How The RV Industry Is Addressing The Formaldehyde Issue

The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association has voluntarily adopted the formaldehyde emission requirements for wood products (0.2 ppm for plywood and 0.3 ppm for particleboard) as required for manufactured homes by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Although only a very small percentage of customers experience a sensitivity to formaldehyde, RVIA and its member companies felt it was important to formalize a standard addressing the issue. There is, however, no federally mandated requirement for RVs, so RVIA went above and beyond to embrace the HUD formaldehyde emission requirement. This is a conservative standard since RVs are most often lived in for short periods of time, as opposed to manufactured homes which are made to be lived in permanently.

Working Across Industries

The majority of formaldehyde in RVs comes from the wood products used in manufacturing.  To address ways to reduce the amount of formaldehyde found in RVs, RVIA is working closely with manufacturers of wood products. This work is on-going and long-term and is aimed at further reducing the already low number of reported problems involving formaldehyde.

Commitment to Quality and Safety

The industry considers the safety of its customers the top priority and is continuously exploring ways to utilize new and emerging technologies in aid of that pursuit.