Neil Kelly Cabinets Meets 2009 California Air Quality Regulations Now With “No-Added Urea Formaldehyde” Panels, Binders, Glues.

Portland, OR – California designers, cabinet makers and builders are facing a new challenge, following unanimous ruling by Californiaʼs Air Resources Board (CARB) to significantly reduce formaldehyde levels in panelized building products.

Neil Kelly Cabinets, a long-time Oregon manufacturer of environmentally friendly cabinets meets the new CARB regulations today, due to its no-added urea formaldehyde cabinet components.

On April 26, CARB approved the worldʼs most sweeping restriction on emissions of formaldehyde, a cancer-causing chemical found in kitchen cabinets, shelving, countertops and ready-to-assemble furniture. The regulation would phase in over three years, beginning in 2009. The regulations would cut by nearly 60 percent the amount of formaldehyde emissions that seep into the air from the resin or glue most commonly used to bond plywood, particleboard and medium-density fiberboard. The new standard applies to all products sold, used or manufactured for sale in California, both domestic and imported.

Neil Kelly Cabinets has been manufacturing cabinets in Portland, Oregon since 1966 and in 1998 introduced their Naturals Collection, featuring no added formaldehyde agri-board panels, binders and glues, FSC certified wood veneers, and low VOC finishes, according to Rick Fields, company president.

“Our cabinet collection is now fully compliant with these new regulations,” Fields noted. “Our California dealers are ahead of the curve by offering healthy, high quality cabinets in a range of styles, that meet these CARB regulations right now.”

Neil Kelly cabinets have found their way into hundreds of high end remodeling and new building projects in the past ten years, primarily in the western states, including California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico and Montana.

The companyʼs cabinets possess positive environmental qualities through the use of formaldehyde-free PureBondTM panel products, manufactured by Portland-based Columbia Forest Products.

The proprietary soy flour-based binders in both panels…and in Neil Kelly cabinets…resulted from research by Oregon State University, where scientists, through biomimicry, developed natural binders based on their experience with shellfish.

“The real winners are California homeowners and trade partners who now have a healthier alternative in fine cabinetry that offers higher indoor air quality and lower health risks by immediately meeting these new CARB regulations.”