Page 28 - Parquet International January 2014

ON FIELD
Maximum quantity
of harmful substances contained in recycled wood material
Elements and compounds
Limit values (mg/kg of total dry panel)
Arsenic
25
Cadmium
50
Chromium
25
Copper
40
Lead
90
Mercury
25
Fluorine
100
Chlorine
1000
Pentachlorophenol (PCP)
5
Tar oils (benzo(a)pyrene)
0,5
STANDARDS
4. Waste management
5. Phase of use
6. Emission of harmful substances.
7. Emission of volatile organic compounds
(VOC).
8. Packaging
9. Suitability of use
10. Consumer information
11. Information to be provided on the Eco-
label.
Even if it is not possible to analyze all the criteria established by the European Regu- lation, below we provide the most impor- tant points that producers interested in ob- taining the Ecolabel logo must respect.
The origins of the raw materials
All materials with wood, cork, and bamboo bases must be taken from sustainably-man- aged forests. Producers must apply pur- chasing policies that are sustainable for the timber and adopt a system for the tracing and verification of the origin of the wood that follows it from the forest to the first recep- tion point. Producers must also document the origin of all the wood and guarantee that it comes from legitimate sources. The wood
must not come from pro- tected areas or those for which official processes for recognition as such are currently in progress, old- growth forests or forests with high environmental value defined as such by national procedures, un- less such purchases fully comply with national en- vironmental protection regulations. Lastly, it is well worth remembering that as of January 1st, 2013,
at least 70% of the solid wood and 40% of the wood-based materials contained in wood producers bearing the EU Ecolabel logo al- lowed for sale in the market must be taken from sustainably-managed forests or from re- cycled materials and certified as such.
Wood and recycled materials
The recycled wood, post-consumer wood chips or wood fibre used in the production of wood-based materials (input) must at least comply with the standard established by the European Panel Federation (EPF) In Paragraph 6 of the document entitled «EPF Standard for delivery conditions of recycled wood» dated October 24, 2002. The total quantity of recycled material must respect the limits indicated in Prospectus No. 1 (see the Table on Page 14). It must be borne in mind that the term “wood chips” is used to indicate the bits of wood derived from the
processes of chopping, crushing, and saw- ing adopted at most sawmills and during similar industrial processes. Wood chips are included in the group of recycled materials as defined, while remembering that wood chips are considered waste material while being transported to the panel producer and are therefore subject to the checks required by law and consequently treated as required before recycling in a new wood panel. After incorporation into a new wood panel, the material is no longer considered a waste, and for such reason the checks required by law are no longer necessary.
Impregnated substances and preservatives
Wood floors must not be impregnated. Af- ter cutting, solid wood must not be treated with substances or preparations containing any of the substances included in any of the following lists: WHO recommended classi- fication of pesticides 1a (extremely harmful) and, WHO recommended classification of pesticides 1b (very harmful) substances. Fur- thermore, the wood must be treated as spec- ified in the following European Council Di- rectives: Directive 79/117/EEC dated De- cember 21, 1978, regarding the prohibition against the selling and using phytohealth products containing active ingredients, and Directive 76/769/EEC: member nation pro- visions regarding restrictions on the mar- keting and use of certain harmful substances and preparations.
Harmful substances
In this regard, the EU Ecolabel Regulation establishes the following general requisites: a) requisites regarding harmful substances
for the treatment of virgin wood and the plant materials that may be applied also as coverings and surface treatments;