Limits of DimethylFumarate (DMF) is Fixed Now!

Commission Decision has already published the requirements of Dimethyl Fumarate.

2009/251/EC
Commission Decision of 17 March 2009 requiring Member States to ensure that products containing the biocide Dimethylfumarate are not placed or made available on the market, and it is applied for all products with 0.1mg/kg or less of DMF.

You can refer to my previous posts about DMF.
Ban of Dimethyl Fumarate (DMF)!
DMF - Dimethy formamide OR Dimethy fumarate?
EU Concerns on DMF!

Ban of Dimethyl Fumarate (DMF)!

In 2008, a number of consumers in some countries such as France, Finland, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom were exposed to products containing DMF and experienced health problems such as skin itching, irritation, redness, burns and acute respiratory difficulties. An EU wide ban on the use of DMF in all consumer goods is designed to eliminate the chronic health risks and in particular the allergic reactions suffered by some consumers when they are exposed to this substance.

Existing Rules

DMF is already banned for use in the manufacture of goods in the EU, since biocidal products containing DMF are not authorised under the Biocides Directive (98/8/EC). However, manufacturers outside the EU may use these unauthorised biocides and then export their products to the EU.

The Actions

In December 2008, France adopted a decree banning the importation and placing on the market of seating and footwear containing DMF for 1 year. The French Decree also requires the recall of all seating and footwear which visibly contains, or the packaging of which visibly contains, DMF. In January2009, Belgium issued a Decree to ban all articles containing DMF on the market. Spain is considering introducing a measure.

EU

Scope: Consumer Product

Regulation: To be finalized

Belgium

Scope: Articles and Products

Regulation: Minister for Public health and the Minister for Consumer Protection, Ministerial Decree concerning the prohibition of placing articles and products containing DMF on the market

(Belgian Official Journal, 12 January2009)

France

Scope: Seating and Footwear (for 1 year)

Regulation: Ministry for the Economy, Industry and Employment, Decree of 4 December 2008
suspending the placing on the market of seats and footwear containing DMF from the Market
(French Official Journal, Text 17 of 108 , 10 December 2008)

You can refer to my previous posts about DMF.

DMF - Dimethy formamide OR Dimethy fumarate?

EU Concerns on DMF!

Reference:

http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/09/190&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en

PFOS in Textile

PFOS (Perfluoroctane sulfonates) is the substances for surface treatment applications for giving the surface material with repellent properties against water, oil and soil and softer handfeeling. In textile industry, the application likes rainwear, upholstery fabric, curtain material, workwear, bed sheeting...etc.

As PFOS has the properties with water resistance, machanical load, intense heat and stable on the laundering and drycleaning processes. So, PFOS is widely applied in coated fabric in textile market nowadays.

When PFOS applied as a finishing treatment to textile materials, the perfluorocarbon chain tends to be orientated away from the surface, lowering the surface energy of the material, thereby forming a flexible replelling barrier and preventing anything from interacting with the fiber surface.

PFOS are regarded as inert chemicals and biologically inactive. But, PFOS were classified by Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks (SCHER) as very presistent, bio-accumulative and toxic (PBT) chemical compounds. Therefore, new EU Directive 2006/122/EC was issued.

EU Directive 2006/122/EC

Perfluoroctane sulfonates

C8F17SO2X (where X = OH, metal salt, halide amide and other derivatives including polymers)

(1) May not be placed on the market or used as a substance or constituent of preparations in a concentration equal to or higher than 0.005% by mass;

(2) May not be placed on the market in semi-finished products or articles, or parts thereof, if the concentration of PFOS is equal to or higher than 0.1% by mass;

Or, for textiles or other coated materials. If the amount of PFOS is equal to or higher than 1ug/m2 of the coated material.

Remarks
* PFOA is also a related substance of PFOS, which chemical at the heart of this Class Action lawsuit is Ammonium Perfluorooctanoate, commonly referred to as C8, C-8, or APFO.

1-Year Stay of Enforcement for the CPSIA

One Year Stay of Testing and Certification Requirements for Certain Products

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is already voted to issue a one year stay of enforcement for certain Testing and Certification requirements for manufacturers and importers of regulated products, including products intended for children 12 years old and younger. These requirements are part of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), which added certification and testing requirements for all products subject to CPSC standards or bans.

It means that the commission will not enforce the testing and certification portion of the Act. Manufacturers and importers of children products will not need to test or certify to these new requirements, but will need to meet the lead and phthalates limits, mandatory toy standards and other requirements.

The stay does not apply to:
1. Four requirements for third-party testing and certification of certain children products subject to:
- The ban on lead in paint and other surface coatings;
- The standards for full-size and non full-size cribs and pacifiers;
- The ban on small parts; and
- The limits on lead content of metal components of children jewelry.
2. Certification requirements applicable to ATV.
3. Pre-CPSIA testing and certification requirements; and

4. Pool drain cover requirements of the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool & Spa Safety Act.

Please kindly visit for the stay by CPSC in detail:

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09115.html