records and provide them to the Ministry of environment upon request. Importers and retailers will need to retain certification statements for their products. For importers, there are some additional requirements. In addition, the regulation will require all regulated enterprises to identify themselves by informing the Ministry of the environment of their regulated activities and their contact information.

5. Reporting requirements

Personnel who manufacture, import, sell or sell composite wood products containing formaldehyde must provide the following written information to the Ministry of environment:

(a) Name, address, telephone number, e-mail and name of relevant contact person;

(b) A statement as to whether the company manufactures, imports, sells or supplies composite boards, laminated products, components or finished products.