Testing for Formaldehyde Emission from Wood-Based Products – A Review

Concern about possible health effects from formaldehyde emitted from wood-based panel products manufactured with urea-formaldehyde and melamine-formaldehyde binding resins has led to the development and increasing use of low emission products. To control the emissions a range of tests has been developed which the wood-based panel industry can use to determine the potential of products to release formaldehyde. This paper reviews laboratory test methods which are based on the extraction of formaldehyde and also the current requirements in European product standards. It further describes the use of chamber tests to measure formaldehyde emission under normal conditions of temperature and humidity. These tests are included in the labelling schemes of some countries and are the subject of a new European standard test method.

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