The reporter
learned from the China National Accreditation Service for Conformity
Assessment (CNAS) that recently CNAS was listed by the US Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) on its official website [List of Accreditation
Institutions for Compound Wood Product Emission Standards". This
means that CNAS has officially become an acknowledgment agency
recognized and certified by the US Environmental Protection Agency for
formaldehyde release certification and testing of composite wood
products. China's export enterprises of wood
products can successfully export to the United States by virtue of
reports or certificates issued by CNAS accredited conformity assessment
agencies, and no need for repetitive certification or testing.
The China National Accreditation Assessment Committee (English name: China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment, English abbreviation: CNAS) is under the "People's Republic of China Certification and Accreditation Regulations," approved by the National Certification and Accreditation Regulatory Commission to establish and authorize The national accreditation body shall be responsible for the accreditation of certification bodies, laboratories and inspection agencies and other relevant agencies.
According to reports, on December 10, 2016, the US Environmental Protection Agency issued the "Standard for the Release of Formaldehyde from Composite Wood Products" to increase the safety standards and access conditions of composite wood products produced or imported in the United States, and become the most stringent formaldehyde emission in the United States. Limited regulations apply on February 10, 2017. The relevant regulations clearly require that composite wood products such as plywood, particle board and fiberboard and their finished products must be certified by an EPA-recognized certification body before they can be sold in the United States. A precondition for becoming an EPA-approved certification body is the accreditation of the certification body and its subcontracted or owned testing laboratories through an EPA-approved accreditation body. So far, the [List of Accreditation Institutions for Compound Wood Product Emission Standards" has published information on 8 accreditation bodies including CNAS, and the other 7 accreditation bodies are from the United States (4), Poland (1), Spain (1 ), Germany (1).
In order to promote the smooth export of composite wood products from China to the United States and to promote the recognition of China's certification and test results, the EPA acknowledged that in December 2016, when the new regulations were issued, CNAS initiated research work for the first time. From January to April 2017, CNAS translates EPA-published materials to understand and understand relevant requirements, including product range, product standards, testing method standards, requirements for certification bodies and testing organizations, requirements for accreditation bodies, and applications for EPA recognition. The specific requirements and so on. In May, CNAS worked out its implementation plan. In July, CNAS organized the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) accreditation seminar on formaldehyde release limit certification bodies for composite wood products, organized experts to draft draft EPA certification scheme for composite wood product certification bodies, and completed the training of assessors. In August, CNAS`s request for approval of the US EPA composite wood product accreditation body was approved by the National Certification and Accreditation Administration. In September, the relevant accreditation specification document developed by CNAS was formally issued and implemented, which marked the formal establishment of the special accreditation system for EPA composite wood product certification bodies and testing laboratories; at the same time, CNAS and the agency of the American Laboratory Accreditation Association (A2LA) confirmed the successful completion of the work. . In October, CNAS issued a database registration application to the US Environmental Protection Agency. In January of this year, the EPA formally applied for the CNAS Compound Wood Product Emission Standard Accreditation Organization.
CNAS has officially become the certifying body for the approval of the composite wood product discharge standards recognized by the US Environmental Protection Agency, which will play an active role in the export of wood products from China to the United States. At present, all relevant certification bodies and testing laboratories accredited by CNAS can apply directly to the US EPA for approval. After recognition, the certificates or reports issued by these testing and certification organizations can help the products of Chinese wood product manufacturers to be exported to the United States.
According to
reports, CNAS's accreditation requirements can be found on the CNAS
website for the EPA Composite Wood Products Certification Body
Accreditation Program (CNAS-SC26 2017) and the EPA Composite Wood
Products Testing Laboratory Accreditation Program (CNAS-SL04 2017).