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CPSC FAQs on Lumber Liquidators’ Recall to Test

JUNE 16, 2016

Why should consumers respond to this recall announcement?

  • Lumber Liquidators is providing free in-home test kits for all consumers who purchased Chinese-made laminate flooring in a Lumber Liquidators store or online between February 2012 and May 2015.  Go online or call Lumber Liquidators to order the test kit today.  Consumers who did not purchase Chinese-made laminate flooring from Lumber Liquidators are not affected by this program.
  • The test kit will screen the level of formaldehyde in your home.  If the level is elevated, Lumber Liquidators has agreed to work with homeowners to increase the air flow in affected homes or remove a small plank of wood flooring and conduct additional tests, free of charge.
  • Out of an abundance of caution, Lumber Liquidators tested the air quality in more than 17,000 households and retained third-party certified laboratories to conduct formaldehyde emissions tests for about 1,300 of those consumers’ floors.  None of those floors tested above the remediation guideline.
  • We encourage all affected consumers to participate in Lumber Liquidators’ recall to test program.
  • This announcement is not intended to cause consumers to remove Chinese-made laminate flooring installed in their home.  Instead, eligible consumers should contact Lumber Liquidators to participate in the testing program.

Should consumers remove this flooring from their homes?

  • No.  This announcement is not intended to cause consumers to pull up Chinese-made laminate flooring installed in their home.  Homeowners can create serious health effects for their entire family by pulling up the boards.  Do not start your own DIY project.  The first step is to contact Lumber Liquidators to order a free in-home test kit.
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the California Air Resources Board agree with our recommendation to not pull the boards, especially if the flooring was installed more than two years ago.
  • Rather than pulling up boards, CPSC and CDC recommend that to reduce formaldehyde already in the home:
    • Open windows for a few minutes every few days to let in fresh air – unless you have asthma triggered by outdoor air pollution or pollen or you are concerned about safety.
    • Install and use exhaust fans as much as possible.
    • Keep the temperature and humidity inside your home at the lowest comfortable setting.
    • Make your home smoke free. Tobacco smoke contains formaldehyde, so don’t allow anyone to smoke in your home.

What were CPSC’s findings about the safety of these products?

  • CPSC staff reviewed the CDC’s report and substantially concurred with its findings.  The CDC report states that installation of this type of flooring in a home with elevated levels of formaldehyde may increase the chance of having symptoms such as eye, nose, and throat irritation.  Irritation can happen in anyone, but is more likely among children, older adults, and people with respiratory issues, such as asthma or other breathing problems.
  • The CDC report also stated that high levels of formaldehyde in homes may be associated with a small increase in cancer risk.
  • In addition, the CDC noted that formaldehyde is a common compound found in many household products including laminate flooring, furniture, permanent press clothing, floor coverings and certain personal care products.  Other sources of formaldehyde in the air include cigarette smoke and emissions from wood-burning fireplaces, kerosene heaters and natural gas stoves.  The report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry can be found at:www.cdc.gov/nceh/laminateflooring/
  • Formaldehyde may emit from many sources in the home.  CPSC has developed resources on how to reduce formaldehyde in your home – see our publication “An Update On Formaldehyde” at:https://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/121919/An-Update-On-Formaldehyde-725.pdf.
  • Lumber Liquidators tested the air quality in more than 17,000 households and retained third-party certified laboratories to conduct formaldehyde emissions tests for about 1,300 of those consumers’ floors.  None of those floors tested above the remediation guideline.

Has CPSC completed its evaluation of Lumber Liquidator’s Chinese-made, laminated flooring?

  • CPSC has completed its evaluation of the safety of laminated flooring imported by Lumber Liquidators from China since 2011, which the Company has not sold since May of 2015.
  • As it does upon the resolution of all corrective actions, CPSC will continue to monitor information regarding this product and will consider new information as it becomes available.

What other steps is Lumber Liquidators taking?

  • In May of 2015, Lumber Liquidators stopped selling this inventory of laminate flooring made in China.  Lumber Liquidators has agreed that it will not resume sales of its existing inventory of laminate flooring previously imported from China without CPSC approval.
  • Future laminate flooring products sold by Lumber Liquidators will go through supplier controls to ensure that the products comply with California formaldehyde requirements and any future federal requirements for laminate flooring.
  • In conjunction with the CPSC, Lumber Liquidators has agreed to continue its voluntary testing program for purchasers of the affected laminate flooring to determine if further action is needed or recommended.
  • CPSC will continue to review and monitor Lumber Liquidators test results and flooring evaluations.

Do you believe Lumber Liquidators’ testing methodology is an accurate way to measure levels of formaldehyde in the home?

  • The badge and small chamber test methods are screening tools used to identify homes with high formaldehyde concentrations.
  • We have reached an agreement with Lumber Liquidators that they will continue the testing practice that they put in place in March 2015.

Did the CPSC test any wood currently sold in Lumber Liquidators’ stores?

  • No. CPSC’s investigation focused on laminate flooring products sourced from China, which the company has not sold in stores or online since May 2015.

Can consumers have their hardwood or engineered flooring tested under this program?

  • No.  Lumber Liquidators’ hardwood and engineered flooring are not part of this recall to test program.
  • The in-home air quality testing program is for consumers who purchased Chinese-made laminate flooring sold by Lumber Liquidators between February 2012 and May 2015.
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