Below limit value: Successful interlaboratory test on HPL and melamine

Frankfurt, 2023-04-28. This round robin test was a complete success: Twelve manufacturers of HPL from eight European countries took part in a substance determination in which it was tested whether free melamine in HPL does not exceed a concentration of ≥ 0.1%. The very important result was that HPL is far below the limit values. This is shown in the test report, which has now been presented by the Entwicklungs- und Prüflabor Holztechnologie GmbH (Development and Testing Laboratory Wood Technology; EPH) in Dresden. This confirms: The products of the HPL manufacturers organised in the ICDLI International Committee of the Decorative Laminates Industry are safe and comply with the strict guidelines of the European regulatory authorities.

EPH was commissioned by the ICDLI International Committee of the Decorative Laminates Industry to determine the free melamine content in HPL samples. The background to this was that melamine was added to the candidate list as a substance of very high concern (SVHC) by the European Chemicals Agency ECHA a few months ago. All companies could now be certified that their standard and postforming qualities are significantly below the required limit value of 0.1 percent. This means that the HPL material system continues to fulfil all international test regulations and can be classified as safe and free of harmful substances.

"We are very pleased that the interlaboratory test makes it clear that free melamine is only present in our products in an extremely low concentration that lies partly below the detection limit," says Ralf Olsen, General Secretary ICDLI. "We see this as confirmation that HPL is physiologically safe as well as environmentally compatible." The results from the EPH test procedure were carried out under standardised conditions and certified analytical methods. Resin melamine is used in the production of HPL to impregnate paper layers and to make the boards created in the further process particularly resistant to external influences.

interzum 2023
At this year's interzum, the leading international trade fair for furniture production and interior design, the ICDLI will be presenting its HPL Gallery in Hall 5.2, G79. From 9 to 12 May, the international trade fair public will find the entire range of attractive HPL decor designs as well as a wide range of information on the performance properties of the material system. The main theme of interzum, "neo-ecology", is also in focus: the Environmental Product Declaration (EPD) for HPL and HPL-Compact impressively document at the ICDLI trade fair appearance how HPL companies fulfil their social responsibility for climate protection and resource conservation with sustainable products and process steps.

Press release as pdf document

About ICDLI
The ICDLI is the international representation of the European laminates manufacturers. The association aims at creating a strong and successful European community of the manufacturers as well as at the continuation of the success story of HPL.

Press contact
ICDLI – International Committee of the Decorative Laminates Industry aisbl
Dr. Patrick Kohlas
Phone +49 69 40 89 555 46
E-Mail patrick.kohlas@pro-kunststoff.de
Internet www.icdli.com