Composite Panel Association

Annual Meetings: CPA sponsors two annual meetings each spring and fall. These events feature speakers and educational workshops on substantive industry issues, exhibit and sponsorship opportunities to build awareness of members' products and services, and business meetings to develop policies and programs. The annual meetings offer a unique opportunity to network with CPA producer members, distributors, suppliers, end-users and other colleagues.

Education and Communications: CPA is an approved provider of continuing education courses for the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and has developed several courses to educate architects and designers about the benefits of sourcing wood-based composite panels and decorative surfaces. CPA offers fact sheets and technical bulletins covering a wide range of topics and specifications about the attributes of composite panel products. All are available on the CPA website to members at no charge. The Association publishes a weekly e-newsletter for members titled @the edge providing up-to-date industry and Association news.

Committees: CPA is a member-driven organization working in concert with its professional staff. Member companies and their employees are encouraged to actively participate on the Association's committees: Production-Technical, Marketing, Decorative Surfaces and Environmental and Public Affairs. These committees, comprised of industry peers, manage Association programs and ensure that issues important to the industry are effectively addressed.

Public Policy: One of CPA's primary objectives is to advocate for public policies that align with those of the composite panel industry, and to do so in a credible, effective way. CPA actively represents industry with the U.S. and Canada. In many cases CPA has initiated or led these advocacy efforts, while in others CPA has joined one or more coalitions.The most significant advocacy efforts are described below.Product EmissionsCPA has a longstanding reputation as the leading and most effective industry advocate on standards and regulations pertaining to emissions from composite panel products, particularly those related to formaldehyde-based adhesives.The Association sponsors all ANSI standards related to particleboard, MDF, hardboard and engineered wood siding & trim, as well as CPA's Eco-Certified CompositeTM sustainability standard and certification program, all of which address product emissions and impose stringent and verifiable requirements.The U.S. EPA Formaldehyde Emissions Regulation (TSCA Title VI), along with California Air Resources Board's (CARB) Airborne Toxic Control Measure are the two chief regulations affecting product emissions in the U.S. These have effectively become worldwide standards. Wood FiberWood fiber is the feedstock of composite panel products, and free market access to wood fiber is the chief public policy priority of the CPA.CPA has consistently pressed for governmental policies in the US and Canada that expand energy alternatives and promote the use of renewable biomass without harming existing industries that already rely on the underlying wood fiber as their primary feedstock.This feedstock, sometimes referred to as "higher value" wood fiber, makes possible millions of domestic jobs in the wood products, landscaping/nursery and other industries, as well as to the use of wood as a renewable, environmentally beneficial resource.CPA believes federal and state alternative energy policies must be balanced against both economic (jobs) and environmental considerations. Specifically, government subsidies or other incentives should not be used to distort the free market, nor to jeopardize longstanding, vital industries and domestically-made consumer products. Workplace SafetyEnsuring that there are appropriate regulations to protect the safety of employees in the workplace, as well as that of the general public, is a high priority of the CPA.For decades the Association has sponsored the collection of US and Canadian industry safety related performance data and has recognized facility-specific safety accomplishments as well as workplace innovations.CPA has also been one of the most knowledgeable and effective interveners with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on its Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) regulations as these bear on "smokestack" emissions and both workplace and community safety. Most recently, the CPA has intervened on the Boiler MACT to modify EPA's initial mischaracterization of resinated fiber burned for fuel in industry facilities.The Association also participates in forums and regulatory processes related to wood dust, occupational exposure limits in the workplace, and other issues that relate to employee and public safety.