In 2026, the home decoration materials industry will undergo significant changes. It has recently been learned that the “Henan Province Green and Environmentally Friendly Decoration and Renovation Materials Evaluation Guidelines” (hereinafter referred to as the “Guidelines”) will be officially implemented on February 1st this year. This means that consumers will have an authoritative “green benchmark” to rely on when purchasing home decoration materials, eliminating the need to worry about distinguishing genuine from fake environmentally friendly products.
Currently, the decoration and renovation materials market is rife with problems. In the domestic home decoration materials market, there are both truly high-quality green and environmentally friendly products and many problematic products mixed in. Some merchants are passing off inferior products as superior ones, even making false and exaggerated claims such as “zero formaldehyde.”
</ … Liu Jinzhong, president of the Henan Provincial Indoor Environment Management Association and director of the Henan Provincial Consumer Association's Indoor Environmental Pollution Complaint Station, stated that many manufacturers and distributors claim their products are green and environmentally friendly, and can even provide inspection reports confirming their quality. However, the market generally lacks third-party supervision and certification, leading to substandard indoor environmental quality after renovation and seriously threatening residents' health and safety. The formulation of the "Guidelines" is of great significance. On the one hand, it can curb the spread of indoor environmental pollution and ensure the safety of the public's living environment; on the other hand, it can regulate the development of the green and environmentally friendly decorative materials market and prevent false advertising by enterprises. So, which enterprises and products can apply for certification? The "Guidelines" provide a clear scope. Any enterprise engaged in the production and sales (brand agency) of indoor decoration and renovation materials in Henan Province can voluntarily apply for certification for its related products, covering a very wide range of categories. Specifically, this includes engineered wood products (including MDF, particleboard, OSB, MDF, plywood, blockboard, wall panels, and multi-layer solid wood), wood flooring (including solid wood, multi-layer solid wood, multi-layer bamboo flooring, and engineered wood flooring), doors and windows (including solid wood doors, composite doors, and door and window frames), paints (including water-based and solvent-based), various interior coatings (including latex paint and diatomaceous earth), various interior wall putties, various adhesives for interior decoration, grout sealants, wallpaper, floor tiles (including natural marble and granite), and ceramic quartz stone products (including toilets and kitchen countertops). The guidelines also clearly define the specific review process. First, the issuing body will commission a qualified and authoritative testing institution to conduct random sampling inspections according to different standards, based on the product types applied for by the company. If the test results meet the limit values stipulated in the "Guidelines," an expert committee will review and evaluate them and provide its opinions. After passing the expert review, the issuing body will issue a green certification certificate and publish the certified company information on its official website for consumers to check at any time. It is worth mentioning that certification is not a "one-time thing." The "Guidelines" clearly state that the issuing body will establish a long-term supervision mechanism and conduct follow-up inspections from time to time. Once a sampled product is found to exceed the standard, the company's green environmental protection certification will be immediately revoked, and its use of the relevant certification mark will be terminated. Certified companies must also voluntarily accept the management of the issuing body and the supervision of consumers and the news media. At the same time, in business operations and advertising, companies can use the term "green and environmentally friendly materials," but cannot exceed the scope of certified product types. Liu Jinzhong stated that after the implementation of the "Guidelines," it will not only curb the侥幸心理 (侥幸心理 refers to a mentality of taking chances or relying on luck) of some companies and prevent them from getting away with it, but it will also help consumers make accurate purchases. The implementation of the Guidelines will enhance the social responsibility and sense of mission of businesses, improve their environmental awareness and influence, accelerate the formation of a competitive market mechanism that weeds out the inferior from the superior, and ultimately allocate resources to high-quality enterprises, promoting social progress and productivity development.
