The EU will restrict the lead content in jewelry.
France submitted a report to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) Risk Assessment Committee and Socioeconomic Analysis Committee, recommending restrictions on lead content in jewelry sold in the EU market and dimethyl ester (DMF) in consumer products.
The report recommends, in accordance with the Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation, limiting the lead content and lead compound content of all types of jewelry produced and/or sold in the EU market to no more than 0.09 micrograms of lead released per square centimeter per hour. Jewelry includes precious jewelry for adults and children, as well as synthetic jewelry.
French authorities are concerned that children could absorb lead from jewelry if they inhale it or accidentally swallow it, leading to serious health problems. The prevalence of lead poisoning in children may be underestimated because some symptoms, such as headaches or convulsions, are not unique to lead poisoning, and doctors may not detect the true cause.
There is currently no scientifically established safe threshold for lead exposure for children. Furthermore, consumers often find it difficult to identify which jewelry contains lead. Therefore, the French report argues that the only way to prevent lead poisoning in children is to avoid their exposure to lead in these products. If adopted, the recommendation suggests that manufacturers exporting jewelry to the EU would be required to comply with lower lead content thresholds.
Regarding dimethyl ester (DMF), France proposed turning the current temporary restrictions into permanent restrictions under the REACH regulation. The existing temporary restrictions require member states to ensure that no articles containing DMF are sold on the market. According to European Commission resolution 2010/153/EU, the restrictions were in effect until March 15, 2011.
DMF is primarily used as a mildew inhibitor to prevent items from molding during storage and transportation. However, if consumer products contain this substance, it can cause serious skin problems. A permanent ban on DMF would inevitably impact furniture and clothing exports to the EU.
If France's proposed restrictions are adopted, all items with a DMF concentration exceeding 0.1 micrograms per kilogram (per component) will be prohibited from sale in the European Union.
The European Chemicals Agency is currently soliciting industry feedback on the report until 21 September 2010. In October 2010, special investigators from the Risk Assessment Committee and the Socioeconomic Analysis Committee will discuss the report in detail; public consultation will continue until 21 December 2010. The Committee will publish its final opinion in June 2011, at which time the European Commission will decide whether and when to implement restrictions in the EU.
The French report can be found at the following URL:
http://echa.europa.eu/doc/restrictions/annex_xv_restriction_report_lead_en.pdf
and
http://echa.europa.eu/doc/restrictions/annex_xv_restriction_report_DMFu_en.pdf
