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Eurofins >> Consumer Product Testing >> Media Centre >> News >> Eurofins | August 2019 regulatory Newsflash compilation | Consumer Products

Eurofins | August 2019 regulatory Newsflash compilation | Consumer Products

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Eurofins newsflash Consumer Products

 

Europe

 

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(*) Date of withdrawal: latest date by which national standards conflicting with an EN (and HD for CENELEC) have to be withdrawn.

 

Reference

Title

Date of Withdrawal (*)

Supersedes

EN ISO 1518-1:2019

Paints and varnishes - Determination of scratch resistance - Part 1: Constant-loading method (ISO 1518-1:2019)

2020-01-31

EN ISO 1518-1:2011

EN ISO 1518-2:2019

Paints and varnishes - Determination of scratch resistance - Part 2: Variable-loading method (ISO 1518-2:2019)

2020-01-31

EN ISO 1518-2:2011

EN ISO 3251:2019

Paints, varnishes and plastics - Determination of non-volatile-matter content (ISO 3251:2019)

2019-12-31

EN ISO 3251:2008

EN ISO 6504-1:2019

Paints and varnishes - Determination of hiding power - Part 1: Kubelka-Munk method for white and light-coloured paints (ISO 6504-1:2019)

2019-12-31

EN ISO 6504-1:2006

EN ISO 9202:2019

Jewellery and precious metals - Fineness of precious metal alloys (ISO 9202:2019)

2019-11-30

EN ISO 9202:2016

EN ISO 9514:2019

Paints and varnishes - Determination of the pot life of multicomponent coating systems - Preparation and conditioning of samples and guidelines for testing (ISO 9514:2019)

2019-12-31

EN ISO 9514:2005

EN ISO 10123:2019

Adhesives - Determination of shear strength of anaerobic adhesives using pin-and-collar specimens (ISO 10123:2013)

2019-12-31

EN 15337:2007

EN ISO 12625-11:2019

Tissue paper and tissue products - Part 11: Determination of wet ball burst strength (ISO 12625-11:2019)

2019-12-31

EN ISO 12625-11:2012

EN ISO 12625-1:2019

Tissue paper and tissue products - Part 1: Vocabulary (ISO 12625-1:2019)

2019-11-30

EN ISO 12625-1:2011

EN 15939:2019

Hardware for furniture - Strength and loading capacity of wall attachment devices

2019-12-31

EN 15939:2011+A1:2014

EN ISO 16581:2019

Resilient and laminate floor coverings - Determination of the effect of simulated movement of a furniture leg (ISO 16581:2014)

2019-12-31

EN 424:2001

EN ISO 18451-1:2019

Pigments, dyestuffs and extenders - Terminology - Part 1: General terms (ISO 18451-1:2019)

2019-11-30

EN ISO 18451-1:2017

EN ISO 29862:2019

Self adhesive tapes - Determination of peel adhesion properties (ISO 29862:2018)

2019-12-31

EN 1939:2003

EN ISO 29863:2019

Self adhesive tapes - Measurement of static shear adhesion (ISO 29863:2018)

2019-12-31

EN 1943:2002

EN ISO 29864:2019

Self adhesive tapes - Measurement of breaking strength and elongation at break (ISO 29864:2018)

2019-12-31

EN 14410:2003

 

US | Alaska

 

Anchorage, Alaska Approves Flame Retardant Ban

 

Anchorage Assembly unanimously passed Assembly Ordinance 2019-15(S), an ordinance that amends the Anchorage Municipal Code to add a new Chapter 15.100 and a new section which prohibits certain consumer products containing flame retardant chemicals.

 

Beginning from 1st  January 2020, no person shall manufacture, sell or distribute any upholstered or reupholstered furniture and juvenile products that contain, or a constituent component of which contain banned flame retardant chemicals exceeding 1,000 parts per million within the municipality including:

 

  • Halogenated, organophosphorus, organonitrogen, or nanoscale flame retardant chemicals
  • Penta or octa mixtures of polybrominated diphenyl ethers, the deca mixture of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), or decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE)
  • Antimony
  • Chemical listed as 'designated chemicals' under Section 105440 of the Health and Safety Code
  • Chemical covered in the Washington’s list of Chemicals of High Concern to Children

The following are not covered by this prohibition:

 

  • Used or second-hand products
  • Child restraint systems under 49 CFR 571
  • Electronic products, electronic components of upholstered or reupholstered furniture or juvenile products and any associated casing for those electronic products
  • Children's toys and clothing

 

Click here for the details.

 

US | Rhode Island

 

Rhode Island Increases Flame Retardants Levels in Upholstered Bedding and Furniture

 

On July 8, 2019, Rhode Island’s flame retardant Bill H 5119 (“An Act relating to health and safety- upholstered furniture and child products safety”) was signed into law by increasing the maximum amount of any non-polymeric organohalogen flame retardant chemical contained in residential upholstered bedding and furniture manufactured or sold in state from 100 ppm to 1,000 ppm.

 

Non-polymeric organohalogen flame retardant chemical includes any bromine or chlorine bonded to carbon chemical which is added to a plastic, foam, fabric, or textile. Following are exemptions from this rule:

 

  • Internal electric and electronic components of residential upholstered furniture.
  • Bedding or residential furniture or bedding sold for use in commercial or public spaces.

This act will come into force on 1st January 2020. The prohibition of unsafe children’s products will also apply from 1st January 2020. Products sold or in use prior to this date are not subject to this ban.

 

Click here for more information.

 

US | California

 

California Proposition 65 Reformulations (July, 2019)

 

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 some recent consent agreements are summarized as below:

 

Product

Chemical

Limit

Case No

Test clip

Lead

DEHP

100 ppb

1000 ppm

Products that exceed the limit shall utilize a warning statement

Out of court

Batting Helmet-Face Guard

BPA

0.1 ppb

Products that exceed the limit shall utilize a warning statement

Alameda County Superior Court RG19010563

 

Canada

 

Manitoba’s update repeal of the bedding regulation

 

As already announced in our Eurofins News Flash March 2019 edition, on January 2019, the Government of Manitoba approved the revocation of the Bedding and Other Upholstered or Stuffed Articles Regulation, 78/2004.

 

On 14th June 2019, the Manitoba Consumer Protection Office published a letter providing more information and clarification regarding this Regulation repeal process.

 

Proposal regulation for vaping products

 

On 21st June 2019, the Government of Canada published a Regulatory proposal for labelling and Packaging of vaping products. The main points are:

 

  • List of ingredients in the label
  • Vaping products with nicotine would be required to display a standardized nicotine concentration statement and a health warning about the addictiveness of nicotine
  • Child-resistant containers and a toxicity warning

Click here for more information.

 

Proposal of Formaldehyde Emissions from Composite Wood Products Regulations

 

On 29th June 2019, Canada published proposed Regulations for Formaldehyde Emissions from Composite Wood Products for indoor use which would align with similar requirements in the United States.

 

The proposed Regulations would establish the following maximum emission levels for formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products, the same limits as those in the U.S. regulations:

 

  • 0.05 parts per million (ppm) for hardwood plywood
  • 0.09 ppm for particleboard
  • 0.11 ppm for medium-density fibreboard
  • 0.13 ppm for thin medium-density fibreboard
  • 0.05 ppm for laminated products

Non-exempted composite wood products sold in, offered for sale in or imported into Canada, must be tested to ensure that they meet the above emission limits and are labelled as meeting the requirements.

 

This proposal would come into force six months after publication of the final Regulations in the Canada Gazette, Part II.

 

Click here for more information.

 

International

 

Regulatory updates

 

Below a summary table with some recent regulation proposals notified to World Trade Organization:

 

Notification number

Countries

Title

G/TBT/N/TPKM/381

Taiwan

Proposal for Legal Inspection Requirements for Folding Tables

 

The requirements will be applied to folding tables with height above 60 cm, which shall comply with CNS 15185: 2019. The conformity assessment procedure will be Registration of Product Certification (Module II - type test + Module III - declaration of conformity)