Network for Certification and Conservation of Forests (NCCF) organized a webinar on 12th December 2020 on "Indigenous solutions to capping formaldehyde emissions from the composite wood products" as a part of its initiative to develop Safeboards Standards. Certified composite wood products complying with the proposed Standards will minimize its harmful effects on human health and environment and bring the Indian wood products to international value added markets. Eminent experts and senior representatives from CAPEXIL, EPCH, plywood industry, handicrafts, furniture and toy manufacturers, traders and dealers of composite wood products deliberated on the need and importance of such a standard as par with global requirements. NCCF’s Safeboards Standards (under development) scheme envisages to bring the composite wood products to international value-added market helping in process driving and product development of concerned industries like plywood, MDF, Particle Board etc and cutting down of formaldehyde emissions for betterment of human health and overall environment.
During the webinar the stakeholders provided their valuable inputs on the indigenous Safeboards Standards. Mr JK Bihani, President, HPMA said, “It is good to be with world but if the resin does not comes under rank what would be done. I think standard should be for material. We are also spreading awareness about standards and tastings for quality and have developed chamber method and established an NABL lab sanctioning Rs 20 crore from the government. To this authority appreciated the initiative by HPMA and said they will discuss the matter in advance. Safeboard Standard is voluntarily applicable to the companies, only for formaldehyde emission from wood composite products.
CN Pandey, technical advisor for Federation of Indian plywood and panel industry (FIPPI) said there is already BIS for MDF and PB, we should focus on sustainability of raw material as Poplar and Eucalyptus are not of that standard. To this NCCF official said BIS is for product quality but Safeboard would be for formaldehyde and the system support adding value to the industry. On being unorganised industry they said, “If unorganised players need to export they will have to focus on other standard also.” There was also a presentation regarding standard process and mechanism and its benefits and how it will support the international trade of wood composite wood in the country