Eurofins | Newsflash - February 2018 | Textile and Consumer Goods

Europe 

Proposal to Restrict C9-C14 Perfluorocarboxylic Acids (PFCAs), their Salts and Related Substances

The Swedish Chemicals Agency (KEMI ) and the German Environment Agency (UBA) submitted to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) a proposal to restrict C9-C14 PFCAs (PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFDoDA, PFTrDA, PFTeDA), their salts and precursors.
 
These substances, due to their repellent properties (water, grease, dirt), are used in many products such as food packaging, kitchenware, textiles, detergents and cosmetics. However, their hazard profile is well known and they are very likely to cause severe and irreversible adverse effects to the environment and to human health if their releases are not minimized
 
ECHA’s public consultation on Annex XV report started on 20 December 2017 and final deadline for comments on this restriction report will be 20 June 2018.

ECHA’s Committee for Risk Assessment (RAC) and Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis (SEAC) are expected to start discussions on the proposal in March 2018.
 

Click here to go to KEMI website.
Click here to go to ECHA website (Submitted restrictions under consideration)

Europe - Consumer Goods

Position of the European Parliament about Regulation Proposals On December 2017, the position of the European Parliament regarding the following Regulation Proposals was published in the Official Journal of the European Union: European Parliament legislative resolution of 15 April 2014 on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the safety of consumer products and repealing Council Directive 87/357/EEC and Directive 2001/95/EC (COM (2013)) ) 0078 - C7-0042 / 2013 - 2013/0049 (COD))  P7_TC1-COD (2013) 0049 Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 15 April 2014 with a view to the adoption of Regulation (EU) No ... / 2014 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the safety of consumer products and repealing Directive 87/357 / EEC of Council and Directive 2001/95 / EC of the European Parliament and of the Council - 2017 / C 443/62

European Parliament legislative resolution of 16 April 2014 on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste to reduce the consumption of lightweight plastic bags with handles (COM (2013) 0761 - C7-0392 / 2013 - 2013/0371 (COD))P7_TC1-COD (2013) 0371 Position of the European Parliament adopted at first reading on 16 April 2014 with a view to the adoption of Directive 2014 / ... / EU of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste to reduce the consumption of lightweight plastic bags with handles - 2017 / C 443/90

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US - Consumer Goods

California Proposition 65 Reformulations (January, 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 to carcinogenic and toxic for reproduction chemicals by reformulating consumer products containing such chemicals.

In order to keep retailers and manufacturers up-to-date, highlights of some recent consent agreements are summarized as below:

US

California Prop 65- Amendment of Article 6 Clear and Reasonable Warnings Approved

In our October 2017 News Flash Edition, we informed about the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) publishing a proposal to amend sections of Article 6 of Title 27 of the California Code Regulations.

On 20 November 2017, the proposed amendments were finally approved by the Office of Administrative Law and will become operative on 30 August 2018

Below the main points:

Click here for more information.

Canada

Canada Proposed Regulations Prohibiting Asbestos

On January 6, 2018, Canada published a proposed Prohibition of Asbestos and Asbestos Products Regulations and proposed amendments to the Export of Substances on the Export Control List Regulations in Canada Gazette, Part I.

Asbestos has been historically used in insulating buildings, homes and fireproofing. Additionally, asbestos has also been used in cement, insulation, textiles and filters.

The Canadian proposed Regulations would prohibit the import, sale and use of asbestos, as well as the manufacture, import, sale and use of products containing asbestos, with limited exceptions.

The current Asbestos Products Regulations (SOR/2016-164) would be repealed as the proposed Regulations would be more stringent.
Comments can be received by March 22, 2018 and significant comments will be considered in the final regulations, which are intended to be published by fall of 2018.

Click here for more information.

Australia - Consumer Goods

New Standard for Swimming and Flotation Aids The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission ACCC published new mandatory standard for swimming and flotation aids (“Consumer Goods (Swimming and Flotation Aids) Safety Standard 2017”) which provides a transitional period until 20 December 2019. The mandatory standard is based on requirements of the voluntary Australian standard AS/NZS 1900:2014 Flotation aids for water familiarization and swimming tuition. During transitional period, before 20 December 2019, flotation aids may comply with either with: Consumer Goods (Swimming and Flotation Aids) Safety Standard 2017 or Consumer Product Safety Standard for Swimming Aids for Water Familiarisation and Swimming Tuition (Consumer Protection Notice No.3 of 2009) From 20 Dec 2019, Consumer Protection Notice No.3 of 2009 will be repealed and only the new standard will be in effect. Click here to get the official publication.

China - Textile

Updates in Chinese National Standards

• On Dec 29, 2017, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China and Standardization Administration of the People’s Republic of China approved 1,090 national standards (32^nd  national standards announcements in 2017). Some examples are as follows (non-exhaustive list):

 The complete list can be found here (in Chinese).

• On Dec 4, 2017, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China released announcement No. 48 of 2017, publishing the updates to various standards. Below a summary of some important updated product standards (non-exhaustive list):

The complete list can be found here (in Chinese).

For any further information contact us