Australia’s engineered wood products industry stands to reap rewards from taking a pro-active approach to the likely future regulation of volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions, say the authors of an FWPA-funded report. Formaldehyde and other VOCs have been linked to health problems when they reach high levels in indoor environments. The report shows that while mandatory regulation of these compounds is largely in its infancy, increasing consumer demand for safe and “green” products is very likely to drive regulators to tighten VOC emission limits for wood products. Legislation is already being developed that may limit, restrict or ban the use of some building products including wood products due to their VOC emissions. The report’s authors say that by focusing on making Australian wood products with low VOC emissions, the industry here could reinforce the present market perception of Australian products being safe and environmentally friendly.
Reference Number:
PNB043-0708
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