Eurofins | Newsflash - December 2018 | Consumer products

Europe

New dates for EU Ecolabel criteria

The European Commission has recently published several decisions about the EU Ecolabel criteria. See following summary table:

Germany

New German packaging Act On January 2019 the new German Packaging Act (VerpackG) will enter into force with the aim to improve the current law. This new law is focusing on recycling and in the prevention of packaging waste. This legislation applies to all manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers that place products in the German market and they shall register in the Central Packaging Registry at www.verpackungsregister.org.

Europe / International

Standards Updates

Below a summary table with some recent standards updates and upcoming dates of withdrawal (non-exhaustive):

(*) Date of withdrawal: latest date by which national standards conflicting with an EN (and HD for CENELEC) have to be withdrawn.

US

CPSC Publishes Revisions to Safety Standard for Infant Bath Tubs On 23 October, 2018, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published a direct final rule in Federal Register to incorporate by reference a more recent version of ASTM F2670-18, Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Infant Bath Tubs. This revised rule requires each infant bath tub to comply with all applicable provisions of ASTM F2670-18 approved on March 1, 2018, including following major changes: Adding bath tub accessories to the scope of the standard Adding six new definitions to address the addition of infant bath tub accessories and other changes Adding new performance tests for accessories used with infant bath tubs Making corresponding changes to product labelling and instructions The final rule will come into force on January 15, 2019, unless the Commission receives significant adverse comment by November 23, 2018. Clicks here for more information.

US

California Proposition 65 Reformulations (December, 2018)

California Proposition 65 is the ‘Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986’, which has been effective for almost 30 years. Due to the implement of California Proposition 65, more and more court cases are settled to reduce the exposure of carcinogenic and reproductive chemicals by reformulating the consumer products containing such chemicals.

In order to keep retailers and manufacturers up-to-date, the highlights of the consent agreement are summarized as below:
 

US

EPA Proposes Technical Amendments for Composite Wood Emission Standards On 1st November 2018, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published a proposed rule in the Federal Register to amend several technical requirements in the final formaldehyde rule for composite wood products. Comparing to the final composite wood emission standards published on December 12, 2016, the proposed rule would align more with the CARB's ATCM Phase II program. Comments were due by December 3, 2018. For more information click here.

US

CPSC Recalls Products for Violation of Poison Prevention Packaging Act

Recently, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued two recalls for failure to meet child resistant closure requirement under Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA).

The PPPA, enacted in 1970, requires packaging of household substances to be designed or constructed to be significantly difficult for children under five years of age to open within a reasonable time, and not difficult for normal adults to use properly.

The increased recalls for such cases indicate that the Commission is strengthening the enforcement of PPPA requirements and stakeholders shall pay more attention to this trend and make sure the packaging of their products meet PPPA requirements (if under the scope).

US

Nickel (Soluble Compounds) Effectively Added to the California Proposition 65 List

On 26^th October 2018, Nickel (soluble compounds) was effectively added to the list of chemicals known to the state to cause reproductive toxicity under California Proposition 65.

Based on the consideration of the Developmental and Reproductive Toxicant Identification Committee (DARTIC) in a public meeting on October 11, 2018, the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) added this chemical to the list, summary can be found below:
 

 
Soluble Nickel's addition to the Prop 65 list was effective October 26, and the warning requirement for this listing will become effective in one year.