EPA Considering Formaldehyde Regulations

On November 25th, the United States Environmental Protection Agency published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) regarding formaldehyde emissions from pressed wood products. This is the first step towards regulations that would limit the off-gassing of formaldehyde from composite wood materials, such as those responsible for the elevated levels of formaldehyde in FEMA trailers used following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The EPA is soliciting comments, information, and data related to formaldehyde emissions from pressed wood products. Written comments may be submitted by February 2nd to regulations.gov using docket number EPA-HQ-OPPT-2008-0627. Additionally, the EPA will be holding six public hearings in January in Triangle Park, N.C.; Portland, Ore.; Chicago, Dallas, and Washington DC. Conspicuously missing from the list of hearing locations is any gulf coast city where so many individuals were effected by the FEMA trailers. This oversight was severely criticized by the Sierra Club and other advocates. As a result of public pressure, an additional hearing on the Gulf Coast is likely to be announced.

EPA’s decision is largely a response to a petition submitted in March by the Sierra Club, dozens of other organizations including the Alliance, and signed by approximately 5,000 individuals. The petition called for the EPA to make the strict formaldehyde regulations established by the California Air Resources Board nationally applicable. Formaldehyde is a probable human carcinogen and causes airway and eye irritation.

For more information on EPA’s ANPR, the dates of the public hearings, or a copy of the petition, see http://www.epa.gov/opptintr/chemtest/formaldehyde/index.htm. For information on the attempt to include the gulf coast as a hearing location, see http://action.sierraclub.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=80681.0.