CARB Certification for Composite Wood Manufacturers

UL is an approved Third Party Certifier for the California Air Resources Board (CARB) Airborne Toxic Control Measure (ATCM) for composite wood products. UL can perform testing and certification to ensure that manufacturers of composite wood products comply with the ATCM, which limits the amount of formaldehyde emitted from these products. Definition As an approved Third Party Certifier, UL is authorized to conduct inspections and testing to assess composite wood panel manufacturer’s products for compliance to the regulation. The regulation sets formaldehyde emissions limits for hardwood plywood (HWPW), particle board (PB), and medium density fiberboard (MDF). In the certification process, UL verifies that the manufacturing facility for subject composite wood products are capable of complying with the ATCM's emission standards. To receive CARB Certification, manufacturers undergo quarterly inspections and testing, and routine quality control testing at manufacturing locations. Manufacturers that earn certification demonstrate that their panels comply with the emission standards by labeling their panels as CARB Phase 2 compliant. One of the most trusted third party testing and certification companies, UL helps companies navigate the complexities of understanding and meeting these requirements. Benefits Products that achieve CARB Certification are verified by a third party to comply with the formaldehyde emissions standards which are required for composite wood products to be sold in California. Finished products that contain composite wood products must also contain certified boards if they will be sold in California. This makes certification essential to almost every composite wood panel manufacturer around the world. In addition to opening new markets, manufacturing facilities who earn certification learn to control formaldehyde emissions from their products by establishing on-site quality control testing.