E0 with no test
A label without method, unit and limit is not a result.
E1 · EN 717-1 chamber · SGS test on 21 mm panels
E0 plywood or E1? What our SGS chamber test on a 21 mm panel shows
Our film-faced plywood is E1, not E0. SGS tested a 21 mm Acacia-core, phenolic-glue specimen from our mill in the EN 717-1 chamber: formaldehyde was not detected at the 0.04 mg/m³ reporting limit and the specimen passed E1, which allows 0.124 mg/m³. It is specimen evidence, and we make no E0 claim.
- E1 pass
- EN 717-1 chamber
- Not detected at 0.04 mg/m³
- Limit 0.124 mg/m³
- 21 mm specimen
- Phenolic glue
Film
Our E1 chamber result, explained on film
Short answer
Is your film-faced plywood E0 or E1?
E1. SGS Vietnam tested one submitted 21 mm dark-brown film-faced specimen from our mill, with an Acacia core and phenolic glue, in the EN 717-1 chamber. Formaldehyde was not detected at the laboratory's reporting limit of 0.04 mg/m³, and the specimen passed the E1 limit of 0.124 mg/m³. The same report gives density 642 kg/m³ and a Class 3 bonding pass.
We do not call the panel E0. Not detected means the result is below what the laboratory can report; it does not mean zero, and the report states a pass for E1, not for a lower class. A buyer who needs a particular lower limit can have SGS test our panel to that method.
Numerically, the 0.04 mg/m³ reporting limit sits below the EU limit that applies to wood-based articles from 6 August 2026, 0.062 mg/m³. That limit is defined under fixed chamber conditions, so for an EU file that needs the Appendix 14 reference conditions we arrange a test to them. The US limit for hardwood plywood is 0.05 ppm and is measured by another method, so the two numbers are never converted.
Documents as issued
The SGS report we hold
Page 1 of the SGS Vietnam report on the 21 mm specimen, in English as issued. The holder name, address, contact details and dates are lightly blurred; the test results and the method remain readable. The PDF goes out by email with the quotation.
Test evidence
What the SGS report measured on our 21 mm panel
Values for the one submitted specimen, with method and limit. The declared values for a product on an order are on its technical sheet.
| Property | Method | Result | Limit or class |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formaldehyde emission | EN 717-1 chamber | Not detected at the 0.04 mg/m³ reporting limit | E1: 0.124 mg/m³, pass |
| Bonding quality | EN 314-1 / EN 314-2: 24 h water soak, boil-dry-boil, 72 h boiling | Pass in all three pretreatments | Class 3 |
| Density | BS EN 323 | 642 kg/m³ | Declared per product |
Bond class and formaldehyde class are separate properties: the first describes the glue line after pretreatment, the second what the panel gives off in air.
Not detected does not mean zero and is not an E0 claim.
The rules
How the E1 limit, the REACH limit and the US limit differ
Checked 12 November 2026 against Regulation (EU) 2023/1464, the EPA page and 40 CFR 770.10.
| Rule | Limit | Method and conditions |
|---|---|---|
| E1 class (our report) | 0.124 mg/m³ | EN 717-1 chamber |
| REACH Annex XVII entry 77, wood-based articles | 0.062 mg/m³ from 6 August 2026; other articles 0.080 mg/m³ | Appendix 14: 23 ± 0.5 °C, 45 ± 3 % relative humidity, loading 1 ± 0.02 m²/m³, air exchange 1 ± 0.05 per hour, steady state, test length at most 28 days |
| Vehicle interiors, REACH entry 77 | 0.062 mg/m³ from 6 August 2027 | Measured in the vehicle under ISO 12219 |
| US TSCA Title VI and CARB Phase 2, hardwood plywood with veneer or composite core | 0.05 ppm formaldehyde | ASTM E1333 basis |
Entry 77 does not apply to articles exclusively for outdoor use under foreseeable conditions; formwork used only outdoors is one such case, a panel sold for indoor use is not.
An ASTM ppm result is never converted to mg/m³.
Other markets
What each market asks for, and what we supply
Formaldehyde is judged differently in each market, so one panel carries more than one paper.
| Market | What the buyer needs | What we supply |
|---|---|---|
| European Union | Chamber result against 0.062 mg/m³ for indoor wood-based articles | The SGS EN 717-1 result, or a test to the Appendix 14 conditions |
| Europe, E1 buyers | E1 class by EN 717-1 | The SGS report: E1 pass on a 21 mm specimen |
| United States and California | Third-party certified hardwood plywood at 0.05 ppm | CARB P2 and TSCA Title VI documentation for the panels in its scope |
| Asian and other markets | An E0 or E1 statement | The E1 result; no E0 claim |
| Any market | A test to your own method | A new SGS test on request |
If a market asks for E0, we answer with the measured result and the method, not with a label.
Scope
Which of our panels the 21 mm result speaks for
One specimen is one specimen. It shows what an Acacia-core phenolic film-faced panel gives off; the other builds are tested when the order needs the figure.
| Panel | Core and glue | Evidence we hold |
|---|---|---|
| 21 mm film-faced, dark brown | Acacia, phenolic | SGS chamber report: E1 pass |
| Other thicknesses of the same build | Acacia, phenolic | A test per thickness or build on request |
| Eucalyptus-core film-faced | Eucalyptus, MUF or phenolic | A new SGS test on request |
| Anti-slip plywood | Acacia or Eucalyptus | A new SGS test on request |
Glue system matters most for emission: a MUF line and a phenolic line are tested separately.
The glue line
Where formaldehyde in a plywood panel comes from
Formaldehyde in plywood comes from the glue lines between the veneers and, to a small degree, from the wood itself. A film-faced panel has crosswise Acacia or Eucalyptus veneers, a phenolic film pressed on both faces and paint on all four edges, so the glue lines are covered on all sides.
We press with melamine (MUF) or phenolic glue. The specimen SGS tested was phenolic. Whichever glue you order, the technical sheet states it, and a test report is tied to that build.
Documents
Which emission documents you receive, and when
The emission papers arrive before the order is confirmed.
With the quotation
The SGS report on the 21 mm specimen and the technical sheet of your panel.
Before the order is confirmed
A statement of which test applies to your build and thickness.
On request
A new SGS test to the REACH Appendix 14 conditions or to your own method.
For a US order
The CARB P2 and TSCA Title VI certificate copy.
With the shipment
Packing list and invoice that name the panel.
Kept by you
The report for your technical file.
Check it yourself
How to read an emission report before you accept it
Read a formaldehyde report the way a laboratory would.
Find the method
EN 717-1 chamber, ASTM E1333 or another: results from different methods are not comparable.
Check the unit
mg/m³, ppm and mg/100 g are different scales and are never converted.
Read the limit
Check the reporting limit and the class limit the result is compared with.
Match the specimen
The report covers the panel submitted: check thickness, core, glue and face.
Look for the word not detected
It means below the reporting limit, not zero.
Match the build
A report describes the panel tested; for a new build ask for a new test.
Red flags
Five formaldehyde claims to question
Most disputes come from a label that outruns its test.
E1 sold as E0
E1 is a class with a limit of 0.124 mg/m³.
A ppm figure shown as mg/m³
The two come from different methods and cannot be converted.
Another build's report
A report on a different thickness or glue does not describe your panel.
A claim without the lab
Ask for the laboratory name and the method on the report.
Checklist
Checklist before ordering low-emission plywood
Send these points and we quote the test that matches your market.
Market
EU, US, Asia or another; indoor or outdoor use.
Limit needed
E1, the REACH limit, 0.05 ppm or your own.
Method
EN 717-1, Appendix 14, ASTM E1333 or your own.
Panel
Thickness, core, glue and face.
Report
Existing SGS report or a new test.
Quantity and port
Containers per order and port of discharge; the minimum is one 40HC, production takes 15–45 days after the 30% deposit, and prices are FOB Hai Phong, CFR or CIF.
The file
The limits the chamber result is read against
The E1 class, the REACH limit and the US limit use different methods and units, so they sit side by side and are never converted. The other papers of a plywood file sit beside the SGS report, on the pages linked here.
Buyer questions
Questions about E0, E1 and formaldehyde in plywood
Is your film-faced plywood E0?
No. It is E1: the SGS chamber test on a 21 mm specimen passed the E1 limit of 0.124 mg/m³. We make no E0 claim.
What does not detected mean on the SGS report?
Formaldehyde was below the laboratory's reporting limit of 0.04 mg/m³. It does not mean zero.
Which E1 limit did the 21 mm specimen pass?
0.124 mg/m³ in the EN 717-1 chamber.
Does the REACH 0.062 mg/m³ limit apply to formwork used only outdoors?
No. Entry 77 does not apply to articles exclusively for outdoor use under foreseeable conditions; a panel sold for indoor use is covered.
Do you hold CARB P2 and TSCA Title VI documentation?
Yes, for applicable products and orders; the certificate copy lists hardwood plywood with veneer core, 2–21 mm. See the CARB and TSCA page.
Can ppm results be converted to mg/m³?
No. The US ppm figure and the EU mg/m³ figure come from different test methods and are not converted.
What is the difference between E1 and the REACH limit?
E1 is a class with a limit of 0.124 mg/m³ by EN 717-1. REACH entry 77 sets 0.062 mg/m³ for wood-based articles from 6 August 2026 under Appendix 14 conditions.
Is the 21 mm result valid for other thicknesses?
It describes the specimen tested. For another thickness or build we arrange a new SGS test when the order needs the figure.
What else did the SGS report measure?
Density of 642 kg/m³ by BS EN 323 and a Class 3 bonding pass after the soak, boil-dry-boil and 72 h boiling pretreatments.
Can SGS test to my method?
Yes. A third-party test to your method is arranged through SGS on request.
Does phenolic glue emit less formaldehyde than MUF?
The glue system is the main variable, so each build is tested on its own; we do not extend one result to another glue.
Request the test report
Get the SGS report with your quotation
Send the market, limit, panel and quantity. We reply within hours with the SGS report, the technical sheet and an FOB Hai Phong, CFR or CIF price.
Request the test report
Lisa, export sales, sends the SGS report and a test plan for your market: [email protected]