The European Panel Federation (EPF) is recommending that the wood-based panels industry moves to producing ‘E1’ classified lower formaldehyde emission products. This follows the re-classification of the chemical by the World Health Organisation (WHO) advisory body. Under the new classification formaldehyde is designated “carcinogenic to humans”, where previously it had been “probably carcinogenic to humans” .
Noting that the goal was effectively to eliminate higher formaldehyde-emission ‘E2’ products, the EPF has set a preliminary deadline of the end of this year for completion of the move.
National federations are currently assessing the implications of the recommendation. A spokesman for the Wood Panel Industries Federation said that, from the UK perspective, this would represent “a minor move in terms of volume” since “a very large part of our product is E1 already and has been for some time”.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) based its re-classification on studies concerning a relatively rare nasopharyngeal cancer observed in workers exposed to high levels of formaldehyde some decades ago, according to the EPF.
The EPF said: “The general population in its living environment is not exposed to anything like the high doses of formaldehyde reviewed by the IARC.
“For this reason, the wood-based panels industry does not agree that the level of exposure of the general population to formaldehyde emitted from its products can be a cause of cancer.”
However, the IARC re-classification was taken “extremely seriously” by the industry, which would “continue to use all improving technological means to minimise its incidence”.
The IARC confirmed its evaluations “generally cover hazard identification only and do not get into matters of dose-response assessment or estimates of risk”. It continued: “These evaluations represent only one part of the body of information on which regulatory measures may be based. Therefore, no recommendation is given with regard to regulation or legislation.”
