April 20, 2016
Marietta, GA. April 20, 2016 — UL Environment, a business division of UL (Underwriters Laboratories), a global safety science leader, today announced that is has received approval as a Third Party Certifier (TPC) for the California Air Resources Board (ARB) Airborne Toxic Control Measure (ATCM). As a result, UL Environment is authorized to test and assess composite wood panel products for compliance to the CARB regulation which limits the amount of formaldehyde that can be emitted from hardwood plywood, particle board and medium density fiberboard. CARB estimates that the regulation reduces global formaldehyde emissions from the composite wood industry by about 500 tons per year and reduces indoor exposures by as much as 40 percent.
As an ARB-approved third party certifier, UL Environment can certify composite wood products for manufacturers to verify compliance with the applicable emissions standards under the ATCM. UL Environment laboratories in Guangzhou, China and Atlanta, Georgia are approved as testing locations, and UL’s global network of inspectors provide on-site quality control audits almost anywhere in the world.
“UL Environment is pleased be an official CARB third-party certifier because this added credential will help our customers meet compliance needs,” said Alberto Uggetti, vice president and general manager, UL Environment. “While CARB certification is critical for wood mills and producers, it’s also an issue that retailers and brand owners must be aware of, and conduct reasonable measures to ensure their supplier’s compliance. With the addition of approval as a CARB Certifier, UL Environment can now offer solutions to the entire value chain.”
In addition to being an approved third party certifier for composite wood product mills, UL Environment offers CARB Formaldehyde Compliance Solutions to provide retailers and manufacturers of finished product that contain composite wood with testing, inspections, and consulting services to support their efforts to help ensure compliance with the CARB requirements.
UL Environment is recognized as a global leader with more than 30 years of chemical emissions testing and certification experience. UL’s GREENGUARD Certification is a leading certification program for low-emitting products and indoor environments, which hundreds of manufacturers use to demonstrate that their finished products have low chemical emissions. With the addition of the credential as a CARB third party certifier, UL Environment is furthering its commitment to improving indoor air quality.