G/TBT/N/USA/827  
 
12 June 2013  
(13-3040)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
NOTIFICATION 
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED STATES OF AMERICA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):     
2. Agency responsible:  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) [844] 
Name and address (including telephon e and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above :    
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:   
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided  in addition, where applicable): Air quality 
in general (ICS 13.040.01), Wood technology processes (ICS 79.020)  Formaldehyde 
emissions, composite wood products. 
5. Title, number of pages and langua ge(s) of the notified document:  Formaldehyde 
Emissions Standards for Composite Wood Products (47 pages, in English).     
6. Description of content:  EPA is proposing new requirements under the Formaldehyde 
Standards for Composite Wood Products Act, or Title VI of the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). These proposed requirements are designed to implement the statutory 
formaldehyde emission standards for hard wood plywood, medium-density fiberboard, 
and particleboard sold, supplied, offered for sale, or manufactured (including imported) in the United States. As directed by the statute, this proposal includes provisions relating 
to, among other things, laminated products, products made with no-added formaldehyde 
resins or ultra low-emitting formaldehyde re sins, testing requirements, product labelling, 
chain of custody documentation and other recordkeeping requirements, enforcement, and product inventory sell-through provisions, including a product stockpiling prohibition. 
The composite wood product formaldehyde emission standards contained in TSCA Title 
VI are identical to the emission standards currently in place in California. This regulatory proposal implements these emissions standards and is designed to ensure compliance 
with the TSCA Title VI formaldehyde emission standards while aligning, where practical, 
with the regulatory requirements in California. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Protection of human health and safety; Protection of the environment . 
8. Relevant documents:   78 Federal Register (FR) 34820, 10 June 2013; Title 40 Code of 
Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 770.  Will appear in the Federal Register when adopted.   
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:    To be determined To be determined 
10. Final date for comments:  9 August 2013 G/TBT/N/USA/827 
 
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  11. Text available from:  National enquiry point [  ], or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresse s, if available of the other body:    
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR -2013-06-10/html /2013-13258.htm  
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR -2013-06-10/pd f/2013-13258.pdf