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PANEL
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GECA
4-2007 Standard (PDF) |
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Australian Hardboards
Established in 1958 Australian Hardboards Limited is the sole Australian manufacturer of masonite hardboards. Their operations employ over 200 staff, located in Bundamba Queensland, on an area of 300 hectares with a press that produces approximately 13,000,000m2 per year of hardboard. |
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Product Marketing Name:
Australian Hardboards Use and Application: Masonite
Hardboards
Date of Certification: 29
May 2009
1.
Description of the
Technology.
Masonite Underlay: This product uses only naturally occurring wood glues (lignins) to bond fibres, eliminating the need for synthetic glues and resins. In Masonite™ Underlay, the wood fibres are rearranged and distributed at random producing a resilient hardboard panel.
Dual Bond E0: Dual Bond I 'floating underlay' system specially manufactured for the domestic and commercial flooring industries. Designed to level and protect sub-floors in differing environments, Dual Bond does not require any fasteners or additional adhesives.
Masonite Dura-Cote: Masonite™ Dura-Cote is a prefinished panel for kitchen, wardrobe and vanity backs and drawer bottoms.
2. The Products
Masonite Underlay: Masonite flooring underlay
Dual Bond E0: Hardboard dual layer underlay
Masonite Dura-Cote: Prefinished panel
Core Environmental Criteria Tested:
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Environmental Requirements |
Core Environmental Performance Characteristics |
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Fitness for Purpose |
Australian Hardboards is certified
according to ISO 9001 certified Quality Management System for
the design, manufacturing and supply of these products. These
products are manufactured to comply with the requirements for
Standard Hardboard type GP a stated in AS 2458-1982. |
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Timber and Other Natural Materials |
Australian Hardboards sources
their wood, for these nominated products, from Forestry NSW who
are certified to Australian Forestry Standard - AS 4708:2007 (AFS).
Some of the Dura-Cote product is imported from a company that
manages their own plantation forestry operations and operates
according to the fundamentals of the FSC requirements. Their
forestry management plan is available for review in the public
domain. |
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Treatment |
The hardwood sourced from Forestry
NSW is exempt from treatment as this is sourced from within
Australia. The imported component of the Dura-Cote product has
been subjected to high pressure and temperature before
importation and therefore does not require treatment as stated
in AQIS Condition C10219. |
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Glues in Plywood and Other
Engineered Wood Products |
The Dura-Cote product uses a resin
with a free formaldehyde content of less than 5%. The other two
products contain no synthetic glues but use the naturally
occurring lignin in wood to bond the fibers. |
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Emission Requirements |
These nominated products have been
tested for their formaldehyde emissions in accordance with ASTM
D5116 and achieved an E0 rating. |
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Adhesives |
Australian Hardboards uses a
pressure sensitive adhesive with the Dual Bond product. GECS has
reviewed the contents of this glue determining it is compliant
with the requirements of this criterion. |
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Coatings and Treatments |
The Dura-Cote product is painted
on one side; it is used to extend the useful life of the
product. No other coatings or treatments are applied to these
nominated products. |
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Hazardous Materials |
None of the listed hazardous or
prohibited substances are present or used during the
manufacturing of these nominated Australian Hardboards products. |
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Waste Minimisation |
The waste produced from the
manufacturing of these products is processed in several
different ways in order to minimise the environmental impact of
Australian Hardboards. This waste is either sent for recycling,
used by landscapers or used to generate electricity. |
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Product Custodianship |
Australian Hardboards have a
product custodianship policy in place which states products can
be returned at end of life according to the guidelines set out
in this policy. |
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Packaging Requirements |
Australian Hardboards package
their products with or without cardboard and transport them on
wooden pallets. The wooden pallets are reused and the cardboard
is recyclable. Off-cuts and defect masonite board is also used
as packing. Product information is freely available for these
products including installation, maintenance and recycling
instructions. |
 View
Australian Hardboards EPD
3. Environmental and Social Regulatory Obligations:
GECA also found the Australian
Hardboards range to
be fully compliant with their obligations under Labour,
Anti-Discrimination, and Safety Regulations. The company
has not been the subject of prosecution in relation to
compliance with labour, anti- discrimination, safety
regulations and environmental regulations in the past 24
months.
Additional Information
Good Environmental Choice Australia
recommends these products to green purchasing officers,
specifiers, and every day Australians seeking to
purchase products and services on the basis of
functional and overall environmental and human health
performance.
For more information contact Australian
Hardboards directly:
Australian Hardboards
Postal Address: PO Box 139 Ipswich, Qld 4305
Address: 51 Ashburn Road Bundamba QLD 4305
Ph: (+61) 1300 366 681
Fax: (+61) 1800 666 081
Web: www.australianhardboards.com.au
E-mail: http://www.australianhardboards.com.au/html/FAQ.htm
You can go to the company's web site here:
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Masonite Underlay
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Dual Bond E0
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Masonite Dura-Cote
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