The number, first
Our 18 mm birch plywood tested at 0.039 ppm formaldehyde. Against the CARB Phase 2 limit of 0.05 ppm, that is 22% under the limit — not merely "compliant," but below the ceiling with clear margin. Everything that follows is something you can check for yourself: the report number, the laboratory, the test method, and the exact panel that was tested.
Plenty of suppliers say "low formaldehyde," "E0," or "eco-friendly." The real question is whether you can verify any of it.
The report is traceable — and precision is the point
Behind the number is a traceable report: report number HJ-QAT-260457, laboratory SHST, method ASTM D6007-22 small chamber. And it tested a specific panel — 18 mm, 13-ply, poplar core with a birch face.
Stating exactly what was tested, down to this level, is itself part of credibility. A vague report is one that will not tell you which panel it measured. When a claim can be pinned to a report number, a method, and a named panel, you can do something with it; when it is just a two-word label, you can't.
Why 0.039 is worth mentioning — the CARB limit gap
"Compliant" means very different emission ceilings for different materials. Under US EPA TSCA Title VI, the limits are: plywood (HWPW) 0.05, particleboard 0.09, MDF 0.11, and thin MDF 0.13 ppm.
In other words, a "compliant" MDF panel is legally allowed to emit more than twice the formaldehyde of compliant plywood — and our 0.039 is about one-third of the compliant-MDF ceiling. "Compliant" is the pass line, not a moat. What we want to show you is how much margin sits below that pass line. The full comparison of plywood, MDF and solid wood sets out where each material falls.
What we did not test — the honesty boundary is the strongest signal
This is a CARB / US-method small-chamber result. We have not run the AS/NZS 2098.11 desiccator test — so we do not claim "meets AS/NZS 2269 E0," and we do not claim "Super E0." We tell you the method we used and the number we measured, and we let you compare for yourself.
That boundary matters, and it is why we wrote separately about why AS/NZS 1859 is the wrong standard for plywood: applying an impressive-sounding standard that doesn't fit the product is exactly the kind of shortcut we won't take. A supplier willing to tell you plainly "we did not test that" is worth more than one who casually stamps on a grade label.
You can verify all of this yourself
Our panels come from a CARB-certified mill (number ICTT-18073, publicly searchable at CARB.ca.gov). The FSC chain-of-custody number is C141103 (publicly searchable at info.fsc.org). And the formaldehyde report — along with our other materials and certification documentation — is available on request.
These are not numbers we are asking you to take on faith. They are ones you can check with your own hands, from public registries, before you ever place an order.
Where this report sits in the compliance picture — two layers
This is a panel-level report, held by the mill and kept on hand. At the finished-furniture level, AS/NZS 4610 testing (through a lab such as CTI) can be order-triggered and issued in the buyer's name.
Panel-verifiable and finished-goods-triggerable are two independent layers of evidence. Knowing which layer a given claim belongs to is part of reading it correctly, and it connects directly to how wooden furniture lines up with Australian childcare compliance. If you want to understand the panel itself in more depth, what "birch plywood" actually means covers the core, origin and face grade behind this report.
How to tell a real report from an empty claim
A real report always has four things: the laboratory name, the test method, exactly which panel was tested, and the ppm figure against a stated limit. An empty claim has two words — "E0" or "eco" — and none of the four.
The next time a supplier tells you "we're E0," you will know precisely which four things to ask for.
To request the report for the exact panel you're considering, get in touch and we'll send it through.
Frequently asked questions
What is MJK's formaldehyde level?
Our 18 mm, 13-ply birch plywood tested at 0.039 ppm (ASTM D6007-22 small chamber, report HJ-QAT-260457, SHST laboratory) — 22% under the CARB Phase 2 limit of 0.05 ppm.
Can I verify this myself?
Yes. The CARB mill number ICTT-18073 and the FSC chain-of-custody number C141103 are both publicly searchable, and the formaldehyde report is available on request.
Do you meet AS/NZS 2269 E0 or Super E0?
We have not run the AS/NZS 2098.11 desiccator test, so we do not claim that grade. We provide the small-chamber result and the method used, for you to compare.
How is 0.039 better than "compliant"?
A "compliant" MDF panel may legally emit 0.11 ppm — more than twice the 0.05 ppm plywood limit. Our 0.039 is about a third of the compliant-MDF ceiling.
Does this figure cover all your products?
No. This report is specifically for our 18 mm birch plywood panel. Solid wood and other specifications have their own separate figures, and they do not borrow this number or this report.