Formaldehyde, E0 and E1
MDF, particleboard and plywood give off formaldehyde, most of it in the first months. The building code sets no emission class for boards in a house, so E0 is a standard you have to ask for and check. We ask for it on every board.
What the rule is and who it applies to
Australian board standards classify formaldehyde emission. AS/NZS 1859 covers particleboard and MDF and AS/NZS 2269 covers plywood, tested by the desiccator method in AS/NZS 4266.16. For MDF, an industry certificate gives E0 as 0.5 mg/L or less and E1 as 1.0 mg/L or less.
The National Construction Code does not require E0 or E1 for cabinetry, flooring or linings. Its only formaldehyde limit, 0.1 mg/m3 over 30 minutes, sits in an optional indoor air quality verification method for a whole building, not a product.
So the class is a buying decision. Lower emission matters most in bedrooms, small rooms, and anywhere with a lot of joinery and little ventilation.
Australian and Chinese classes are not the same test
Chinese standards such as GB 18580 and GB/T 39600 report emission from a chamber test in mg/m3 of air. Australian classes use a desiccator test in mg/L. The two numbers cannot be converted one for one, so an E0 or ENF label from China is not the same claim as Australian E0.
Ask for the result, the method and the units, not just the class.
How to check it yourself
- Ask for the board maker's test report, naming the board, the thickness, the method and the result.
- Ask for a report linked to the batch of board used in your order, not a certificate from years ago.
- Check the board brand on the order matches the board brand on the sample and the report.
- Air new cabinetry well for the first few weeks.
What evidence Elje holds per item
- The board brand, grade and emission test report per order, with the method and units.
- E0 to the Australian method, or the equivalent tested result, as our standard for carcasses and doors.
- A check at inspection that the board in the cartons matches the order.
The common traps with China-made product
- A board certificate offered as proof for the finished cabinet. Edging, glues and coatings add their own emissions.
- A Chinese E0 label read as Australian E0.
- The factory switching board supplier after the sample to save cost.
- An old certificate for a board the factory no longer buys.
Questions
Is E1 illegal?
No. E1 boards are legal in Australian houses. We ask for E0 because it costs little more on a full kitchen and lowers emission where you sleep and cook.
Does it affect my build certificate?
Not under the building code as it stands. It matters for your health, and some designers and green ratings specify it.