Belgian VOC Regulation - Royal Decree C – 2014/24239

This decree is compulsory for flooring products, such as: floor coverings, levelling compounds for floorings, flooring adhesives, floor coatings, resin-based flooring compounds and systems, flooring tapes, which are sold on the Belgian market. The decree explicitly states it is forbidden to commercialise or make available any product not meeting the requirements.

The Belgian Decree includes requirements on VOC and CMR emissions. The limit values are applied to the total VOC and SVOC emissions, R-value and emissions of acetaldehyde, toluene and formaldehyde as well as to emission of CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic) substances of categories 1A and 1B.

The Belgian VOC Regulation is based on the European Construction Products Regulation (EU) No. 305/2011. Companies bringing construction products concerned on the Belgian market must be able to provide evidence that their products are compliant with the requirements stated in the Decree after a 28-days VOC emission testing in a ventilated chamber in accordance with EN 16516 / ISO 16000. The laboratory conducting the measurement must be accredited according to ISO 17025.

Following emission limit values apply:

The Belgian Decree is very explicit in describing the requirements of the FPC (Factory Production Control): it describes what needs to be done in order to prove product compliance.

French VOC Label (Décret n° 2011-321)

The French VOC Label is compulsory for construction and decoration products sold on the French market like floorings, wooden panels, levelling compounds for floorings and walls, wall coverings, insulation, acoustic ceiling panels, gypsum boards, adhesives, sealants, paints, floor coatings, resin-based flooring compounds and systems, tapes, technical textiles.

Products must be labelled with an official label, showing their emission class (A+, A, B or C), resulting from 28-days VOC emission testing in a ventilated chamber according to ISO 16000.

The manufacturer can self-declare the emission class based on emission testing according to ISO 16000 in combination with the European Reference Room according to EN 16516). An emission test is not necessarily required if other information allow assignment of the product to an emission class.

Classification is based on following emission limit values:

Decisive for the classification is always the worst case emission value of the listed parameters. For example, if all components of a tested product except from one showed class A+, but the one particular component has an emission value belonging to class B, the product cannot be declared higher than B.

German ABG Regulation (MVV TB Annex 8)

The German ABG regulation is compulsory for buildings using certain construction products installed indoors like floor coverings, flooring underlays, flooring adhesives, floor coatings, reactive fire protective coatings, insulation based on phenolic foam and UF foam, plastic based wall and ceiling coverings, HPL and OSB panels as well as particle boards.

The ABG regulation includes requirements on VOC emissions with limit values of the total VOC emissions after 3 and 28 days, including assessment of carcinogenic VOC and a list of single VOC with LCI value (Lowest Concentration of Interest). Certain products need to show compliance with ammonia and nitrosamine emissions as well as content of PAH (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons) and nitrosamines.

Testing requirements for product emissions are similar to the German AgBB scheme with VOC testing after 3 and 28 days, based on EN 16516 test method. Following limit values need to be fulfilled:

As deviation from the EN 16516 the ABG regulation defines a so called TVOCspez, which is the sum of all compounds with LCI values (including SVOC, but not VVOC) quantified with own response factor and VOC without LCI value including not identified compounds quantified as toluene equivalent. SVOC with LCI value will not be calculated into the TSVOC.

LCI values are defined in the German AgBB scheme from 2018, which is being updated frequently (usually on a biannually basis). LCI values are harmonised with European LCI values to a large extend.

Products with mandatory CE label that are within the scope of this regulation (like floor coverings, plastic based wall coverings, insulation based on phenolic foam and UF foam, HPL and OSB panels and particle boards) would require official verification documents (Gutachten) by a Technical Assessment Body (see above). For textile floor coverings, notified testing laboratories can be used, e.g. a Eurofins company.

Products with identical or similar recipes and constructions can be grouped into homogeneous product groups. Worst case product of each group is selected and tested. Compliance with the requirements shall be tested within a surveillance procedure on an annual basis including inspection of the production facilities, especially the Factory Production Control. We can provide both testing, inspection and creation of official verification documents (Gutachten).

Products without CE label that are within the scope of this regulation (like flooring adhesives, flooring underlays, floor coatings) need to have a technical approval issued by German DIBt. This technical approval (Ü-mark) will be valid as proof of compliance with the ABG requirements. The Ü-mark includes initial testing and a DIBt approval. Validity of the Ü-mark is five years without frequent testing or surveillance of the production facilities.

Italian CAM Regulation

The Italian CAM Edilizia was published in G.U. Serie Generale n. 259 in 2017 with an update from June 2022 and is also known as Green Public Procurement (GPP). VOC emission requirements are included in chapter 2.3.5.5.

This regulation is compulsory for products used in Italian public buildings or used in private buildings, which receive government funding. Approval of products is part of the tendering or funding procedure. In detail this regulation concerns construction, decoration and furnishing products, such as: paints and coatings, textile floor and wall coverings, laminated flooring, wooden flooring, other flooring (not ceramic tiles), adhesives and sealants, wall panels (e.g. plasterboards). There is no official label connected to the requirements, which can be used on tested construction products.

According to the CAM chapter 2.3.5.5 requirement, manufacturers must be able to provide evidence that their products are compliant with the requirements stated in the Decree after a 28-days VOC emission testing in a ventilated chamber in accordance with EN 16516 / ISO 16000. The laboratory conducting the measurement must be accredited according to ISO 17025. The CAM regulation is officially mentioning Eurofins Indoor Air Comfort® Gold as compliance path.

Following emission limit values apply:

CE labelling - Construction Product Regulation (EU) No 305/2011

For the time being the Construction Product Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 does not contain requirements on VOC emission testing, only on the release the of formaldehyde determined by EN 717-1 and classification with the formaldehyde class E1 or E2.

But the aim is to include VOC emission in the regulation, which would become part of the CE label and Declaration of Performance for construction products. The first steps have already been taken. In 2017 the horizontal test method EN 16516 was published, which defines testing scenarios and analytical methods. The EU LCI Working Group is defining LCI values (Lowest Concentration of Interest) for a list of VOCs, which will be used for assessing single compounds.

The next step, which is being currently discussed, is to establish a class system for VOCs, CMR substances, LCI compliance and formaldehyde, which can be used to classify construction products on the Declaration of Performance. Several proposals have been made, but there is no consensus yet.

The final step would be for single product standards to add VOC testing to their requirements and then manufacturers can declare the emission properties of their products as part of CE labels.

We are a Notified Body for the testing of formaldehyde emissions according to EN 717-1, which is required for certain floor coverings and suspended ceilings. We are Notified Body for the harmonised standard EN 16516.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a voluntary green building certification programme that originated in the United States and is now used worldwide. It was established in 1993 and has been continuously refined since 1998 to reflect advances in green building technology. The pilot version was LEED New Construction (NC) v1.0.

LEED is developed by the non-profit U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) and is awarded by the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), alongside other national green building organisations.

The certification process involves independent, third-party verification of a project's compliance with LEED requirements. For design teams, this comprises two stages:

• Design application – overseen by the architect and engineer, and documented in the official construction drawings.
• Construction application – overseen by the building contractor, and documented during the construction and commissioning of the building.

The current versions are LEED v4 and v5. 

LEED v4.1 is structured around the following key categories:

• Integrative Process
• Location and Transportation
• Sustainable Sites
• Water Efficiency
• Energy and Atmosphere
• Materials and Resources
• Indoor Environmental Quality

Low-Emitting Materials

Within the Indoor Environmental Quality category, LEED sets out requirements for low-emitting materials. The aim is to reduce concentrations of chemical contaminants that may compromise air quality and the wider environment, and to safeguard the health, wellbeing, and comfort of both installers and building occupants.

Emission criteria are defined by product category, including:

• Paints and coatings
• Adhesives and sealants
• Flooring
• Wall panels
• Ceilings
• Insulation
• Composite wood
• Furniture

VOC Emission Testing

Construction products, paints, and coatings must be tested for VOC emissions in accordance with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Standard Method v1.2–2017, and must comply with the target CREL VOCs and their maximum permissible concentrations. Three TVOC thresholds are defined: 0.5 mg/m³ or below; between 0.5 and 5 mg/m³; and 5 mg/m³ or above. This testing approach is accepted as valid evidence of compliance for LEED projects globally, including in the USA.

Alternative Compliance Pathway (ACP)

LEED v4.1 provides an Alternative Compliance Pathway (ACP) for projects located outside the USA. Under this pathway, products must comply with testing standard EN 16516 and the German AgBB Scheme thresholds, and must meet a formaldehyde limit of 10 µg/m³ after 28 days. Indoor Air Comfort® Gold certification is recognised as an approved Alternative Compliance Pathway.

In addition, liquid-applied products such as paints, coatings, adhesives, and sealants must meet VOC content criteria, tested and evaluated in accordance with CARB or SCAQMD rules using gravimetric test methods. For LEED projects in Europe, compliance with the European Decopaint Directive is accepted as an Alternative Compliance Pathway.

Composite Wood and Furniture

Composite wood products must comply with applicable formaldehyde emission standards, such as CARB, TSCA, or ULEF. For projects in Europe, compliance with emissions class E1, as tested in accordance with EN 717-1 or EN 16516, is accepted as an alternative.

Furniture must be tested and evaluated in accordance with ANSI/BIFMA standards.

Our Services

Eurofins Consumer Product Testing offers testing services covering all relevant LEED requirements. Products that hold Indoor Air Comfort® Gold certification automatically satisfy the VOC emission requirements under the Alternative Compliance Pathway for projects outside the USA.

BREEAM is a voluntary assessment label of the sustainability performance of individual buildings, communities and infrastructure projects originated in the United Kingdom. BREEAM is issued by BRE (Building Research Establishment).

BRE is a centre of building science in the United Kingdom, owned by a charitable organisation the BRE Trust. It is a former UK government national laboratory and provides research, advice, training, testing, certification and standards for both public and private sector organisations in the UK and abroad.

BREEAM is an international scheme that provides independent third-party certification of the assessment of the sustainability performance of individual buildings, communities and infrastructure projects. Assessment and certification can take place at a number of stages in the built environment life cycle, from design and construction through to operation and refurbishment.

Other local BREEAM organisation are established in the USA, The Netherlands. Norway, Spain, Sweden, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and China.

In case of BREEAM, third-party certification involves the checking – by impartial experts – of the assessment of a building or project by a qualified and licensed BREEAM Assessor to ensure that it meets the quality and performance standards of the scheme. At the heart of this process are certification bodies – organisations with government approval (through national accreditation bodies) to certifiy products, systems and services.

The main output from a certified BREEAM assessment is the rating. A certified rating reflects the performance achieved by a project and its stakeholders, as measured against the standard and its benchmarks. The rating enables comparability between projects and provides reassurance to customers and users, in turn underpinning the quality and value of the asset. The BREEAM ratings range from “Acceptable” (In-Use scheme only), “Pass”, “Good”, “Very Good”, “Excellent” to “Outstanding”. This rating is reflected in a series of stars on the BREEAM certificate.

BREEAM measures sustainable value in a series of categories, ranging from energy to ecology. Each of these categories addresses the most influential factors, including low impact design and carbon emissions reduction; design durability and resilience; adaption to climate change; and ecological value and biodiversity protection.

Within the Health and Wellbeing category, credits are awarded for specifying materials that minimise emissions from construction products, e.g. formaldehyde or volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These criteria involve meeting emission level performance requirements in accordance with compliant performance and testing standards. There are general level criteria and exemplary level criteria with stricter limit values, grating more BREEAM credits. This is defined in Section “Hea 02 Indoor air quality”.

Emission criteria are defined by product type like:

• Interior paints and coatings
• Wood-based products (including wood flooring)
• Flooring materials (including floor levelling compounds and resin flooring)
• Ceiling, wall, and acoustic and thermal insulation materials
• Interior adhesives and sealants (including flooring adhesives)

Additionally, interior paints and coatings shall comply with VOC content criteria.

BREEAM published a list of recognised schemes for emissions from construction products depending on product type and level criteria.

Eurofins Consumer Product Testing companies offer testing according to the requirements of BREEAM International. Products which are Indoor Air Comfort® Gold certified, automatically fulfil the VOC emission related requirements of the general level and exemplary level criteria of BREEAM for all product types.

The EMICODE® label certifies flooring installation products, adhesives, and a range of further construction products, including sealants, jointing products, and wall panels, as well as lacquers, finishes, and oils for parquet, mineral, and resilient floorings.

The label is administered by the German association GEV (Gemeinschaft Emissionskontrollierte Verlegewerkstoffe, broadly translated as the Association of Emission-Controlled Installation Products). Manufacturers using the EMICODE® label must be members of GEV and are entitled to participate in the technical advisory council, which defines the EMICODE® test method and classification criteria. Requirements cover VOC and SVOC emissions, the use of solvents and oximes, product toxicity, and the classification of constituent substances according to CMR and SVHC designations.

The manufacturer is responsible for grouping products and selecting a representative worst-case product from each group. This representative product must be tested in accordance with the GEV test method by an approved laboratory. Following 28-day VOC emission testing in a ventilated chamber, products are classified as EC2, EC1, or EC1Plus. Classification is determined by the following emission limit values:

Classification is always determined by the worst-case emission value across all listed parameters. For example, if all components of a tested product meet the EC1Plus threshold with the exception of one parameter, which falls within the EC1 range, the product as a whole will be classified as EC1.

Using the test report, the manufacturer may apply directly to GEV for the EMICODE® certificate. Membership of GEV is a prerequisite for use of the EMICODE® label. Certificates are valid for five years.

GEV operates a range of quality assurance measures for the EMICODE® label, including collaboration with an expert group of laboratories to refine the GEV test method and the organisation of round-robin tests. Annual spot checks of certified products are carried out to verify ongoing compliance with the declared EMICODE® class.

The EMICODE® label enjoys broad international recognition, particularly within certification schemes for sustainable buildings such as LEED, BREEAM, and DGNB.

The M1 label from Finland certifies low-emission products, including building and decorative materials, fixtures (such as kitchen cupboards, worktops, and doors), and furniture including tables, chairs, office chairs, shelving, and drawers.

The label is issued by the Finnish Building Information Foundation RTS (Rakennustietosäätiö RTS sr), Finland's leading information service for the building and construction sector. Its mission is to foster and promote good architectural and engineering practice within the sector. The Foundation is a private institution with representatives drawn from 54 Finnish organisations connected to the construction industry.

The M1 label includes requirements on VOC, formaldehyde, and ammonia emissions in accordance with EN 16516, and odour testing in accordance with ISO 16000-28 (acceptance criterion).

The table below sets out the individual limit values.

The first step in the M1 certification process is determining whether a single product or a product group is to be certified. Products with closely comparable physical and chemical properties and applications may be considered as a product group; however, this grouping must first be agreed with the technical working group of RTS, which takes manufacturers' suggestions into consideration. Representative worst-case products are selected for testing at an approved testing laboratory prior to submission of the application.

Once the test results have been received from the testing laboratory, manufacturers may apply for M1 classification and will subsequently receive the M1 certificate. The certificate, and with it the right to use the M1 label, is valid for three years. Provided the composition and method of manufacture have not changed, classification may be extended through a continuation application for a further three years without the need for retesting. After six years (3 + 3), the product must be retested and a renewal application submitted.

Blue Angel (Blauer Engel) is a German certification scheme for products and services with demonstrable environmental benefits. The label is awarded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety and is administered by the RAL Institute. Specifications are defined by a jury comprising representatives from environmental protection agencies, consumer organisations, industry, retailers, universities, the media, and government bodies.

Blue Angel defines criteria for more than 100 different product types, spanning a broad range of consumer products, consumables, construction products, and decorative products. A number of these product groups are required to comply with criteria relating to VOC content or emissions, including paints and varnishes, fillers, timber panels, adhesives and other flooring installation products, sealants, floor coverings, insulation materials, mattresses, and upholstered furniture.

Criteria are based on environmental and health considerations relating to the manufacturing process, product use, and the presence of substances harmful either to health or to the environment. Certain criteria include specific requirements on VOC and SVOC emissions, which vary depending on product type.

Each product-type specification carries its own unique reference number and sets out requirements specific to that product type. These include restrictions on certain chemical substances or raw materials arising from legal regulations and other provisions. In many cases, manufacturers may provide a declaration confirming that such chemicals or raw materials are not used; in others, testing by an independent laboratory is required.

Where a VOC emission test is required for a specific product type, this typically involves testing after 3 and 28 days using a test chamber in accordance with EN 16516, with evaluation following the AgBB scheme. Loading factors and limit values — for example for TVOC — vary between product types. Blue Angel accepts emission test reports only from approved laboratories.

Manufacturers may apply for the Blue Angel label directly through the RAL Institute, submitting test reports from approved laboratories together with declarations of compliance. Templates for these declarations, along with the relevant specifications and a list of approved testing laboratories, are available on the Blue Angel website.

The right to use the label is governed by a certification contract. The contract expires on a fixed date specified in the relevant product-specific Blue Angel requirements and may subsequently be renewed, unless cancelled — which is typically the case when Blue Angel specifications are revised.

The Danish Indoor Climate Label (DICL) is a labelling scheme that documents the emission of chemical compounds from building materials, furniture, and fixtures into the indoor air. DICL was established at the initiative of the Danish Minister for Housing and is operated by the Danish Technological Institute (DTI).

The Danish Indoor Climate Label includes requirements on emission testing for VOC, SVOC, carcinogenic compounds, and LCI compounds in accordance with EN 16516, and odour testing in accordance with ISO 16000-28 (acceptance criterion). The table below sets out the three classification classes for TVOC and formaldehyde.

The odour test is not necessarily conducted at 28 days; instead, measurements are taken every ten days throughout the testing period until an acceptance value of greater than 0.1 is reached. The resulting figure, expressed in days, is referred to as the Indoor Relevant Time Value. The maximum permissible Indoor Relevant Time Value varies by product type and may be up to 60 or 100 days. Particle emissions are also restricted for certain product types.

The first step in the certification process is to determine whether a single product or a product group is to be certified. Products with closely comparable physical and chemical properties and applications may be considered as a product group. Representative worst-case products are selected for testing at an approved testing laboratory prior to submission of the application.

Once test results have been received from the testing laboratory, manufacturers may apply for DICL classification and will subsequently receive their labelling licence. The labelling licence must be renewed annually, and the emission test must be renewed every five years.