GERMANY - Upon request, impress, a global leader in surface decors, now offers the entire range of finish foils free of formaldehyde and thus already complies with the new IOS-MAT-003 formaldehyde regulations coming into effect on January 1, 2022.

impress thus enables all users of finish foils to convert their products to the new standard requirements in good time. “We are thus underlining our innovation and technology leadership for safe surfaces that comply with high requirements on a large industrial scale,” says Sascha Kostros, impress Head of Decor Management.

Formaldehyde in small quantities poses no danger to humans or the environment and is even naturally present in nature. Some types of fruit and also untreated solid wood emit formaldehyde in small quantities. However, if the concentration is too high, as is the case with many foils conventionally coated with acid-hardening lacquers, this has proven to be a considerable health hazard. 

The development of products that pose no harm to the consumer or the environment, that is, products that are practically free of formaldehyde, is determining success in the woodworking industry more than ever before. A large number of impress finish foils produced at the Polish impress site in Elk, at impress decor Polska Sp. z o.o., are tested and certified according to EN-717-1. They are already allowed to bear the seal “formaldehyde-free”.

With values amounting to less than 0.015 mg / m³ and 0.012 ppm, they comply with the new IOS-MAT-003 formaldehyde regulations, which will come into effect on January 1, 2022. From that date, only pre-impregnated finish foils that do not exceed this upper limit for formaldehyde may be used.