Nontoxic Glue

1. Nontoxic Glue

Traditional plywood uses Urea Formaldehyde glue and Phenol glue. The danger in using this product indoors is the emission of formaldehyde and poisonous phenyl, which affects the central nervous system. EverJade addressed this concern early and instead imports high quality European glue. The high strength of adhesion of this refined glue meets U.S. testing standards for 3-ply laminated flooring ANSI-3 cycle-Test for flooring. Emissions meet the E1 standard. This is the reason why our products lead in the industry and are accepted and promoted in European, U.S. and Japanese flooring markets.

2. Non-Formaldehyde Glue

EverJade also import glue from Japan which is totally free from formaldehyde emission and special for Japanese market. After stringent testing by MLIT, EverJade bamboo flooring has been approved of marketing in Japan by Ministry Approval.

3. About Formaldehyde

a) Introduction
plywood paneling (used for decorative wall covering and used in cabinets and furniture); and medium density fiberboard (used for drawer fronts, cabinets, aFormaldehyde is an important chemical used widely by industry to manufacture building materials and numerous household products. It is also a by-product of combustion and certain other natural processes. Thus, it may be present in substantial concentrations both indoors and outdoors.
Sources of formaldehyde in the home include building materials, smoking, household products, and the use of un-vented, fuel-burning appliances, like gas stoves or kerosene space heaters. Formaldehyde, by itself or in combination with other chemicals, serves a number of purposes in manufactured products. For example, it is used to add permanent-press qualities to clothing and draperies, as a component of glues and adhesives, and as a preservative in some paints and coating products.
In homes, the most significant sources of formaldehyde are likely to be pressed wood products made using adhesives that contain urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins. Pressed wood products made for indoor use include: particleboard (used as sub-flooring and shelving and in cabinetry and furniture); hardwood nd furniture tops). Medium density fiberboard contains a higher resin-to-wood ratio than any other UF pressed wood product and is generally recognized as being the highest formaldehyde-emitting pressed wood product.
Other pressed wood products, such as softwood plywood and flake or oriented strandboard, are produced for exterior construction use and contain the dark, or red/black-colored phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin. Although formaldehyde is present in both types of resins, pressed woods that contain PF resin generally emit formaldehyde at considerably lower rates than those containing UF resin.

b) Resources of Formaldehyde
Pressed wood products (hardwood plywood wall paneling, particleboard, fiberboard) and furniture made with these pressed wood products. Urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI). Combustion sources and environmental tobacco smoke. Durable press drapes, other textiles, and glues.

c) Health Effects
Formaldehyde, a colorless, pungent-smelling gas, can cause watery eyes, burning sensations in the eyes and throat, nausea, and difficulty in breathing in some humans exposed at elevated levels (above 0.1 parts per million). High concentrations may trigger attacks in people with asthma. There is evidence that some people can develop a sensitivity to formaldehyde. It has also been shown to cause cancer in animals and may cause cancer in humans. Health effects include eye, nose, and throat irritation; wheezing and coughing; fatigue; skin rash; severe allergic reactions. May cause cancer.

4. International Standards for Formaldehyde Emission

a)U.S.A. Standards
With only 0.02 mg formaldehyde per cubic meter of air, the adhesive used to laminate the bamboo strips which form EverJade bamboo flooring and panels off-gasses 6.5 times less than allowed under the stringent European (E1) standards which are 0.13 mg per cubic meter of air. The European standards are stricter than the U.S. standards.
In November 1987, OSHA proposed that the occupational standard for formaldehyde exposure be reduced from 3 parts per million (ppm) to 1 ppm, averaged over an 8-hour workday; this proposal became law the following month. In May 1992, the law was amended, and the formaldehyde exposure limit was reduced to 0.75 ppm. (Information is available from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Public Affairs Office, Room N3647, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. You may also contact the Public Affairs Office by calling 202-693-1999.)
Given .75ppm regulations and .0155 for EverJade adhesive product, EverJade is 48 x less than the allowance by American standards. Conversion to Parts Per Million by Volume:
The conversions from “0.02 mg of formaldehyde per cubic meter of air” to “ppmv (parts per million by Volume).”
At an ambient air pressure of 1 atmosphere and a temperature of 60 degrees F (15.56 degrees C), 0.02 mg of formaldehyde per cubic meter of air = 0.0149 ppmv
At an ambient air pressure of 1 atmosphere and a temperature of 70 degrees F (21.11 degrees C), 0.02 mg of formaldehyde per cubic meter of air = 0.0152 ppmv
At an ambient air pressure of 1 atmosphere and a temperature of 80 degrees F (26.67 degrees C), 0.02 mg of formaldehyde per cubic meter of air = 0.0155 ppmv
The molecular weight of formaldehyde, which is 30.03, was used in the conversions.

b) European Standards
E1=10mg/100g

c) Japanese Standards
F**** < 0.005 mg/m2h .
From the summer of 2003, Japan Construction Regulations are scheduled to change so that all laminated/prefinished building products (that is, any product using glue or arriving at the jobsite prefinished) must be officially certified under the JAS (Japan Agricultural Standard) formaldehyde standards. Products must show a JAS stamp or other equivalent certification. Products without this certification CANNOT BE USED in any Japanese construction.
All imports into Japan must therefore be certified individually on a container load by container load inspection basis or the foreign manufacturer MUST pass JAS inspection and become certified ON A PER PRODUCT BASIS. Each product category requires separate certification, so certification for one product category does not give the factory the right to stamp JAS seals on all products.
Please note the following quote from one of the industry papers, The Japan Lumber Reports: “If mills wish to continue to ship their laminated products to Japan, they need to be authorized based on the new JAS regulation. However, in Europe, the main supply region of this product, there is only one registered inspection organization to authorize — the Japan Plywood Inspection Corporation (JPIC).
“JPIC is also in charge of inspecting other wood products for JAS so they may not be able to handle so many applications in a limited time for laminated products, which may hamper smooth transition to new JAS authorization. There are registered overseas inspection organizations in U.S.A., Canada and Australia individually but in Europe there is no such organization in each country since Europe is considered one unit. Thus, JPIC head quarters is the only place European mills apply for inspection and authorization.”
Note that there is no mention of any inspection services for any Asian country. As far as is known, JPIC is covering Asia as well as Europe.
Building products subject to these regulations include, but are not limited to, flooring, wall paneling, ceiling paneling, finger-joint laminated board, plywood, laminated structural material, and doors.
There are three kinds of formaldehyde certification: JAS, JIS and Minister Approval. JAS and JIS certification can be obtained on only those products for which JAS and JIS have defined categories. (JAS and JIS product categories are more or less mutually exclusive.) Products that fall outside JAS and JIS product categories cannot receive JAS or JIS certification. All such products must be approved under Minister Approval criteria.
Both JAS and JIS have designated product categories. JAS product categories include plywood, flooring, laminated timber, LVL, structural panel, finger jointed structural lumber for platform construction. JIS product categories include MDF, glue, and finish, among others. There are also products which do not have applicable JAS or JIS categories (for example, doors).

d) Chinese Standards
Stipulated in the new regulations of building materials, the formaldehyde emission meets 1.5mg/L, which is equal to European E1 Standard.

5. Relevant Links
U.S Environmental Protection Agency
U.S Department of Labor