Formaldehyde Emissions Standards

August 27, 2014

Question from shema

Hi Debra,

Is a high chair made of "E-1 multi layer poplar wood" acceptable/safe?

Thanks!

Question from kdragonrider

Hello Debra,

I am wondering if you would ever purchase any furniture that is Certified Formaldehyde Compliant Phase 2. Just curious what your thoughts are ? Thank You for your help and all you do :).

Blessings

Debra's Answer

E1 is the European formaldehyde emissions standard. So I wouldn't buy this because it has emissions. You want zero emissions. Look for a high chair in an unfinished furniture store.

E1 and E0 are the European formaldehyde emission standards. E1 emission standards have been used for years in the flooring industry. Wood flooring adhesives that meet E1 formaldehyde standards have less than 0.75 ppm formaldehyde. That's not zero. The tricky thing is that a product could be labeled E1 and have zero formaldehyde because zero is less than 0.75 ppm, but products with 0.74 ppm could also qualify.

E0 is an updated version of E1. The standard is much more stringent, requiring formaldehyde emissions to be equal to or less than 0.07ppm. Therefore, composite wood products such as bamboo flooring, laminate flooring, or engineered hardwood flooring that meet E0 standards would be safer than those that only meet E1 standards.

To put this in perspective, both the California Air Resource Board Phase 2 CARB Formaldehyde Emission Standards and the Japanese Emission Standards JIS/JAS F**** are even more stringent, so any product that meets one of these standard would be preferable to products that meet the European standards.

Formaldehyde was designated as a toxic air contaminant (TAC) in California in 1992 with no safe level of exposure.