ECC Certification is granted on an individual manufacturing plant basis, and requires an on-site qualification audit and subsequent annual audits.  Composite panel products must first comply with the stringent California Air Resources Board (CARB) formaldehyde emissions regulation. In addition, the panel manufacturing facility must meet at least 3 of the following requirements:

Carbon Footprint – The plant must demonstrate that the panel’s carbon store offsets its carbon footprint cradle-to-gate as determined in kg-CO₂ equivalents of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Each plant must use the “CPA Carbon Calculator” to determine if panels perform as a carbon sink resulting in overall net carbon storage. 

Local and Renewable Resource – At least 85% of wood fiber sourced within 250 miles of the panel plant. 

Recycled/Recovered – At least 75% recycled or recovered wood fiber; or at least 50% recycled/recovered wood fiber PLUS a minimum of 5% post-consumer wood fiber. 

Sustainability – At least 97% wood fiber furnish is converted to panels or re-utilized as a valued product.  Non-valued products include wood residuals shipped to a landfill, material hauled away for a tipping fee as waste material, and boiler ash waste. 

Wood Sourcing – Conformity with FSC Controlled Wood Standard (2008), FSC Chain of Custody Standard (2008) or SFI Fiber Sourcing Requirements (2011).

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Current Program Participants: Resources

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Program Requirements

• Upon receipt of a completed application and license agreement, CPA shall conduct one or more audits of the Licensee's plant. CPA on-site plant audits are conducted by experienced staff professionals, under the umbrella of CPA’s internationally recognized Grademark Certification Programs. Laboratory testing, where applicable, is conducted at CPA’s International Testing and Certification Center (ITCC) in Leesburg, VA. The ITCC is accredited by the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) and International Accreditation Service (IAS).
   
• Each plant must have a written ECC quality control manual.
   
• Each plant shall have a fully qualified person primarily responsible for the Program who ultimately reports to and is different from the Plant Manager.
   
• CPA will conduct periodic on-site audits of the plant and production line where the qualified product type is or has been produced.

 

For More Information

Please contact Chris Surak, Director of Certification Services, (703) 724-1128.

To Apply

Please complete these forms:

ECC Application

ECC License Agreement

and send them to Tom Julia, President, CPA.

Mail: 19465 Deerfield Avenue, Suite 306, Leesburg, Virginia 20176

Fax: (703) 724-1588

Email: tjulia@cpamail.org