Energy and Environmental News

WDMA Advises EPA on Potential Formaldehyde Regulations 
Members of the Window and Door Manufacturers Association (WDMA) are addressing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) investigation into whether regulatory or other action might be appropriate to protect against potential risks posed by formaldehyde emitted from certain pressed wood products.

“WDMA wants to ensure that if there is to be a national program, it must be based on sound science and knowledge that it is going be meaningful,” says WDMA vice president for advocacy and technical services, Jeff Lowinski. “It also needs to preempt individual state regulations. Otherwise, multiple state regulations will likely continue, with multiple compliance requirements, labels and confusion.”

WDMA also has expressed concern that the EPA should ensure that the California Air Resource Board (CARB) program concerning formaldehyde is successful, both technically and procedurally, before adopting it or another pressed wood product regulation. Likewise, the group has fears about the industry companies’ ability to convert all of their national capacity to compliant products or alternates, and requests that EPA conduct a thorough review of the suitability and effectiveness of the CARB Airborne Toxic Control Measure Phase I compliance documentation requirements before adopting them.

NFRC’s Executive Director Speaks During Earth Day Events in Washington, D.C.
The National Fenestration Rating Council’s (NFRC) executive director Jim Benney spoke during the Senate Energy and Environmental Fair, which took place on April 22 as part of the week-long Earth Day events in Washington, D.C.According to an NFRC announcement, Benney promoted education by speaking about the organization’s rating and labeling system and how it plays an integral role in helping people make more energy-efficient choices.“Buildings currently use about 40 percent of all the energy generated in the United States,” Benney said. “By educating people to look for the NFRC label, we helped them understand how to increase the energy efficiency of buildings thereby reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and the carbon emissions related to global warming.”

DWM
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