NEWS

The Department of Justice fined Lumber Liquidators $33 million for falsely claiming to the public that its products were in compliance with formaldehyde emission regulations. The basis for the lawsuit was the 60 Minutes television program that reported that Chinese flooring bought by Lumber Liquidators did not meet the emission limits set by the California Air Resources Board (CARB).

Resources:

Decorative Hardwoods Association® (formerly HPVA) eNews Volume XII, Issue V: U.S. Imports Of Vietnamese Hardwood Plywood Surge As Their Prices Plummet | Kitchen Cabinet Alliance Files Suit Against China | Contrary To Government Claims, Myanmar Teak Is Illegal | Register Now For The Decorative Hardwoods Association 98th Annual Meeting
Read More

The American Kitchen Cabinet Alliance, comprised of domestic cabinet manufacturers, has filed a trade case addressing China’s manipulation and unfair trade practices at the Department of Commerce and International Trade Commission. Chinese exports of kitchen cabinets into the U.S. market are up by more than 75 percent since 2015 and have injured the domestic industry.

Resources:

A new review of wood dust health studies confirms the reasons for continuing the occupational limit of five milligrams per cubic meter of inhalable dust.

Resource:

Wood Dust Occupational Limit Value (PDF)

After a two-year undercover investigation, the Environmental Investigation Agency has shown that a "Burmese teak kingpin" conspired with and bribed senior military and government officials throughout Myanmar. He created a corrupt system of fraudulent trade that ran inside and outside the Myanmar Timber Enterprise, a state-owned company that has a monopoly on the country's logging and timber trade.

Resources: