News & Events:
10/03/11
Forest Service Report Documents Environmental Benefits of Wood as a Green Building Material
The findings of a new U.S. Forest Service study indicate that wood should factor as a primary building material in green building, Agriculture Secreta...
Pellets that are tested through the PFI Standards Program and inspected by NELMA, as an accredited agency under ALSC overview, are assured to be qualified to a specified grade and can be properly matched to the appliances that are permitted to burn them.
A Sample NELMA Quality Mark: 
Densified Fuel (Wood Pellet) Inspection Program
The Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association (NELMA) is pleased to be one of the first agencies to obtain accreditation from the American Lumber Standard Committee (ALSC) to provide inspection services to Densified Fuel (wood pellet manufacturers, effective January 2012. ALSC is the organization contracted by the Pellet Fuel Institute (PFI) to provide 3rd party inspection oversight of the industry. Together, ALSC and PFI have combined their expertise to develop a Standard Specification for Densified Fuel, a Quality Assurance/Quality Control Handbook, and Enforcement Regulations for Densified Fuel. This joint process establishes a Standards program that fully addresses the needs of consumer, pellet fuel and appliance fuel manufacturers, and the EPA. Participating in this 3rd party process enables compaines to produce, label, and market wood pellets that meet the PFI Standard Specification.NELMA is a well-established and respected agency with more than 75 years of
ELMA is set to perform all necessary verification and quality inspections at wood pellet manufacturing facilities. Coupled with the Association's signature customer service, NELMA offers a true partnership with the manufacturer to meet product standard compliance and qualification procedures. Wood pellet manufacturers located in the Northeastern, Mid-Atlantic, Upper Midwest, and Great Lakes regions are invited to take a closer look at what NELMA has to offer! Contact us by phone (207-829-6901) or email (info@nelma.org) with your questions and to obtain information on our fee structure.
To learn more about NELMA's Densified Fuel Inspection Program, please refer to the Information Table for complete details. This includes the PFI Standard and ALSC Regulations, NELMA's Process & Procedures Manual, and the NELMA Application for Services.
The Wood Pellet Standard Development Process
In 2005, The Pellet Fuel Institute (PFI) began the process of redeveloping its pellet standards in advance of the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) update to its New Source Performance Standards (NSPS) for Residential Wood Heaters. Wood fuel combustion can be an important contributor to fine particulate matter in colder climate states, and science has established contributory associations between fine particles and the aggravation of respiratory conditions such as asthma, cardiac conditions such as heart disease, and premature mortality. This update to the 1988 version will reflect significant advancements in wood heater technologies and design, broaden the range of residential wood heating appliances covered by the regulation, and improve and streamline implementation procedures. The EPA has encouraged pellet producers and appliance manufacturers to develop pellet grades based upon characteristics such as durability, ash content, and limits on the use of construction debris and chemicals. While EPA is mandating the regulation of pellet fuel through its NSPS, it has voiced strong support of the revised PFI Standards Program for inclusion in the NSPS, which requires not just 3rd party analyses but also 3rd party inspections, approval of Quality Control plans, sampling, auditing, corrective actions, verification of conformity, and reporting of results.More About NELMA
NELMA was created in 1933 as a non-profit trade organization to oversee a
number of federal standards developed to stimulate economic recovery of the forest products industry located in the Northeastern states. The establishment of lumber grading standards in conjunction with an education, and inspection program for the industry has been a primary function of the Association for decades. (Read more of NELMA's history here)
number of federal standards developed to stimulate economic recovery of the forest products industry located in the Northeastern states. The establishment of lumber grading standards in conjunction with an education, and inspection program for the industry has been a primary function of the Association for decades. (Read more of NELMA's history here)NELMA’s Densified Fuel Inspection Program is the most recent addition to the organization’s inspection programs. In addition to the new Densified Fuel program, the Association is accredited by ALSC as a lumber rules writing agency and as an agency to provide inspection services for lumber, timbers, and export wood packaging materials. NELMA has certified facilities located throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Great Lakes, and Midwest regions of the U.S.