Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Products with low emission of VOCs volatile organic compounds

Air pollution in indoor environments is a phenomenon that attracts increasing attention. In general, the “green” eco-sustainability certification schemes count several credits in favor of products with low VOC emissions. Volatile Organic Compounds.

The European Directive 2004/42 / EC defines as VOC “any organic compound with an initial boiling point not higher than 250 ° C, at the standard pressure of 101.3 kPa”. These compounds can produce appreciable quantities of emissions to air under normal ambient conditions of temperature and pressure. Some construction products such as cladding materials for walls, floors and ceilings, windows, glues and sealants, etc., may contain chemicals (for example formaldehyde and VOC) and, when installed, release these pollutants into the atmosphere. Some of these materials are also porous and absorbent so they can trap both odors and chemicals, derived from other activities and construction materials, to re-emit them later.

The emission of volatile organic compounds, therefore, can be defined as the “ease” of these compounds to be released from the materials that contain them (or that can produce them), into the ambient air, essentially through their exposed surfaces. The emission of VOCs essentially depends on: the exposed surface of the materials / products / artefacts in relation to the volume of the environment in which they are located; the temperature and relative humidity conditions present in the environment; the air changes made.

On January 28, 2017, the Decree of the Ministry of the Environment and Land and Sea Protection was published in the Official Gazette regarding the “Adoption of minimum environmental criteria for interior furnishings, construction and textile products“also known as CAM. The CAMs had already been defined by previous Decrees for product categories included in the National Action Plan on Green Public Procurement (PAN GPP), approved with Decree no. 135 of 11 April 2008.

In particular, the 2017 Decree in point 2.3.5.5 relating to the emission of materials requires compliance with specific emission limits.

The whole range of SanCo wood products is made with products classified E1 according to the UNI EN 717-1 standard, i.e. with a very low formaldehyde content. To further protect the health of users, specific tests have also been carried out on finished products, as can be seen in the table alongside: the tests were performed according to EN 717-1 but also according to the French backlog which refers to the AFNOR standard. NF EN ISO 16000-9 or again according to the American standard ASTM D6007-02. Many of our products can be manufactured, upon specific request, using CARB2 certified materials and therefore in line with the requirements of the TSCA Title VI (Toxic Substances Control Act) in force since 01.06.2018