Furniture producer KVIST improves their chemicals related environmental performance

The Latvian furniture producer company KVIST Ltd. participates in the LIFE Fit for REACH-2 project as a project partner with the aim to improve their environmental performance regarding chemicals and switch to safer chemical alternatives in their production. KVIST Ltd. produces high quality wood furniture products, mainly chairs. The main input material they use is wood - solid wood and curved glued parts.

What the company has already done:

• Solvent-based paints and lacquers have been fully replaced with water-based alternatives, significantly reducing VOC emissions and improving workplace safety. Testing of water-based stains is ongoing, with the objective to transition to fully water-based surface treatment systems across all products.
• Alternative non-formaldehyde adhesive systems have been evaluated; however, no technically and economically suitable substitutes have yet been identified. Considering upcoming stricter REACH requirements on formaldehyde emissions from furniture, the replacement of urea-formaldehyde resin remains a priority, and several potential alternatives have already been identified, with preparations for testing currently underway.
• The company has installed wastewater separation equipment, enabling separation of chemical residues from process water. This has significantly reduced hazardous waste volumes and allows separated water to be reused in production processes, for example for washing glue application rollers.
• Indoor air quality and process-related odour emissions have been assessed. In cooperation with LIFE Fit for REACH-2 chemical experts, KVIST Ltd. is implementing preventive measures to reduce risks to employees and the environment.
• Work is ongoing to improve the chemical inventory and material compliance verification, including collecting detailed substance-level information from suppliers to strengthen confidence in the safety and regulatory compliance of incoming materials.
• The substitution of melamine-containing upholstery materials remains challenging, as currently available alternatives do not fully meet technical or economic requirements. Supplier communication and evaluation of alternatives continue. 
  Next steps

KVIST Ltd. plans to further strengthen its chemical management system through the following actions:

• Continuing to conduct comprehensive chemical risk assessments covering employee exposure, production processes, product compliance, and environmental impact  
• Further implement preventive chemical risk management measures based on assessment results  
• Continue improving chemical inventory transparency and supplier communication  
  Reduce hazardous waste volumes and overall production waste through process optimisation and substitution activities  
• Continue identifying and testing safer alternative substances, particularly regarding formaldehyde-related materials and upholstery flame-retardant systems