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| Bamboo Flooring > Bamboo Flooring China > Bamboo Flooring Glue |
| Bamboo Flooring Glue
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1. Nontoxic Glue
Traditional plywood uses Urea Formaldehyde glue and Phenol glue.
The danger in using this product indoors is the emission of
formaldehyde and poisonous phenyl, which affects the central
nervous system. JadeMask addressed this concern early and instead
imports high quality European glue. The high strength of adhesion
of this refined glue meets U.S. testing standards for 3-ply
laminated flooring ANSI-3 cycle-Test for flooring. Emissions
meet the E1 standard. This is the reason why our products lead
in the industry and are accepted and promoted in European, U.S.
and Japanese flooring markets. |
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2. Non-Formaldehyde
Glue
JadeMask also import glue from Japan which is totally free from
formaldehyde emission and special for Japanese market. After
stringent testing by MLIT, JadeMask bamboo flooring has been
approved of marketing in Japan by Ministry Approval.
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3. About Formaldehyde
a) Introduction
Formaldehyde is an important chemical used widely by industry
to manufacture building materials and numerous household products.
It is also a by-product of combustion and certain other natural
processes. Thus, it may be present in substantial concentrations
both indoors and outdoors.
Sources of formaldehyde in the home include building materials,
smoking, household products, and the use of un-vented, fuel-burning
appliances, like gas stoves or kerosene space heaters. 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 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.
Other pressed wood products, such as softwood plywood and flake
or oriented strandboard, are produced for exterior construction
use and contain the dark, or red/black-colored phenol-formaldehyde
(PF) resin. Although formaldehyde is present in both types of
resins, pressed woods that contain PF resin generally emit formaldehyde
at considerably lower rates than those containing UF resin.
b) Resources of Formaldehyde
Pressed wood products (hardwood plywood wall paneling, particleboard,
fiberboard) and furniture made with these pressed wood products.
Urea-formaldehyde foam insulation (UFFI). Combustion sources
and environmental tobacco smoke. Durable press drapes, other
textiles, and glues.
c) 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.
Health effects include eye, nose, and throat irritation; wheezing
and coughing; fatigue; skin rash; severe allergic reactions.
May cause cancer.
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4. International Standards
for Formaldehyde Emission
a)U.S.A. Standards
With only 0.02 mg formaldehyde per cubic meter of air, the adhesive
used to laminate the bamboo strips which form JadeMask bamboo
flooring and panels off-gasses 6.5 times less than allowed under
the stringent European (E1) standards which are 0.13 mg per
cubic meter of air. The European standards are stricter than
the U.S. standards.
In November 1987, OSHA proposed that the occupational standard
for formaldehyde exposure be reduced from 3 parts per million
(ppm) to 1 ppm, averaged over an 8-hour workday; this proposal
became law the following month. In May 1992, the law was amended,
and the formaldehyde exposure limit was reduced to 0.75 ppm.
(Information is available from the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration, Public Affairs Office, Room N3647, 200 Constitution
Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. You may also contact the
Public Affairs Office by calling 202-693-1999.)
Given .75ppm regulations and .0155 for JadeMask adhesive product,
JadeMask is 48 x less than the allowance by American standards.
Conversion to Parts Per Million by Volume:
The conversions from "0.02 mg of formaldehyde per cubic
meter of air" to "ppmv (parts per million by Volume)."
At an ambient air pressure of 1 atmosphere and a temperature
of 60 degrees F (15.56 degrees C), 0.02 mg of formaldehyde per
cubic meter of air = 0.0149 ppmv
At an ambient air pressure of 1 atmosphere and a temperature
of 70 degrees F (21.11 degrees C), 0.02 mg of formaldehyde per
cubic meter of air = 0.0152 ppmv
At an ambient air pressure of 1 atmosphere and a temperature
of 80 degrees F (26.67 degrees C), 0.02 mg of formaldehyde per
cubic meter of air = 0.0155 ppmv
The molecular weight of formaldehyde, which is 30.03, was used
in the conversions.
b) European Standards
E1=10mg/100g
c) Japanese Standards
F**** < 0.005 mg/m2h .
From the summer of 2003, Japan Construction Regulations are
scheduled to change so that all laminated/prefinished building
products (that is, any product using glue or arriving at the
jobsite prefinished) must be officially certified under the
JAS (Japan Agricultural Standard) formaldehyde standards. Products
must show a JAS stamp or other equivalent certification. Products
without this certification CANNOT BE USED in any Japanese construction.
All imports into Japan must therefore be certified individually
on a container load by container load inspection basis or the
foreign manufacturer MUST pass JAS inspection and become certified
ON A PER PRODUCT BASIS. Each product category requires separate
certification, so certification for one product category does
not give the factory the right to stamp JAS seals on all products.
Please note the following quote from one of the industry papers,
The Japan Lumber Reports: "If mills wish to continue to
ship their laminated products to Japan, they need to be authorized
based on the new JAS regulation. However, in Europe, the main
supply region of this product, there is only one registered
inspection organization to authorize -- the Japan Plywood Inspection
Corporation (JPIC).
"JPIC is also in charge of inspecting other wood products
for JAS so they may not be able to handle so many applications
in a limited time for laminated products, which may hamper smooth
transition to new JAS authorization. There are registered overseas
inspection organizations in U.S.A., Canada and Australia individually
but in Europe there is no such organization in each country
since Europe is considered one unit. Thus, JPIC head quarters
is the only place European mills apply for inspection and authorization."
Note that there is no mention of any inspection services for
any Asian country. As far as is known, JPIC is covering Asia
as well as Europe.
Building products subject to these regulations include, but
are not limited to, flooring, wall paneling, ceiling paneling,
finger-joint laminated board, plywood, laminated structural
material, and doors.
There are three kinds of formaldehyde certification: JAS, JIS
and Minister Approval. JAS and JIS certification can be obtained
on only those products for which JAS and JIS have defined categories.
(JAS and JIS product categories are more or less mutually exclusive.)
Products that fall outside JAS and JIS product categories cannot
receive JAS or JIS certification. All such products must be
approved under Minister Approval criteria.
Both JAS and JIS have designated product categories. JAS product
categories include plywood, flooring, laminated timber, LVL,
structural panel, finger jointed structural lumber for platform
construction. JIS product categories include MDF, glue, and
finish, among others. There are also products which do not have
applicable JAS or JIS categories (for example, doors).
d) Chinese Standards
Stipulated in the new regulations of building materials, the
formaldehyde emission meets 1.5mg/L, which is equal to European
E1 Standard.
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5. Relevant Links
U.S Environmental
Protection Agency
U.S Department
of Labor
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