BIFMA labels
BIFMA issued a standard for low VOC emission rating of system furniture and seating, ANSI/BIFMA M7.1/X7.1, and a standard on sustainability of furniture BIFMA e3. Low VOC emissions is just one out of many criteria in the sustainability standard.
BIFMA e3 sustainability standard is used for third-party sustainability certification called "level®". Products can be awarded a level 1, level 2 or level 3 compliance mark based on the combined score achieved in their sustainability evaluation. level 3 is the highest award a product can achieve. A list of certified products is available.
ANSI/BIFMA M7.1/X7.1 requires testing of VOC and aldehydes emissions after 3 and after 7 days in a test chamber, from which the 14 days emission level is extrapolated by calculation. LEED for system furniture and seating defined limit values for four parameters that can be tested by use of ANSI/BIFMA M7.1/X7.1 testing and certification.
2011 version now has been approved. You can see the approved drafts here:
Eurofins Product Testing A/S is one of the approved testing laboratories.
BIFMA is the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturers Association. It was founded in 1973 with a mission to lead, advocate, inform and develop standards for the North American office and institutional furniture industry.
Eurofins services
Eurofins offers documentation of compliance with above specifications on emissions of VOC and aldehydes by independent testing.
Eurofins proposes to contact SCS in California for "level" certification services.
Contact to VOC Testing Laboratories
Please see here contact information of Eurofins VOC testing laboratories in Europe, USA and China:
www.eurofins.com/voc-contacts.
Order forms and testing request forms are available for free download here.