Bonding

The bonding quality is determined pursuant to UNI EN 314, subject to suitable treatment chosen depending on its resistance to humidity (bonding class).

Panguaneta plywood is usually manufactured with the following types of bonding:

Class 1: urea bonding meeting the requirements provided by the Class 1 for the use of panels in dry environments (UNI EN 636-1)

Class 2: melamine bonding meeting the requirements provided by the Class 2 for the use of panels in humid environments (UNI EN 636-2)

Class 3: melamine bonding meeting the requirements provided by Class 3 for the use of panels outdoor (UNI EN 636-3)

Bonding upon request:

• CTB-X (Certificate No. 51): Okoumé-Twin and Okoumé throughout plywood for structural and marine use
• CARB 2 (certification No. 001-2012-TPC 016): Tutto Pioppo plywood, or Ilomba-Twin, Ceiba-Twin, Okoumé-Twin

Formaldehyde release

What is formaldehyde?
Formaldehyde is an organic compound belonging to the aldehyde family and the Volatile Organic Compound (VOCS) family. A temperatura ambiente è un gas incolore con un odore forte e pungente.At room temperature, it is a colourless gas with a strong and pungent odour.

It is a compound widely used in the production of several materials for building and furniture manufacturing. It is also a secondary product of combustion and some natural phenomena. Therefore, it is present in significant concentrations in both indoor and outdoor environments.

Formaldehyde in plywood

Wood-based panels are classified based on their formaldehyde emissions according to the criteria established by the sector technical regulations and summarized in Appendix B of UNI EN 13986. Products are assigned to emission classes according to initial type tests and periodical production control tests.

Class E1 under UNI EN 636.

The parameters characterizing Class E1 panels are the following:

• Initial type tests: all types of panel must have emissions lower or equal to 0.124 mg/mc (air), according to the UNI EN 717-1 method (test chamber);
• Production control tests: raw particle, MDF or OSB panels must have a formaldehyde content lower or equal to 8 mg/100 g of kiln-dried panel, measured according to the UNI EN 120 method (perforator method) All other types of panels, including the varnished, upgraded or plated ones, must have emissions lower or equal to 3.5 mg/sqm h, if measured according to the UNI EN 717-2 method (gas analysis method)

Therefore, Class E1 panels (low emissions panels) can be used without causing an equilibrium concentration in the air of the test chamber (as defined in UNI EN 717-1) higher than 0.1 ppm, a limit recommended by the World Health Organization for living environments.

New limits for formaldehyde emissions in the US

Since many years Panguaneta is one of the forefront companies in the study of panels able to meet the requirements of an extremely demanding market such as the US one. Panguaneta is a credited supplier of important manufacturers of caravans, prestigious office furniture and distribution centres.
Also for this reason, Panguaneta has been one of the first businesses of the sector to follow the direction shown by the State of California with reference to the reduction of formaldehyde emissions.

Since 1 January 2009, the requirements for the entrance of wood-based panels and products manufactured with them (including furniture) have become compulsory in the State of California. In the next years, the State of California will have the strictest requirements in the world with reference to formaldehyde emissions from wood-based panels and finished products manufactured with them.
The new limits will come into force gradually in two phases. The first phase started on 1 January 2009 with new limits (0.08 ppm for broad-leaved tree plywood, 0.18 ppm for chipboard panels and 0.21 ppm for MDF) that, in any case, remain comparable to those provided for by Class E1 in Europe.

However, with phase 2, which will be implemented between 2010 and 2012, said values will be drastically reduced to 0.05 ppm, 0.09 ppm and 0.11 ppm, respectively.

The reference measuring method will be that described in the American standard ASTM E 1333-96 (2002) (large chamber method). Unfortunately, at present there are no official correlations between the values obtained with the ASTM method and the corresponding method used in Europe (EN 717-1). The interested products will have to be accompanied by third party certifications issued by organizations authorized by the California Air Resource Board. The new regulations provide also for tests to be carried out on randomly selected products, as well as strict chain of custody requirements.
For the moment, the new limits are in force only in the State of California. However, it can be assumed that other US states will take into consideration similar measures.

The Japanese “Building Standard Law” and the consequences for the furniture sector

In July 2003, a new law aimed at limiting the presence of toxic substances (including formaldehyde) in houses came into force in Japan. The following article – that can be downloaded or consulted only by shareholders - summarizes and clarifies the new classification, which goods must be certified and the modalities to obtain the required certification.

Italian regulations

Since 11 December 2008, in Italy it is forbidden to put on the market wood-based panels or semi-finished or finished products manufactured with them, whose formaldehyde emissions are higher than those provided for by Class E1, as defined by UNI EN 13986. The products affected by the application of the relevant decree must be accompanied by a statement of compliance issued by the manufacturer.

In August 2009, the Italian Ministry of Work, Health and Social Policies sent competent regional authorities a circular letter containing important explanations on the interpretation of the Decree dated 10 October 2008. The explanations mainly referred to:

• the identification of materials and processing of panels regarded as possible causes of addition of formaldehyde (and, vice versa, of those that are not and, therefore, do not require any evidence);
• the execution of the annual test provided for by art. 4, paragraph 3 of the Decree;
• the frequency of internal checks, in case production is not continuous (for example, craft productions);
• the modalities of drawing up and submitting the statement of compliance
• the responsibilities of the different links of the productive and commercial chain.

Attached document: Italian decree

Non-European countries

Formaldehyde emissions from panels are subject to compulsory assessment in several countries around the world, often with some restrictions imposed by the different national regulations. However, the criteria followed in the different geographical areas to determine the emissions and classify the products are different and not always easily comparable.

Attached document: Description of the classification systems in force in different geographical areas.