On November 26th, 2018, German Federal Gazette (BAnz AT 26.11.2018 B2 – in German only) published DIN EN 16516, a new reference method for measuring formaldehyde emissions from coated and uncoated wood based on Annex 1 of the Chemical Prohibition Ordinance (ChemVerbotsV).

The previous reference method according to DIN EN 717-1 may still be used as additional method, but the compensation concentration must be multiplied by a factor of 2.0 no later than January 1^st, 2020.

From January 1^st, 2020, it will also apply that derived test methods such as the perforator method according to EN ISO 12460-5 or the gas analysis method according to EN ISO 12460-3 are to be used exclusively for production control in connection with a product-related manufacturer correlation.

The changes to the reference method results from a UFOPLAN research project by the Federal Environment Agency and the Federal Institute for Materials Research BAM in which the test methodology for the measurement of formaldehyde emissions from wood-based materials should be adapted to more realistic conditions.

Further links (in German only):

https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/sites/default/files/medien/2503/dokumente/pruefverfahren_fuer_holzwerkstoffe_gemaess_chemverbotsvo_final.pdf

https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/themen/wirtschaft-konsum/produkte/bauprodukte/studien-zur-messung-bewertung-von-schadstoffen/formaldehydemissionen-pruefbedingungen-fuer