ZERO

We are very proud that we can produce, thanks to technical innovations, a finished panel without adding urea-formaldehyde. An important revolution resulting in a safer work- and living conditions.

Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is an important chemical used widely by industry to manufacture building materials and numerous household products. Also is formaldehyde a substance that is present in wood from its nature.

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 plywood paneling (used for decorative wall covering and used in cabinets and furniture); and medium density fiberboard (used for drawer fronts, cabinets, and furniture tops). Medium density fiberboard (MDF) 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.

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. Decospan contribution to avoid urea-formaldehyde in wood products Decospan is proactive in avoiding urea-formaldehyde in its pressed wood products. Today all its products meet the standards in the industry (E1) but that is just the beginning.

On demand, Decospan is able to source urea-formaldehyde free MDF boards.

In its production, it is able to use formaldehyde free adhesives, stains and lacquers. The non added urea-formaldehyde products are branded as ‘ZERO’ products.

Shinnoki ZERO, the ready-to-use veneer panel from the group, is produced without adding urea-formaldehyde. Also Par-ky by Shinnoki, a veneered flooring product of the group, is produced accordingly. Both Shinnoki ZERO and Par-ky by shinnoki are basically made out of a veneer which is applied on a MDF board. As mentioned above, a MDF board contains the highest formaldehyde content of all pressed wood products. However, the MDF board used in the production for these two products complies with the most strict restrictions for urea-formaldehyde emissions from the California Environmental Protection Agency namely CARB2. This regulation states that the max emissions of formaldehyde for MDF sold in California are 0.11ppm as from 2011. Today, Decospan is already able to meet these targets, offering these products without added formaldehyde, and thus only having the natural formaldehyde from within nature.