New limits for formaldehyde in the wood industry: what manufacturers need to know from 2026

At the 13th European Wood-based panel Symposium in Hamburg, experts sounded an important wake-up call for the industry: from August 2026, the permitted limits for formaldehyde emissions will be halved from today's level.

At the event, which brought together over 400 experts from around the world, Sandro Ciroi from CATAS laboratory and Bettina Meyer from Fraunhofer Institute WKI presented a detailed report on the new European regulations. Under them, the maximum allowable limit for formaldehyde emissions will be 0.05 ppm (parts per million) or 0.062 milligrams per cubic meter.

"It is important to note that these changes will not only affect wood-based panels, but will have an impact on all products that emit this substance," the experts explain. Formaldehyde is a naturally-occurring substance in the environment, but controlling its emissions in finished products is becoming increasingly stringent. In 2008, the World Health Organization reclassified formaldehyde as a Category 1 potential carcinogen.

A crucial issue highlighted at the symposium is that the European Chemicals Agency has not yet published revised guidelines for measuring formaldehyde emissions, although these were expected in October 2024. This document is essential for testing laboratories that have to certify products' compliance with the new regulations.

To support the industry in this transition, a working group of leading European furniture and wood laboratories is working on a Position Paper. This document will define the technical specifications needed to harmonize testing activities in different countries, thus providing manufacturers with a clear frame of reference.

The changes are part of the EU's REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) regulation, which controls the use of chemicals across the European continent. For manufacturers and processors of wood products, this means they need to start preparations to adapt to the new requirements now, with the August 2026 deadline fast approaching.