Eurofins | Newsflash - July 2018 | Textile and Consumer goods

Europe - Textile

Recently published standards

Below you will find a list of standard references that have been recently published by CEN (non-exhaustive):

(*) Date of withdrawal: latest date by which national standards conflicting with an EN have to be withdrawn.

Europe - Consumer goods

Recently published standards

Below you will find a list of standard references that have been recently published by CEN (non-exhaustive):

(*) Date of withdrawal: latest date by which national standards conflicting with an EN have to be withdrawn.

France - Consumer goods

Draft Decree regarding Consumer Code

On 24^th May 2018, the Direction générale des entreprises notified to European Commission their corresponding Draft Decree amending the various decrees implementing the Consumer Code.

The aim of this draft is to harmonise and simplify the requirements of various decrees on the safety of products intended for consumers and to align the mutual recognition clauses using a common template.
 
Click here for getting the Notification Details with reference 2018/229/F in the European Commission website.

Italy - Consumer goods

National ban for microplastics On 30th May 2018, the Italian Ministry of Economic Development notified to European Commission the “Draft technical regulation banning the marketing of non-biodegradable and non-compostable cotton buds and exfoliating rinse-off cosmetic products or detergents containing microplastics”.   The aim of this regulation is to prevent marine waste, or ‘marine litter’ as it is commonly known, made of plastic or other non-biodegradable materials, which is improperly disposed of or released into drains and not intercepted by sewage treatment plants and which, therefore, accumulates in the water and marine environment.   Click here to getting the publication with reference 2018/258/I in the European Commission website.

Spain - Consumer goods

Plastic bags ban at the points of sale On 18th May 2018, the Royal Decree 293/2018 on reduction of the consumption of plastic bags and by which the Register of Producers is created was published in the BOE (Official Journal of the State).   Its aim is to adopt measures to reduce the consumption of plastic bags, in order to prevent and reduce the adverse impacts that the waste generated by these plastic bags produce in the environment and the creation of the Register of Producers of Products.

The main dates:
 

 
Click here for getting the official publication in BOE (in Spanish).

US - Consumer goods

Proposals for Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants

On 23^rd May 2018, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notified to World trade Organization their corresponding “Draft on National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Surface Coating of Wood Building Products Residual Risk and Technology Review”.
 
The aim of this draft is to propose amendments to the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) for Surface Coating of Wood building.
 
Click here for getting the Notification Details with reference G/TBT/N/USA/1369 in the European Commission website.

US - Consumer goods

California Proposition 65 Reformulations (May, 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.

Find below some recent consent agreements:

US - Consumer goods

Effective date approaching for Amended Proposition 65 Clear and Reasonable Warnings Requirements On 30th August, 2018, Amended Proposition 65 Article 6- Clear and Reasonable Warnings will be effective. Companies must review all the consumer products for which they provide warnings and determine how they will meet this new regulatory requirement on a product-by-product basis depending on whether there is one or more chemicals for which warning is required and the basis for such warning.   The OEHHA’s website provides information about the old and new warnings at Products & Places section and the required Warning symbol that can be downloaded.

New Zealand - Consumer goods

Plastic microbeads ban

From 7^th June 2018 onwards, New Zealand prohibits the production and sale of products containing microbeads. The aim is to prevent plastic microbeads entering the marine environment because they are not biodegradable.

The products under the scope of this regulation are wash-off products that contain microbeads:

• Wash-off cosmetics such as facial and body exfoliants, toothpastes and heavy-duty hand cleansers
• Abrasive cleaning products, including household, car or industrial cleaning products

Note:  medical device or medicine is not included.

Click here for getting the “Waste Minimisation (Microbeads) Regulations 2017” from Parliamentary Counsel Office website.