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Eurofins >> Consumer Product Testing >> Media Centre >> News >> Eurofins S&L Monthly Bulletin (Apr 2021)

Eurofins Softlines & Leather Monthly Bulletin (Apr 2021)

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Eurofins newsflash Softlines and Leather

 

EUROPE

 

Standards updates

 

The below table summarises the most recent standard 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(*) Date of withdrawal: latest date by which national standards conflicting with an EN (and HD for CENELEC) have to be withdrawn.

 

CEN

Reference

Title

Date of withdrawal (*)

Supersedes

EN ISO 16181-1:2021

Footwear - Critical substances potentially present in footwear and footwear components - Part 1: Determination of phthalate with solvent extraction (ISO 16181-1:2021)

2021-10-31

CEN ISO/TS 16181:2011

EN ISO 17130:2021

Leather - Physical and mechanical tests - Determination of dimensional change (ISO 17130:2021)

2021-09-30

EN ISO 17130:2013

EN ISO 17234-1:2020

Leather - Chemical tests for the determination of certain azo colourants in dyed leathers - Part 1: Determination of certain aromatic amines derived from azo colorants (ISO 17234-1:2020)

2021-03-31

EN ISO 17234-1:2015

EN ISO 22818:2021

Textiles - Determination of short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCP) and middle-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCP) in textile products out of different matrices by use of gas chromatography negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry (GC-NCI-MS) (ISO 22818:2021)

2021-09-30

 

 

Regulatory proposals notified

 

The table below summarises recent regulatory proposals made to the European Commission (Non-exhaustive):

 

Countries

Notification number

Title

Denmark

2021/223/DK

Ordinance on specific measures relating to the supply of face masks in the handling of COVID-19.

 

 

FRANCE

 

Change the Green Dot to the “Triman” logo and Sorting Info in your packaging

 

On 15 March 2021, order N°450160, 450164 was published which requested that the obligation to remove the "Green Dot" does not apply to the French state until 1 January, 2022. This resulted in the suspension of the date of enforcement (previously 1 April 2021) on the implementation of penalties for confused logos related to waste as laid out in the Decree of 30th November 2020. This decision was taken because of the legal actions of several professional organisations which contended that this was an unjustified obstacle to the free movement of goods within the European Union.

 

There is thus no obligation to remove the Green Dot from packaging, unless the product is intended for another Member State of the European Union where it is mandatory, such as Spain or Cyprus.

 

For more information, visit the Adelphe website here (French only).

 

 

NORTHERN IRELAND

 

Mandatory face mask use in church and worship places

 

On 9 April 2021, the Department of Health published The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2021.

 

These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 in order to require members of the public to wear face coverings whilst inside a church or other religious premises, and on transport services, because of the serious and imminent threat to public health which is posed by the incidence and spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) in Northern Ireland. They replace provisions originally made in the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020. It come into operation on 9 April 2021.

 

For more information, read the official publication on the GOV.UK website here.

 

 

UK

 

Technical specification for transparent face mask

 

On 1 April 2021, the Department of Health and Social Care published guidance on technical specifications of transparent face masks.

 

This document specifies design and performance requirements for single-use transparent face masks which are intended to provide comparable protection and source control to Type IIR medical masks.

 

Masks complying with this technical specification cannot be referred to as Type IIR medical masks, as that term is defined in EN 14683:2019 and is reserved for products meeting the definition of a medical device that also complies wholly with the requirements for Type IIR medical masks in that standard. Masks complying with this technical specification may however meet some of the requirements of EN 14683:2019.

 

For more information, read the official publication on the GOV.UK website here.

 

 

 

US

 

Standard for the Flammability of Upholstered Furniture

 

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is issuing a direct final rule on the flammability of upholstered furniture (manufactured, imported, or reupholstered) under the COVID–19 Regulatory Relief and Work From Home Safety Act.

 

This Act mandates that CPSC has to promulgate California Technical Bulletin 117–2013 as a flammability standard under section 4 of the Flammable Fabrics Act.

 

The rule will be effective from 25 June 2021 and compliance with the labeling requirement in § 1640.4 should start by 25 June, 2022.

 

The document is in a comment period until 10th May 2021. If a significant adverse comment is received, a notification in the Federal Register will be published withdrawing this direct final rule before the effective date.

 

For more information, read the official publication on the Federal Register here.

 

 

Proposal and addition of substances in California Proposition 65

 

On 19 March 2021, The California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) noticed the state of the following substances:

 

For more information, visit the OEHHA website here.

 

 

Standards updates

 

The table below summarises some recent ASTM standards updates:

 

Reference

Title

ASTM D5034 - 21

Standard Test Method for Breaking Strength and Elongation of Textile Fabrics (Grab Test)

 

 

CHINA

 

China publishes updated GB Standards

 

On 1 May 2021, the following standards have been effective as the announcement Nº 22 of 2020 indicated by China National Standardization (SAC):

 

No.

Standard No.

Standard Name

Superseded Standard

Implementation Date

1

GB/T 3903.13-2020

Dimensional stability of footwear outsole test method

GB/T 3903.13-2005

2021-05-01

2

GB/T 3903.26-2020

Adhesion performance of footwear main heel and toe cap test method

GB/T 3903.26-2008

2021-05-01

3

GB/T 4146.1-2020

Textile chemical fiber. Part 1: Generic name

GB/T 4146.1-2009

2021-05-01

4

GB/T 18885-2020

Technical requirements for ecological textiles

GB/T 18885-2009

2021-05-01

8

GB/T 39103-2020

Superfine wool woven fabric marking Super S code definition requirements

 

2021-05-01

9

GB/T 39104.1-2020

Determination of antifungal properties of textiles. Part 1: Fluorescence method

 

2021-05-01

10

GB/T 39104.2-2020

Determination of antifungal properties of textiles. Part 2: Plate counting method

 

2021-05-01

15

GB/T 39109-2020

Determination of benzophenone ultraviolet absorbers in textiles

 

2021-05-01

18

GB/T 39113-2020

Footwear and footwear components, determination of the limited substance phenol

 

2021-05-01

 

 

China publishes updated Standards

 

On 19 April 2021, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People's Republic of China published Announcement Nº 6 of 2021, in which 563 industry standards were approved. Among them were, 60 textile industry standards, and 112 chemical industry standards, as well as other standards from different industries.

 

 

INTERNATIONAL

 

Regulatory proposals notified to WTO

 

The table below summarises the most recent notifications made to the World Trade Organization (WTO) (non-exhaustive):

Notification number

Countries

Title

G/TBT/N/BRA/1148

Brazil

Proposal to amend the Requirements for Conformity Assessment for Sustainability of the Leather Production Process, approved by Inmetro Ordinance No. 314, 30 June 2015.

G/TBT/N/KOR/958

South Korea

A draft of Safety Requirements for Consumer Products Subject to the Supplier's Declaration of Conformity (Masks for cold weather, fashion, and sports)

G/TBT/N/CHN/1583

China

National Standard of the P.R.C., Respiratory protection—Non-powered filtering respirators for escape

G/TBT/N/CHN/1585

China

National Standard of the P.R.C., Safety Technical Specifications for Children's Footwear

G/TBT/N/CHN/1587

China

National Standard of the P.R.C., Safety Requirements for Footwear

 

 

PRODUCT RECALLS / ALERTS

 

Below you will find a monthly summary of product recalls and alerts in Europe (Source “RAPEX”) and in the US (Source “CPSC”)

 

 

Europe

 

RAPEX (European Commission Rapid Alert System for dangerous non-food products – Alerts reported by EU national authorities)

 

The following 6 alerts regarding textile & leather products have been reported, from week 12 until week 15 of 2021.

 

Type of Risk

Number of alerts

Notes

Choking

1

Children's boots: The product has small parts (decorative ring) that can easily be detached. Also, at the top is attached a synthetic material (fur) from which threads / tufts can easily be detached at the time of use, and swallowed / inhaled by the child.

Chemicals

1

Leather gloves: The amount of chromium (VI) found in the leather is too high. This article does not comply with the REACH Regulation.

Injuries, Strangulation

1

Children sports outfit: It bears laces with free ends in the hood area and in the waist area.

Strangulation

3

Children's bikini: The product has long functional cords with free ends in the neck area. The product does not comply with the requirements of the General Product Safety Directive and EN 14682.

Children's sweatshirt: There are long functional cords with free ends in the hood of the product. The product does not comply with the General Product Safety Directive and EN 14682.

 

 

US

 

Between 21 March and 20 April 2021, the CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) published the following recalls: 1 recall textile & leather products

 

Hazard

Number of alerts

Notes

Choking

1

Baby Rompers: The heart-shaped graphics located on the knees of the romper can peel off or detach