EPA Updates References to Industry Standards in Composite Wood Formaldehyde Regulations

The Environmental Protection Agency is amending its recently issued final rule on formaldehyde in composite wood products to update references throughout the regulations to certain voluntary industry standards, it said in an direct final rule. The industry standards have each been updated or withdrawn and superseded since EPA issued its final rule in December 2016 (see 1612120022 and 1607280021). EPA recently delayed until December 2018 the compliance dates for the regulations (see 1709190032), which set emissions standards and import certification requirements for composite wood products. The direct final rule takes effect Dec. 11, unless comments opposing the changes are received by Nov. 9, in which case EPA would consider the changes under a concurrently issued proposed rulemaking.