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Hawaii considers restrictions on BPA & phthalates in toys & child care articles
The Legislature of the State of Hawaii is considering four bills – cited as the Toxin-Free Keiki Act – to restrict bisphenol A (BPA) and specified phthalates in toys and child care articles.
The Bills would prohibit the manufacture, sale, or distribution of any toy or child care article that:
- is intended for use by a child under three years of age and contains BPA;
- contains di-2-ethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP), di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), or butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP) in concentrations exceeding 0.1%; or
- is intended for use by a child under three years of age, is small enough to be placed in a child’s mouth, and contains diisononyl phthalate (DINP), diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP), or di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP) in concentrations exceeding 0.1%.
Each of the bills would require manufacturers to use the least toxic alternative when replacing BPA and phthalates; however, manufacturers may not use:
- carcinogens rated as A, B, or C by the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) list of chemicals evaluated for carcinogenic potential; or
- reproductive toxicants that cause birth defects, reproductive harm, or developmental harm as identified by the EPA.
Two of the bills would also restrict heavy metals in packages and packaging and prohibit the purchase or use of vinyl intravenous solution bags and vinyl tubing.
ACCC reports on DMF in footwear & bags in Australia
The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has published a report on its survey of the potential presence of dimethyl fumarate (DMF) in footwear and bags supplied in Australia.
The project involved the ACCC and the Council of Textile and Fashion Industries Australia (TFIA).
DMF is a potent contact sensitizer of the skin, causing itching, irritation, redness, burns, and, in some cases, acute respiratory difficulties. The reaction can be induced in some individuals at very low concentrations (as low as 1 ppm), producing extensive, pronounced eczema that is difficult to treat.
Analysis of complaints and injury reports by the ACCC indicates a very low number of alleged injuries associated with the textile, clothing, and footwear (TCF) sector. There are no injury reports and the few complaints of dermatitis associated with footwear (mostly thongs) appear to relate to exposure to latex or rubber compounds such as thiurams, not DMF.
The ACCC concludes, the results of the survey indicate that footwear and bags currently supplied onto the Australian market are unlikely to contain any DMF. Where DMF may be present in the desiccant material accompanying shoes/ bags, the concentrations likely to migrate to consumers from the use of the goods are extremely low and well below levels where adverse health effects would occur. The ACCC will continue to investigate mandatory injury reports associated with TCF articles and credible evidence of unsafe consumer goods.
Kenya Publishes Draft Standards on Minimum Energy Performance Standards for Self Ballasted and Double-Capped Fluorescent Lamps for Comment.
The Kenyan Bureau of Standards has published a draft standard for Double-Capped Fluorescent Lamps. The standard, which was notified to the WTO on 21 February 2013, specifies Minimum Energy Performance Standard (MEPS) requirements for double-capped [FD1) and FDH2)] tubular fluorescent lamps with a nominal length of 550 mm to 1500 mm and having nominal lamp wattage of 16 watts or more, that are within the scope of IEC standard 60081. The standard covers lamps for general illumination purposes, for use in luminaires and with lamp ballasts connected to a 230 V 50 Hz single phase or similar mains supply. Lamps that are intended for use only with high frequency (electronic) ballasts are also covered. Lamps not intended for general illumination are excluded. The Standard is intended to be used in conjunction with IEC standards 60081 and 62554.
The Kenyan Bureau of Standards has also published draft Standards for Self Ballasted Lamps and Ballasts for Fluorescent Lamps. For more information on these please contact us.
The closing date for Comments on these Draft Standards is 12 March 2013.
This information has been analysed and recorded in C2P, our compliance knowledge management platform. C2P can help guide you through the consultation process and can monitor these Standards and alert you to any developments. Click here for your free 30 day trial.
China issues National 12th Five Year Plan on Chemical Environmental Risk Control
On 7 February, 2013, MEP issued the National 12th Five Year Plan on Chemical Environmental Risk Control which implements the National 12th Five Year Plan on Environmental Protection and State Council Opinion on Strengthening Major Activities of Environmental Protection.
The Plan outlines the current challenges for chemical environmental risk control and set out basic principles, targets, and tasks for establishing chemical environmental risk control system and strengthening chemical environmental management.
The Entry into Force date for this Notice is the date of publication.
For more information on this and global legislation on Hazardous/Dangerous Substances/Materials please contact us.
Norway launches Consultation on Draft Regulation to implement REACH ban on DMF Regulation No 412/2012
On the 01 March 2013 Norway published a proposal to implement changes to the Product Regulation No 922/2004 in order to implement the EU ban on dimethylfumarate (DMF).
The Climate and Pollution Agency (KLIF) proposes to implement the restrictions in Norwegian legislation by introducing changes to the REACH regulation and Product regulation. There is already a similar temporary prohibition on DMF embodied in the Product Regulations in Section 2-28. To avoid double regulation, this interim ban will be taken out of the Product regulation.
The implementation of the EU’s new ban is not expected to have major economic consequences for Norwegian companies.
The deadline for comments is 31 May 2013.
Compliance and Risks can help guide you through the consultation process and the proposed Regulation. For more information please contact us.
New EU timber regulation comes into force
On 3 March, new legislation comes into effect to counter the trade in illegal timber. The new EU Timber regulation 995/2010 EU will affect everyone in the wood trade. It prohibits the placing of illegally harvested timber on the European market in an effort to tackle the problem of illegal logging across the world. Illegal logging has severe economic, environmental and social impacts: it is associated with deforestation and climate change, it can undermine the efforts and livelihoods of legitimate operators, and it can also contribute to conflicts over land and resources.
The new law affects both imported and domestically produced timber and timber products, and it covers an extensive range of products, from paper and pulp to solid wood and flooring. The aim is to put in place procedures to minimise the risk of illegal wood being traded. Anyone who first places a timber product on the EU market must apply “due diligence” to ensure that the wood they are trading is legal. Traders who buy or sell timber already on the market are required to keep adequate records so that the wood they deal in can be easily traced.
Legislation with similar objectives has been adopted by the US and Australia, thus the EU will be adding its weight to a global effort to eliminate illegal logging and associated trade.
Full details here http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-13-175_en.htm
Ecuador publishes Ministerial Agreement on Hazardous Substances and Waste
The Ecuadorian Ministry of Environment recently published a Ministerial Agreement on national lists of hazardous substances, hazardous and special wastes.
The Agreement is in force since 21 December 2012 and contains 3 annexes which discuss Hazardous Substances, Hazardous Waste and “Special Wastes”.
C2P can provide you with in-depth Expert Commentary on this Agreement and on other South American legislation on Waste and Hazardous Substances etc. For more information please contact us.
EU Commission publishes Guidelines on financial incentives : Promoting energy efficient vehicles
The European Commission published today new Guidelines on how Member States should use financial incentives to best increase demand for low CO2 emission vehicles.
Currently, rules on financial incentives differ across the EU, but a common framework could help facilitate the assembly of larger quantities of such vehicles, prompting lower prices for consumers. Incentives can be useful instruments to foster the low CO2 producing vehicle industry, but they can also create trade distortions.
To address this issue, mandatory principles under the guidelines include non-discrimination with regard to the origin of the vehicle, the respect of EU state aid and procurement rules, and building on best practices in this domain. Member States must consider these principles in order not to violate the EU Treaty provisions, while other principles are recommended.
More more information on these guidelines or updates on global legislation on Vehicles / Climate Change / Emissions please contact us.
75% of companies have requested Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) information from suppliers
During a recent webinar on the impact of the EU REACH regulation on manufacturers and their supply chain, 75% of attendees stated that they have already begun requesting Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) information from suppliers. 62% had been asked by customers for information on the SVHC content of the articles they supply.
The scope and significance of the EU REACH regulation continues to expand as further restrictions are introduced and this is increasing pressure on all markets to eliminate hazardous substances from the supply chain.
19% of businesses stated that REACH SVHC restrictions were already having a significant impact on their business, with 3% already classifying the impact as major. 34% said the impact had only been minor up to now. However, as the authorisation process is only in its early stages, these figures suggest that the impact of SVHC restrictions will have more serious implications for the manufacturing industry over the coming few years.
The poll was conducted during a webinar hosted by Compliance & Risks and presented by ERA Technology.
Are SVHC’s having an affect on your business yet?
For more information on the EU REACH regulation and to track important regulatory changes, please contact us.
California Introduces Single-Use Battery Stewardship Bill
Assembly Bill 488 was introduced on 19 February, 2013. The bill would would require a producer of single-use primary household batteries or a single-use primary household battery stewardship organization created by one or more producers to submit a single-use primary household battery stewardship plan to the department. For further details, please contact us.