Formaldehyde Reduction by 1/1/09 in CA

I received this notice from the National Kitchen and Bath Association (NKBA) today.

Looks like a lot of building products will be healthier after that.

Manufacturers took the toxics out of cabinetry years ago because of the public's concerns, so the new law won't impact manufactured cabinets much at all...But locally made custom will definitely be impacted, and imports as well.

Peggy

California Airborne Toxic Control Measures To Reduce Formaldehyde Emissions From Composite Wood Products Effective January 2009.

Beginning January 1, 2009 any composite wood product, or finished good containing composite wood products (a.k.a. finished goods such as furniture, cabinets, etc.), intended for the California market, must meet California's clean air emission standards limiting formaldehyde emissions. The regulation addresses three types of commonly used composite wood products- hardwood plywood, particleboard and medium-density fiberboard.
In 1992, formaldehyde was identified by the California Air Resources Board as a toxic air contaminant and state law requires that the public's exposure be reduced. Sufficient evidence existed for the California Air Resources Board, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer to conclude that formaldehyde causes cancer in humans.

This regulation will be implemented in two phases requiring increasingly stringent emissions reductions. Phase 1 emission standards will be effective on January 1, 2009, and Phase 2 emission standards will be implemented between 2010 and 2012.

Responsibility for compliance is imposed through the entire commercial product-distribution chain. The manufacturers of composite wood products, third party certifiers, fabricators, distributors, importers and retailers of composite wood products and finished goods must collectively assure that the composite wood products and finished goods manufactured for sale in California are compliant in commerce. This will require that each recognizes and clearly understands the California's composite wood product regulation.

California's composite wood product regulation contains sell-through provisions which are explained in more detail on the California Air Resources Board website. More detailed information can be obtained by clicking this link .

A chart listing the sell-through dates for manufacturers, distributors, importers and fabricators may be viewed by clicking this link.

Welcome to AB&R Plumbing

Welcome to AB&R Plumbing's first ever blog page! Here, we hope to tell you about the services we offer, anything new that happens, and basically give you more information about plumbing and AB&R.

First, who we are!

AB&R Plumbing has been in business for over 20 years. We are a full service plumbing company offering all the services you would expect of a plumbing company, plus a few you probably wouldn't expect. See our list of services below.

At AB&R, our motto is:

If Water Goes Through It, We Do It!

AB&R Plumbing services all of Orange County, California and a little bit beyond. We service homes, offices, office parks, apartment complexes, condo associations, Home Owners Associations, restaurants and more. If you have a need for a service plumber, you would do well to call us first.

Some of the services we offer:

• Backflow Device Testing & Repair


• Drain Clearing


• Drain Video Inspection


• Reverse Osmosis Sales & Service


• Water Softener Sales & Service


• Commercial Kitchen Ficture Repair or Replacement


• Residential Fixture Repair or Replacement


• Water Heater Repair or Replacement


• Tankless Water Heater Installation

We provide scheduled services and repairs as well as Same Day or Emergency services.

Check out our website for more information on these services. Also, I will be posting more info here as time goes on.

If you check out our website, go to our Plumbing Services page. Click on the "Print Coupon" button and our list of discount coupons will come up. You can select any (or all) of these and print them for discounts off our plumbing work.

Okay, enough about plumbing for a minute. Let's talk about our people.

Our company President is a surfer! (He doesn't say "dude" that often.) I have heard him say he gets up at 4:00 in the morning to go surfing! He and his pastor frequently go together!

My wife and I are ballroom dancers (for fun only, we do not compete or teach). We actually met at a dance in Newport Beach. I started dancing in Massachusetts about 9 years ago and she started here in California about 10 years ago. We know some great places to go dancing and quite a few good instructors here in Orange County, CA

Nectarine & Plum Tart

These supposed to be Plum tarts but ended up was a few Nectarine Tarts as the plums I bought was over riped. So, I replaced it with a few leftover nectarines from the fridge. Luckily there was one plum still can be used.

Now, the plum tart become a protagonist.

I think any fresh fruits would be delicious with the combination of frangipane and rich shortcrust pastry. I love the color of plums, its sharpness of color had pampered my appetite.

For the rich shortcrust pastry:

2 eggs yolks

2 tbsp cold water

220g plain flour

110g unsalted cold butter, diced

pinch of salt

For the frangipane:

143g ground almond

25g plain flour

1 tsp vanilla extract

125g butter

125g sugar

1 1/2 large egg

Method:

1. For the pastry, add 2-3 tbsp cold water to the egg yolks and stir with a fork.
2. Place the flour into the bowl of a food processor, followed by the cold butter, sugar powder and the salt.
3. Turn the processor on and pulse several times until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
4. Add two-thirds of the egg yolk/water mixture and pulse again. If the mixture is still too dry, add the remaining egg and water mixture (you may not need to use all of it). Be careful not to overwork the pastry. Stop pulsing when the mixture has the consistency of chunky breadcrumbs.
5. Turn the pastry out onto a clean, floured work surface and, with floured hands, bring together to make a smooth dough, but don't knead.
6. Shape into a flattened ball, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for about 10-15 minutes. You can keep the pastry at this stage for 2-3 days if not using it immediately.
7. Remove the pastry from the fridge. On a clean, floured work surface, roll it out with a floured rolling pin until it's slightly larger than the flan ring. Using the rolling pin, lift the pastry and lay it over the flan ring.
8. With your fingers, lightly press the pastry into the sides of the ring. Run a rolling pin over the top of the ring and pull away the excess pastry at the edges. Using your fingers, gently press the pastry up to slightly build up the height of the pastry at the edges. Prick the base of the pastry with a fork.
9. For the frangipane, blitz the butter, sugar and vanilla extract in a food processor until light and creamy.
10. Add in the ground almond, plain flour and beaten eggs and whiz until completely mixed and smooth.
11. Place in the fridge to firm up for at least half an hour.
12. Chopped some over riped plums and cook gently unil softened, with jammy consistency. Let is completely cool down and ready to use.
13. Cut others plums or nectarines into slices and maceratet them for 5 minutes by sprinkling them with sugar.
14. Spoon some plum jam into the pastry case then spread the frangipane over the plum jam.
15. Arrange the plums or nectarines on the surface of the frangipane, pressing them in lightly.
16. Bake the tart in the 180'C preheated oven for about an hour. Remove tarts from th oven and leave it to cool.