Starting from October 1, the new national standard for artificial panels, known as the most stringent in history, will be implemented, and the home building materials industry may usher in a new round of reshuffle.
Aoyi News reporter learned that the "Classification of Formaldehyde Release of Artificial Panels and Their Products" (GB/T 39600-2021) and "Classification of Formaldehyde Release Based on Limits of Formaldehyde Release" jointly issued by the State Administration for Market Regulation and National Standardization Administration Guidelines for Indoor Load Limits of Artificial Panels (GB/T39598-2021) will be officially implemented from October 1 this year. Among them, the newly proposed ENF level is called the most stringent new national standard for artificial panels in history because the emission of formaldehyde and is more stringent than the American standard. Industry analysts believe that this is good news for home furnishing giants, and some small and medium-sized brands may be eliminated at an accelerated pace.
"The most stringent formaldehyde standard in history" is about to be implemented
At present, our country's artificial panel industry is developing rapidly, and the total volume in our country has exceeded 300 million cubic meters. As an important raw material for home furnishing, furniture, decoration, and construction, artificial panels are widely used in our lives. The formaldehyde release limit is an important environmental performance indicator of artificial boards and their products. The amount of formaldehyde released exceeds the standard, which can irritate the respiratory tract, cause chronic respiratory diseases, reduce the physical fitness of newborns, and is toxic to the nervous system, reproductive system, immune system, etc.
As early as 20 years ago, the "Limits of Formaldehyde Release in Interior Decoration Materials, Artificial Panels and Their Products" (GB18580-2001) was the only mandatory national standard in the industry of artificial panels and their products. It divides my country's formaldehyde emission limit standards for artificial panels into two levels: E1 and E2, where E2 level ≤ 5.0mg/L and E1 level ≤ 1.5mg/L, and stipulates that E1 is an artificial panel that can be directly used indoors. , E2 is an artificial panel that must be used indoors after finishing treatment.
Since then, this national standard has been revised several times. In the version of "Formaldehyde Release Limits in Interior Decoration Materials, Artificial Panels and Their Products" (GB18580-2017) promulgated in 2017, the E2 level was eliminated and the E1 level formaldehyde release limit requirements were increased, stipulating that E1 level formaldehyde release The limit value is 0.124mg/m³.
With the improvement of living standards and people's emphasis on home environmental protection, the market has put forward higher requirements for the quality of artificial boards. The "Formaldehyde Emission Classification of Artificial Panels and Their Products" (GB/T 39600-2021), which will be implemented on October 1, is the refinement and matching of the 2017 version. It subdivides the formaldehyde release amount of indoor artificial panels and their products from the original only E1 level into three levels: E1, E0 and ENF according to the limit value. Among them, the E1 level remains ≤0.124mg/m³, the E0 level is ≤0.050mg/m³ according to the CARB-NAF (California Air Quality Board-No Formaldehyde Addition) standard, and the ENF level is ≤0.025mg/m³.
It is worth noting that this new ENF level concept is half lower than the formaldehyde specified value of the current most stringent CARB-NAF standard, which is called "the most stringent formaldehyde standard in history."
In this regard, Shi Xumin, vice chairman of the Greater Bay Area Health Alliance and vice president of Guangdong Indoor Environmental Hygiene Industry Association , explained the new national standard to Aoyi News, saying that the standard is still based on the 2017 national standard, and this time it is just a Grading standards are not mandatory. He said that the country generally first introduces a standard as a reference for the industry, and companies produce according to high standards. Slowly, the country has made reference standards mandatory. For example, the previous E2 grade boards are no longer allowed to be used.
Shi Xumin told Aoyi News that due to price reasons, most decoration owners still choose E1 grade boards. At present, the price of E1 grade boards on the market is about 180~240 yuan/square meter, and the price of E0 grade boards is 280~360 yuan/square meter. E2 grade boards only cost about 80 yuan/square meter. Therefore, many people are still using E2-grade boards in order to cut corners. However, in our country, the use of E2-grade boards in residential areas is strictly prohibited.
Dr. Huang Anmin, a researcher at the Timber Institute of the Chinese Academy of Forestry and secretary-general of the Green Home Industry Branch of the China Forest Products Industry Association, said that this new national standard is divided into E1 level, E0 level and ENF level, which has promoted the improvement of the environmental protection indicators of my country's artificial panel industry. , promote high-quality development of the industry, and meet consumer demand for products of different grades."The three levels of the new national standard, from a global perspective, enable China's wood-based panel industry to lead and lead the development of the world's wood-based panel industry."
"Zero formaldehyde" actually means "zero formaldehyde addition"?
Currently, there are all kinds of names for artificial boards on the market. In order to cater to consumers’ pursuit of environmental protection, many products also claim to be “zero formaldehyde” and “aldehyde-free”, and some even claim to be able to “purify the air.” In the mixed bag, Consumers are simply at a loss as to what to do.
According to the "Notice on the Quality Supervision and Spot Inspections of Furniture Products in Guangdong Province in 2020" published by Guangdong Provincial Administration for Market Regulation in June this year, 66 of the 230 furniture products randomly inspected by the Guangdong Provincial Administration for Market Regulation were found to be defective. Among them, 16 models failed due to "limits of harmful substances (formaldehyde release)".
Many experts and industry insiders believe that there is no absolutely aldehyde-free board. Shi Xumin said in an interview with a reporter from Aoyi News that during the processing of wood, it is generally soaked in formaldehyde water for disinfection. Even the highest standard ENF level of the new national standard is not zero formaldehyde, but the formaldehyde emission is less than 0.025mg/m3. Therefore, no manufacturer dares to say that their boards are truly zero formaldehyde, but more refers to "zero formaldehyde addition".
Wu Shengfu, vice president of the China Forest Products Industry Association , believes that in tests of artificial boards, formaldehyde should come from the adhesive added to the artificial boards. The "formaldehyde-free" boards currently promoted on the market refer to the use of formaldehyde-free additives. The adhesive board does not mean that the board is formaldehyde-free, because the wood itself also contains formaldehyde. For example, during the production process, wood or plant fiber, the raw material for artificial boards, itself contains formaldehyde, especially tree species that grow faster, such as eucalyptus in the south and poplar in the north. The faster they grow, the higher the formaldehyde content. big.
professor of South China Agricultural University Gao Zhenzhong said that the formaldehyde release value of the new national standard ENF-level products is already very low. If compared with the standard of formaldehyde release in the beer industry, the value of ENF-level products is even more valuable. Choose this level. products, he believes that consumers can use them with confidence.
The new national standard may accelerate the reshuffle of the home building materials industry
Artificial panels are the main raw materials for the customized home industry. In recent years, leading companies such as Oppein , Sofia , Shangpin Home Delivery and other leading companies have focused on the environmental performance of the boards. Competition, launching their own "zero formaldehyde added" or even "pure formaldehyde" and "antibacterial" products. On the eve of the implementation of the new national standard, Shangpin Home Delivery and Sophia successively released product upgrade strategies. Among them, Shangpin Zhaipei launched the "second generation Kangqing clean board", which adds antibacterial and anti-mold functions on the basis of no formaldehyde addition. Sophia has launched a new environmentally friendly board - the base material is formaldehyde-free and ENF-grade multi-layer solid wood board. Both companies claim that their new panels exceed ENF-level standards. Among them, Shangpin Zhaipei stated that the formaldehyde release amount of the second-generation Kangjing board is 0.012mg/m3, and Sophia stated that the sampling results of the new board have reached a level where the formaldehyde content test within 24 hours does not exceed 0.007mg/m3.
Picture: Zhao Kun, general manager of Guangzhou Shangpin Home Delivery
Zhao Kun, general manager of Guangzhou Shangpin Home Delivery, said in an interview with Aoyi News that in the post-epidemic era, many small home furnishing brands are gradually losing ground in the market because they cannot adapt to changes in consumer demand. disappear. The implementation of the new national standards will have a huge impact on the home furnishing industry. If an enterprise does not reform itself, it will be eliminated by the market.
Oppein Home told Aoyi News that the strict environmental standards of the new national standard are actually beneficial to leading companies. Because board resources with relatively high environmental protection levels are relatively scarce in the market. Leading companies are better able to obtain better quality plate resources through cost advantages, including supply chain advantages.Wang Haidong, president of
Sophia Home Furnishing Research Institute, believes that “it is foreseeable that the implementation of the new national standard will better comply with the needs of consumers for home environmental protection in the new era, change the chaos of various publicity about the formaldehyde release of artificial panels in the past industry, and boost the promotion of furniture. The upgrading of environmental protection in the upstream and downstream of the industry will eventually accelerate the survival of the fittest within the industry. These changes will not only benefit consumers, but also benefit a group of home furnishing companies that are dedicated to making good products." According to Sofia's 2021 semi-annual financial report, as of the end of June 2021, Sofia's pure board customer proportion has increased to 86%, and the order proportion has increased to 87%.
In the post-epidemic era, consumers are paying more and more attention to the green and healthy home space. It is foreseeable that after the implementation of the new national standards, the industry reshuffle will accelerate. Unqualified ones among the 6,544 furniture manufacturing enterprises in my country will eventually be eliminated, while the competition between leading enterprises will continue.
Aoyi News Reporter Lu Ruoqing Feng Xiaohui
