FEBRUARY 10, 2016
In March 2015, Chairman Elliot Kaye announced that CPSC was opening an investigation into the safety of formaldehyde in Lumber Liquidators laminate flooring manufactured in China. CPSC staff purchased samples of the flooring and hired certified laboratories to conduct chamber tests that most closely replicate in-home exposure scenarios. Those test results were shared with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Environmental Health/Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (NCEH/ATSDR) for further analysis. NCEH/ATSDR is expert at using the best science, taking responsive public health actions, and providing trusted health information. We thank the scientists and leadership at NCEH/ATSDR for their outstanding work, and we encourage consumers who purchased this flooring to read ATSDR’s report. CPSC has made significant progress with our investigation, and the scientific analysis provided to us by NCEH/ATSDR will help advance our work even further. Lumber Liquidators has cooperated with the CPSC since the beginning of our investigation and discussions with the company are ongoing. Our goal is to provide more specific answers and more specific guidance for consumers who purchased laminate flooring made in China from Lumber Liquidators—and to do so as soon as possible.