The Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products Act (FSA)
The Formaldehyde Standards for Composite Wood Products Act (FSA) has adopted the emissions standards for composite wood from the Air Toxic Control Measure (ATCM) enacted by the State of California’s Air Resource Board (CARB). Under FSA, the Environmental Protection Agency has been tasked with establishing final regulations by January, 2013.
Requirements under the Act
FSA requires that the EPA revise the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) section 13 regulations to apply FSA requirements to imported products. In addition to TSCA enforcement, the EPA must address:
- Product labeling and Record keeping
- Chain of custody
- Third-party testing certification
- Exempt product listings
- Finished goods
- Auditing and Reporting Requirements for Third Party
Distributors, importers, manufacturers, and retailers are all affected. FSA encompasses anyone who supplies, or offers for sale a composite wood product or finished good containing composite wood products at a national level.
Covered Products
Composite wood products are commonly used to make the items listed below. Fabricators of finished products must also use composite wood products that comply with the emission standards.
- Furniture
- Cabinets
- Shelving
- Countertops
- Flooring
- Moldings in homes
Vendor Requirements
In anticipation of the 2013 enforcement for FSA, we expect all suppliers and manufactures of goods utilizing composite wood in their commodities to apply the current vendor requirements for CARB.
Each vendor must provide the following for approval to ship composite wood products and finished goods containing composite wood products. Please note that all three requirements must be forwarded to the Foreign Buying Office the vendor is in contact with prior to shipping for approval.
- A soft copy of the accredited third party test results on composite panels used in finished goods in which the composite wood panel has not been altered in the creation of the finished good.
Or
- A new test on any finished good in which the composite wood panel has been altered from it original state in the creation of the finished good.
- Samples of required ATCM labeling that will be applied to finished goods.
- Notation on the vendor invoice that the composite wood products or finished goods comply with the applicable Phase 1 or Phase 2 emission standards.