UL released new requirements to smoke alarm standards. These standards now include criteria that address smoke characteristics between a fast-moving and smoldering fire, and the flammability of materials in modern household products. As well, the organization celebrated the grand opening of its new, state-of-the-art Smoke Detection Test Laboratory in Northbrook, Ill., on February 8.
The new standards were released in July of 2017, and alarms meeting these standards should be available by spring of 2018, while all new smoke alarms will be required to meet the standard by 2020 to be UL-certified.