National Hardwood Magazine - August 2023

NWFA REVIEW REGULATIONS

NWFA REVIEW REGULATIONS IMPACTING THE WOOD FLOORING INDUSTRY Wood flooring professionals have many issues to consider when beginning any job. Some are obvious, like getting the material to the job site, and scheduling the work, but other issues are not quite as obvious. An example is understanding the laws impacting our industry. Specific legislation varies by region, but there are several issues that affect every wood flooring job: formaldehyde, lead, asbestos, and silica. Formaldehyde is a volatile organic compound used in chemical substances, including flooring adhesives and finishes. Because formaldehyde can be dangerous at high levels, emissions are regulated in the U.S. by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). In 2009, CARB established formaldehyde emissions standards for composite wood products. The standards are enforceable legally only in California; however, most producers sell CARB compliant flooring, and the U.S. and Canadian governments are using CARB as a model to establish national standards. Current CARB regulations require that certified composite wood panels meet specified emissions performance standards. All mills producing such panels are required to have thirdparty certification that their production procedures are compliant. CARB formaldehyde emission limits are set at 0.05 parts per million for Hardwood plywood, 0.11 parts per million for MDF that is more than 8mm thick, and 0.13 parts per million for MDF that is 8mm thick or less. CARB also regulates particleboard at 0.09 parts per million. Everyone in the supply chain must follow specific documentary procedures to maintain a chain of custody for the product purchased. This documentation traces the product back to the original panel manufacturer. These records should be kept for a minimum of two years. Lead is another issue that requires the attention of wood flooring professionals. It is a naturally occurring chemical element that can be poisonous to humans if it is ingested or inhaled. Until the late 1970s, construction products, like paint, often contained lead. When lead is disturbed during renovation, repair, or painting activities, dangerous amounts of lead dust can be released. Because of this danger, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency BY MICHAEL MARTIN, PRESIDENT & CEO, NATIONAL WOOD FLOORING ASSOCIATION, CHESTERFIELD, MO 800-422-4556 WWW.NWFA.ORG Please turn to page 74 RESERVE YOUR AD SPACE NOW FOR THE 53 RD EDITION OF THE HARDWOOD PURCHASING HANDBOOK 4,000 COPIES ARE SENT TO BUYERS OF 100,000 BOARD FEET OR MORE… Such as manufacturers of: Kitchen Cabinets • Furniture • Hardwood Flooring • Millwork As well as…Distribution/Concentration Yards and Exporters of Hardwood Lumber 92% Renewal in 52 nd Edition Allegheny Wood Products, Inc. American Lumber Company Baillie Lumber Company Banks Hardwoods, Inc. Bingaman & Son Lumber, Inc. M. Bohlke Veneer Corp. Cardin Forest Products LLC Clark Lumber Company Cole Hardwood Inc. Robert S. Coleman Lumber Co., Inc. W.M. Cramer Lumber Co. Cummings Lumber Co., Inc. Deer Park Lumber, Inc. Devereaux Sawmill, Inc. Fly Tie & Lumber Frank Miller Lumber Co., Inc. G.F. Hardwoods, Inc. Goodfellow, Inc. Graf Bros. Flooring & Lumber Granite Valley Forest Products Greentree Forest Products, Inc. Hartzell Hardwoods Inc. Overseas Hardwoods Company Hermitage Hardwood Lumber Sales, Inc. HHP, Inc. Kepley-Frank Hardwood Co., Inc. Logs 2 Lumber 2 You Lumber Resources, Inc. Maine Woods Co. LLC McClain Forest Products LLC/ Legacy Wood Products LLC Merrick Hardwoods Midwest Hardwood Company Neff Lumber Mills, Inc. New River Hardwoods, Inc. Newman Lumber Co. NWH Nyle Dry Kilns OHC | Overseas Hardwoods Company O’Shea Lumber Company Patrick Lumber Co. Pennsylvania Hardwoods Co. RAM Forest Products, Inc. RJ Lumber LLC Carl Rosenberry & Sons Lumber, Inc. We personally visit our supply bases in Southeast Asia, South America, and Africa regularly, ensuring we are importing the highest quality lumber from legally harvested and responsibly managed forests. We maintain large inventories, so that our customers who depend on it, receive the material they need promptly, in the most economical way. THE OHC DIFFERENCE We custom manufacture our High Performance Lumber Products to your desired specifications, saving our customers valuable time and resources. Hardwood Purchasing Handbook Fifty-Second Edition/2023 Featuring HARDWOOD: • Lumber Manufacturers • Wholesale Suppliers • Distribution Yard • Phone, Fax, Email • Plywood Suppliers and Web Page Directory (See Contents Page 4) Full Page: ,150 • 1/2 Page: ,700 Color Additional Note: All advertisers must carry a position in the Christmas Buyer’s Guide Issue of National Hardwood Magazine to reserve space in the Hardwood Purchasing Handbook. 5.00 US/CN 5.00 FOREIGN Stoltzfus Forest Products LLC Thompson Appalachian Hardwoods, Inc. Tigerton Lumber Company Turman Group Volner Sawmill, Inc. Wagner Lumber Company, Inc. Wheeland Lumber Co., Inc. For more information call 1-800-844-1280 or email hph@millerwoodtradepub.com. OHC.net High Performance Lumber Products For Marine, Millwork, Outdoor Living, and Transportation New Inventory of Live-Edge Cookie Slabs available in a variety of shapes and sizes up to 7’ wide. 52nd HARDWOOD PURCHASING HANDBOOK www.hardwoodpurchasinghdbk.com Allegheny Wood Products Celebrating 50 Years! Over the past fifty years, AWP has grown to be one of the largest producers of Eastern U.S. hardwoods. With eight sawmills in West Virginia total annual sawmill production capacity exceeds 200 million board feet (471,940 cubic meters). Four kiln-drying facilities have annual KD production of 75 million board feet (176,978 cubic meters). Red Oak, White Oak, Poplar, Cherry, Hard and Soft Maple and Walnut lumber from AWP is graded after kiln drying. We provide high quality lumber to both domestic and export markets. AWP – where exceptional people manufacture excellent products and provide outstanding service for fifty years. www.alleghenywood.com 16 AUGUST 2023 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE RealAmericanHardwood.com/industry RealAmericanHardwood.com/industry AUGUST 2023 n NATIONAL HARDWOOD MAGAZINE 17