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Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) was added to the list of restricted substances in Appendix 17 of the REACH regulation

On May 15, 2012, the Official Journal of the European Union promulgated Regulation (EU) No 412/2012, officially adding dimethyl fumarate DMF to Appendix 17 of the REACH Regulation (concerning hazardous substances, Mixtures and finished products, their manufacture and placement on the market are restricted) Item 61 of the list of substances. This regulation takes effect 20 days after publication in the European Journal and requires member states to unconditionally transfer it to their national laws. Prior to this, the EU issued revised regulations 2012/48/EU on the DMF ban on January 26, 2012, extending the effective date of the dimethyl fumarate ban (2009/251/EC) to March 15, 2013. . However, Regulation 2012/48/EU clearly states that if the proposal to list dimethyl fumarate in Appendix 17 of the REACH regulation for mandatory control is formally adopted earlier than the former, the ban on dimethyl fumarate will take effect immediately. That is to say, the 2012/48/EU directive "Extension of the Effective Date of Dimethyl Fumarate" issued by the EU will be invalidated at the same time as the effective date of (EU) No 412/2012, that is, starting from June 4, the entire EU will restrict Dimethyl fumarate is used. Substance name CAS number EC number restriction conditions 61. Dimethyl fumarate (DMF) 624-49-7 210-849-0 (1) The content of DMF used in articles and any component of articles shall not be

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) releases new version of toy safety standard – F963-11

On December 15, 2011, ASTM (American Society for Testing Materials) released a new version of the mandatory toy safety standard ASTM F963-11, with the purpose of continuously monitoring and solving toy safety issues. At the same time, in accordance with Section 106 of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Promotion Act (CPSIA), ASTM officially notified the U.S. CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) of this updated version. The CPSC will confirm or reject the updated version within 90 days (March 14, 2012). , if there is no response from CSPC within 90 days, the new version of ASTM F963-11 will become the official toy testing regulation 180 days from the date of release (June 12, 2012). Its main revisions are summarized as follows: Physical property testing 1. Toys with ball ends – clear product range with illustrated illustrations to ensure consistency in testing. 2. Stability of ride-on toys or toy seats – Propose load placement for fore and aft stability and lateral stability. 3. Squeeze toys – The scope of application of this part of the requirements has been narrowed and only applies to the part of the toy with a squeeze function. 4. YoYo Elastic Cord Toy – Specifies the length measurement of the elastic cord when the elastic cord is fully extended during rotation. 5. Flammability – Change “should” to “shall” to indicate a liability. 6. Stuffing material – fiber removal

The EU REACH Committee voted to adopt 4 restrictions on lead, cadmium, mercury and phenylmercury compounds

Recently, the EU REACH Committee has adopted four restriction measures: including restrictions on cadmium, restrictions on lead in jewelry, restrictions on phenylmercury compounds, and restrictions on mercury in measuring instruments. This will be reviewed in detail over the next three months and is expected to be published in the Official Journal of the EU in mid-August. Cadmium restriction proposal In October 2010, the EU proposed to amend the cadmium restriction regulations under Annex 17 of the REACH regulation. On May 21, 2011, European Union (EC) Regulation 494/2011 revised the cadmium restriction regulations and published them in the Official Journal of the European Union. The latest revised REACH came into effect on December 10, 2011. The new regulations expand the scope of restricted use of cadmium and propose that cadmium can be present in some specific polymers, but the content of cadmium or its compounds shall not be greater than or equal to the weight ratio of 0.01%. The restriction on the use of lead in jewelry proposes that the weight percentage of lead or its compounds in jewelry products must be less than 0.05%. Jewelry products include: • Bracelets, necklaces and rings; • Watches and wristbands; • Brooches and cufflinks. Exempted items are as follows: • Crystal glass as defined in Annex 1 (categories 1-4) of Directive 69/493/EEC; • 

Mainland Chinese airlines to refuse to pay EU's new carbon emissions trading tax

The China Air Transport Association said on January 4 that Chinese airlines would refuse to pay any expenses under the EU's new carbon emissions trading system. The carbon emissions trading system, launched in 2005, is one of the main pillars of the EU's response to climate change. From January 1, all airlines using EU airports are included in this trading system. Chai Haibo, deputy secretary-general of the Air Transport Association of China, said: "Mainland China will not cooperate with the EU on the carbon emissions trading system. Therefore, mainland Chinese airlines will not impose additional charges related to emissions taxes on passengers." Source: Hong Kong Commercial Daily (2012-1-5)

Lists of hazardous chemicals are being updated around the world

Before the end of 2011, countries around the world have successively updated their local chemicals management regulations, setting off another new wave in this endless battle between environmental sustainability and chemicals. The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan recently announced that 33 substances including 4-chlorobenzaldehyde have been added to the list of "mutagenic chemicals". This list already includes 672 new chemicals and 144 existing chemicals; Chemicals included on this list will be required to undergo workplace audits, occupational safety guidance, appropriate product labeling and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) before they can be used. On December 28, 2011, the Ministry of Environmental Protection of China announced the "Catalogue of Toxic Chemicals with Strict Import and Export Restrictions in China" (2012). Anyone who imports or exports chemicals in this catalog must report to the Ministry of Environmental Protection of China. Apply for the "Toxic Chemicals Import Environmental Management Registration Certificate" and the "Toxic Chemicals Import (Export) Environmental Management Release Notice", which will be implemented from January 1, 2012. At the end of 2011, Norway issued a notice to the WTO, which stated that consumer products containing excessive amounts of lead, pentachlorophenol (PCP), medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs), and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) would be banned from being sold and sold in Norway. import and export. This ban is expected to be passed in the spring of 2012 and will officially take effect on July 1, 2012. However, what is currently known is that the scope of this ban does not include food, food packaging, fertilizers, tobacco, pharmaceuticals, etc.

Norway seeks opinions on the implementation of additional REACH regulations in the country

The Norwegian Environmental Pollution Control Agency has issued two drafts on the implementation of REACH in the country. The first recommendation is to translate the European Commission's implementation of changes to Annexes XIII and XIV of REACH into Norwegian law. Annex XIII is a standard for the evaluation of the health and adverse effects of persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic (PBT) or very persistent and bioaccumulative (vPvB) substances. The proposed changes include using more information in such assessments to improve the classification of environmental impacts. Annex XIV is a list of candidate substances requiring authorization, and the proposed revisions include six substances that were added to it earlier this year. The public comment period on the proposal ends on April 10, 2012. The second recommendation concerns the implementation of REACH requirements in the Arctic Svalbard archipelago. Currently, Svalbard is not subject to REACH regulations, but Norway’s proposed REACH

Ban on hazardous substance dimethyl fumarate extended

The European Union's Official Journal published European Commission Resolution 2012/48/EU on January 28, 2012, extending the validity date of Resolution 2009/251/EC. Decision 2009/251/EC bans all products containing dimethyl fumarate (DMF) from being placed on the EU market. In France, Poland, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom, consumers reported severe allergic reactions, and investigations found that dimethyl fumarate was the cause. Subsequently, the European Union adopted Decision 2009/251/EC in March 2009 and The resolution was passed requiring member states to ensure that products containing dimethyl fumarate are not placed on the market and to recall products containing dimethyl fumarate from the market starting from May 1, 2009. Dimethyl fumarate is a biocide used in the manufacture of packaging for shoes, furniture and electronic products to prevent leather parts or objects from being exposed to moist air during storage and transportation, causing the growth of mold and deterioration of the product. Dimethyl fumarate is hidden in furniture and shoe boxes in small packages. After evaporating, it attaches to the product and contacts consumers' skin, which can cause dermatitis, itching, irritation, redness and burns, and even make it difficult for consumers to breathe. . Although until the EU adopted Resolution 2009/251/EC in 2009, foreign manufacturers could still use dimethyl fumarate in products exported to the EU, EU Directive 98/8/EC has prohibited the use of dimethyl fumarate in products manufactured in the EU. The product uses dimethyl fumarate. In 2009, the European Union adopted Directive 2001/95/EC (General Product Safety

Various laws and regulations implemented by U.S. states on January 1, 2012

1. California Supply Chain Transparency Act The Supply Chain Transparency Act became a California law in September 2010, stipulating that retailers and manufacturers in the state with annual global revenue exceeding US$100 million must disclose supply chain information. The regulations took effect on January 1, 2012 and are designed to eliminate slavery and human trafficking in product supply chains. Retailers or manufacturers must provide conspicuous and easy-to-understand links on the company's website for people to browse relevant information. Retailers or manufacturers must disclose the implementation of the following measures: Verify product supply chains to assess and address the risks of human trafficking and slavery (if verification is not performed by an independent third party, this must be noted in the disclosure); . Audit suppliers to assess whether they meet the company’s standards for human trafficking and slavery in the supply chain (if the verification is not conducted by an independent third party without announcement, the company must disclose the information (specified in ); . Require direct suppliers to certify that materials in products comply with the slavery and human trafficking laws of the countries in which they do business; . Implement internal accountability standards and procedures to investigate and prosecute employees who fail to comply with corporate slavery and human trafficking standards or Contractor; .&nbs

Mainland environmental groups name "dirty fashion" and call on companies to go beyond regulations and disclose their brands' environmental footprints

Recently, the Mainland Public Environmental Research Center and many other civil society organizations released the mainland textile industry pollution survey report "Cleaning Up Pollution in Fashion", naming 48 well-known international and local clothing brands as "dirty fashion", including ZARA, H&M, and Adidas There is a lot of pollution in the production process of the supply chain. While pursuing fashion, we call for concern for the "unbeautiful" environment behind it. Greenpeace's latest investigation results also show that the toxic chemical NPE (nonylphenol polyoxyethylene ether) remains on the clothing of some well-known brands. It will be released in large quantities during washing and then discharged into rivers, lakes and oceans, and Converted into a more toxic chemical that disrupts the endocrine system - NP (nonylphenol). The scary thing is that China's per capita available water resources only account for a quarter of the world average, but in 2010, China's total textile exports accounted for 34% of the world's total exports. According to the "China Environmental Statistics Annual Report" (2010), the textile industry ranks third among China's 39 major industries in terms of total wastewater discharge, with an annual discharge of approximately 2.5 billion tons of wastewater. The investigation report further pointed out that when producing products of the same unit, the average content of pollutants in mainland printing and dyeing wastewater is 2 to 3 times that of foreign countries, and the water consumption is as high as 3 to 4 times. Printing and dyeing wastewater emissions account for 80% of wastewater emissions from the entire textile industry. This makes it more difficult for China’s densely populated areas with limited water resources to find clean rivers and lakes, and even drinking water contains poisonous risks. It has seriously affected the health and quality of life of millions of people. Since 2003

India plans to establish a REACH-like legal system

India released the 2012 draft national chemicals management plan. Chemicals and fertilizer units called for the establishment of legislation similar to the EU REACH regulations to streamline existing chemicals-related regulations and improve the safety of chemicals. The draft national chemicals management policy has been proposed by the Indian Chemicals and Petrochemicals Unit at the end of March. The draft outlines the objectives and methods that need to be implemented to improve the competitiveness of India's chemical industry, or to merge India's chemical industry regulations that currently fall under different units. India has noticed that the EU REACH regulations have replaced nearly 40 different related legislations. In addition, Australia, Canada, Japan, and China have also adopted similar policies to consolidate their position and competitiveness in the global market, so India also plans to implement Similar chemical management strategies. In addition to merging existing regulations, the draft policy points out that India still lacks the following: > Substance registration > Preparation of national chemical inventory > Restrictions on toxic and hazardous substances > Classification and labeling subdivision standards > Transport classification Although India has previously considered The above points are regulated by legislation, but due to complex technical issues and legal consistency, they have not yet been formally included in regulations. The Indian Chemicals and Fertilizers Unit pointed out that it is necessary to establish a National Chemical Center (NCC) to implement the regulatory draft: including monitoring international

Japan announces notification rules for the production or import of "the same new chemical substance"

On May 1, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW), the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), and the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) revised the rules for notification of new chemical substances, requiring companies that produce or import new chemical substances to complete " Submission of "Notification of the Same Chemical Substance". "Notification of the same substance" refers to the sharing of test data by multiple notifiers of the substance. In addition to the original notification of the substance, other notifiers sharing test data must submit before the specified deadline (right column of the table below). Attached is a copy of the original notifier's assessment data. In order to comply with the standard testing methods and certification standards for new chemical substances and designated monitoring substances, Japanese officials will evaluate the substances in the "same chemical substance declaration" to confirm whether the substance is defined as a chemical substance that requires priority assessment (Priority Assessment Chemical substance, PACs). Enterprises that receive the "Same Chemical Substance Notification" assessment notice for new chemical substances before the end of March must provide information before the deadline (left column of the table below): including notification acceptance number, enterprise name, and contact person information to assist in completing the PACs assessment . Enterprises that "notify the same chemical substance" need to prepare new chemical substance notifications and submit files at the same time. The deadlines in the left column of the table below are mainly for "notifications of the same chemical substance" that require screening toxicity testing. Considering the possible increase in work procedures for this notification, this time is approximately 2 weeks earlier than the normal notification deadline.

South Korea updates list of hazardous substances

On April 9, South Korea’s National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) issued a total of three notices to revise the Toxic Substances List (TSCL) and regulated chemicals under South Korea’s Toxic Chemicals Control Act (TCCA). Substance List (OCSL). Two substances have been added to the TSCL list: TCCA No. Substance Name CAS No. Critical Value Notification Date Hazard 2012-1-639 [(2E)-1,4-dichloro-2-butene 110-57-6 Contains 0.1% and above Mixtures of this substance 2012/4/9 Environmental corrosivity, harmfulness, toxicity 2012-1-640 diboron trioxide 1303-86-2 Mixtures containing 0.3% and above this substance 2012/4/9 Delete the highly toxic OCSL list respectively and 1 new substance: TCCA No. Substance Name CAS No. Critical Value Notification Date Remarks 2010-2-63 3,3\'-Dimethoxybenzidine 110-90-4 Mixtures containing 25% and above substances 2012/4/9 Delete 2012 - 2-76 2-(butoxymeth

Australia plans to add seven cosmetic ingredients to list of chemical substances

Australia\'s National Industrial Chemicals Notification and Assessment Scheme (Nicnas) announced a resolution listing 7 chemical substances that are only used in cosmetics and their related conditions of use, adding to Australian Inventory of Chemical Substances (AICS). During the 28-day transition period, relevant groups can apply to review the resolution. If no appeals are received, seven chemical substances will be included in the Australian Chemical Substances List from June 2012. These seven chemical substances will be regarded as existing chemicals for use under specific conditions and can be entered into Australia without submitting a pre-market report or post-market report to Nicnas. This is also part of the Chemicals Act (CW 10 November 2011.) Nicnas also proposes to remove from the list of chemical substances certain individual ion and alloy substances that do not meet the eligibility criteria for chemical substances INCI name/AAN CAS name CAS No . Conditions of Use Acetyl Carnitine HCL (AAN: Acetyllevo

EPA issues new rule for use of mercury in barometers

In accordance with the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an important new rule on the use of mercury on May 30, including barometers, blood pressure monitors, hygrometers and air humidity. count. This rule requires any manufacturer or importer who intends to produce, import, or process mercury for the above purposes to notify EPA at least 90 days in advance so that EPA can evaluate and, if necessary, restrict the use of mercury. This rule will come into effect on June 29, 2012. Exports of elemental mercury are notifiable under the Toxic Substances Control Act. Before January 1, 2013, the export of elemental mercury from the United States will be prohibited under the Mercury Export Ban Act of 2008. At the same time, the EU REACH Committee stated that there will be similar policies to restrict the use of mercury in these devices, and it is expected to be implemented 18 months after the restriction notice is published in the official gazette in August this year. ( http://green.pidc.org.tw/news.php?action=detail&id=1106 ) Source: Federal Register (Compiled by PIDC on 2012-05-30)

New regulations on domestic sales of Taiwanese plastic products and baby bottles

Taiwan's Department of Health, Executive Yuan, has formulated the "Hygienic Standards for Food Utensils, Containers and Packaging". It has recently put forward chemical testing requirements for plastic bottles (including baby bottles) made of polycarbonate PC, polystyrene PS and other materials, and their limits and safety labels are required. The following regulations have been made: Name limit DEHP di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate 1.5ppm DBP dibutyl phthalate 0.3ppm BPA bisphenol A 30ppb The Standards and Inspection Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs announced on March 26 It said that in February this year, the China Consumer Foundation randomly purchased 20 "children's bath toys" for testing. The test results showed that 5 "plasticizer content" exceeded the standard, with a failure rate of 25%, and the highest exceeded the standard by 380 times; 2 were labeled One piece did not have a "commodity safety label" on it, with a failure rate of 10%; another five pieces with "Chinese markings" did not meet the regulations, with a failure rate of 25%. According to the national toy safety standard CNS 4797, the total weight ratio of the six phthalate plasticizers DEHP, DBP, BBP, DINP, DIDP and DNOP in the product and their mixtures shall not exceed 0.1%. In order to enable consumers to clearly understand product-related information and precautions when purchasing plastic food utensils, containers and packaging products, and to avoid improper use by the public, the Food and Drug Administration of the Department of Health, Executive Yuan, announced in the year before last (1999) that "plastic food "Draft of matters that should be marked on utensils, containers and packaging", and officially announced the designated plastic food utensils,

U.S. EPA removes testing requirements for some high-volume (HPV) chemicals

HPV chemicals refer to more than 1 million pounds of substances produced or used in the United States each year, involving approximately 2,800 substances. The HPV Information Collection Challenge Program (HPV Challenge Program) first proposed by the EPA was implemented voluntarily by companies. The product range involved includes personal care products, household cleaning products, home repair products and automotive products. The program encourages companies to disclose information about the health and environmental impacts of HPV chemicals. Since the launch of the Challenge Program, U.S. companies have provided information on more than 2,200 HPV chemicals. On March 16, the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) announced the cancellation of certain testing requirements for six substances and all testing requirements for another four substances. This announcement is based on certain high production volume substances (HPV). Information on the first batch of test rule announcements. The four substances that have had all testing requirements cancelled: Ø acetyl chloride (CAS No. 75–36–5); Ø imidodicarbonic diamide

The European Union issued a new toy safety directive 2012/7/EU lowering the cadmium content limit

On March 2, 2012, the European Union published Directive 2012/7/EU, which revised the third part of Annex 2 of the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC and lowered the cadmium content limit of toys. The European Union issued the Toy Directive 2009/48/EC in June 2009, which aims to require manufacturers to comply with toy safety issues and strengthen law enforcement. Toys sold in the EU market must comply with these regulations from design to production to prevent chemical substances in toys from causing adverse effects on the human body. The EU will also update regulations from time to time to ensure the safety of toys. Therefore, the EU recently issued a new toy directive that proposes many new safety requirements and restricted substances, including cadmium. The new and old limits for cadmium content in toys are as follows: Materials Old cadmium limits New cadmium limits Scrapable materials 23 mg/kg 17 mg/kg Dry, fragile, bendable materials 1.9 mg/kg 1.3 mg /kg liquid, viscous materials 0.5 mg/kg 0.3 mg/kg This Directive 2012/7/EU will enter into force on March 23, 2012, and member states must convert the directive into national status before January 20, 2013 law. Starting from July 20, 2013, the directive will be implemented across the EU. Source: Official Journal of the European Union (2012-03-02) (PIDC

US EPA releases results of testing requirements for inert ingredients in pesticides

Recently, the US EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) announced the endocrine disruptor screening program (EDSP, Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program) and the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA, Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act) released in 2010. ) execution results of test requirements. This test requires: Companies that produce or import any of the following 9 chemical substances as inert ingredients in pesticides need to provide test data: acetone (CAS: 67-64-1) isophorone (CAS: 78-59 - 1) di-sec-octyl phthalate (CAS: 117-81-7) toluene (CAS: 108-88-3) methyl ethyl ketone (CAS: 78-93-3) butyl benzyl phthalate (CAS: 85-68- 7) dibutyl phthalate (CAS: 84-74-2) diethyl phthalate (CAS: 84-66-2) dimethyl phthalate (CAS: 131-11-3

Japan’s Chemical Substances Examination Law Announcement Updates the List of Chemical Substances

According to the Chemical Submissions Control Law (CSCL) announced by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) of Japan, starting from April 1, 2011, domestic manufacturers and importers are required to conduct the so-called annual notification operation. If notification is not carried out in accordance with the law, then You will face the possibility of being unable to manufacture or import smoothly. The regulations for annual notification are mainly as follows: The substances that are subject to notification are based on the provisions of the Chemical Substances Substances Act. The types of substances that must be notified are general chemical substances (General Substances) or priority assessment chemical substances (Priority Assessment Chemical Substances, PACSs). The composition of general chemical substances includes the following substances: (1) Existing Chemical Substances (2) Newly announced chemical substances (3) Level 2 and Level 2 before the Chemical Subsidy Law was revised Former Class II and Class III Monitor chemical substances (4) Chemical substances for which the designation for PAC has been

Germany and Sweden nominated 8 SVHC substances

In April this year, Germany and Sweden nominated 8 substances to the European Chemical Agency (ECHA), recommending that they be tested for SVHC (Substances of Very High Concern), and will submit substance files in August this year in accordance with the requirements of Appendix 15 of the REACH regulation. The 8 substances are as follows: Substance name EC number CAS number Nominating country Substance classification Heptacsafluo rotridecanoic acid Heptacsafluo rotridecanoic acid 206-803-4 376-06-7 Germany PBT1 Pentacsafluo rotridecanoic acid 276-754-2 72629 -94-8 Germany PBT Henicosafluoroundecanoic acid 218-165-4 2058-94-8 Germany PBT Tricosafluorododecanoic acid 206-203-2 307-55-1 Germany PBT Methoxyacetic acid Methoxy acetic acid 210-894-6 625-45-6 Sweden CMR2 Cadmium sulphide 215-147-8 1306-23-6 Sweden CMR Cadmium 231-152-8 7440-43-9 Sweden

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