In March 2008, members of the European Parliament voted to recommend stricter restrictions on the marketing and use of five chemical substances and their formulations. These restrictions stemmed from European Commission Regulation 2007/0200 (COD), drafted in the autumn of 2007. The regulation covered diethylene glycol monoethyl ether (DEGME), diethylene glycol butyl ether (DEGBE), cyclohexane, diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI), and ammonium nitrate. The recently amended regulation complies with the restrictive provisions of the REACH Regulation. Regarding ammonium nitrate, the maximum nitrogen concentration limit in fertilizers has increased from 20% to 28%.

How EN and BS standards can help your products enter the European market. In recent years, the volume of office furniture exported from China to the US has been increasing. The following are standards developed by CEN and BS that are recognized as basic product quality standards in Europe. Furniture US EU/UK Standards Australian/New Zealand Standards Japanese Standards Office Furniture Chairs BIFMAX 5.1-5.9 BS5459-2/EN1335AS/NZS 4438 JIS S1032 Tables BS5459-1/BS EN527 Cabinets BS 5459-3

On April 1, 2008, the European Court of Justice revoked the exemption of decabromodiphenyl ether (Deca-BDE) from the EU RoHS Directive, which came into effect on July 1, 2008.

An SDS (Safety Data Sheet) contains information about the properties and potential hazards of a material or product, how to use it safely, and how to handle it in an emergency. An SDS (MSDS) also provides professional users with necessary information, including protections for health, safety, and the environment. In international trade, the quality of an SDS (MSDS) is an important indicator of a company's strength, image, and management level. High-quality chemical products accompanied by high-quality SDSs (MSDSs) will inevitably increase business opportunities. Testing standards referenced: European Standard Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006-REACH 2001/58/EC 1999/45/EC. American Standard ISO 11014 1:1994, 16 mandatory chapters.

Restricted Substances Regulations – Bisphenol A (BPA) in Consumer Products BPA can leach from products into contact materials. Studies have shown that BPA in humans is mainly ingested through food. Given the potential hazards of BPA, many countries and regions have established relevant restrictions. Product scope covers: 1. Migration limits: The EU, the US, China, Japan, and other countries limit the migration (leaching) of BPA in materials that come into contact with food. 2. Total quantity limits: Canada is considering regulations to ban the import and sale of products containing BPA. Norway's PoHS, originally scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2008, further restricts the use of BPA in consumer products. Hazards: BPA is an endocrine disruptor that can cause estrogen-like physiological effects. Long-term exposure may lead to chronic poisoning. Studies suggest that BPA increases the risk of breast cancer and prostate cancer, with particularly serious harm to infants and young children: it can disrupt hormones, cause gene mutations, potentially lead to precocious puberty in girls, and cause symptoms such as decreased fertility and mental disorders.

The European Commission's Directorate-General for Health and Consumer Protection has published its 2007 annual report on product recall cases under the EU's Rapex system. Rapex is a cooperative information system among European national supervisory authorities. Recalled products with serious risks have been replaced and published online. This information is primarily provided to national supervisory authorities. When notified of dangerous products on the market in another member state, national authorities can investigate the presence of these products within their own borders to prevent the sale of dangerous goods to consumers.

REACH SVHC Screening: Please Match Your Product to the List. According to the REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Restriction and Authorization of Chemicals) regulations, Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) are hazardous substances that require control in addition to restricted substances (Annex XVII). They are Group 1 and 2 carcinogenic, mutagenic, and reproductive toxicants (Cat. 1 and 2 CMRs); persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic substances (PBTs); highly persistent, bioaccumulative substances (vPvBs); or substances of equivalent concern (e.g., endocrine disruptors). Due to the complexity of supply chains and production processes, SVHCs can be inadvertently introduced into a wide variety of consumer products. To ensure product competitiveness in the market, European companies have begun requiring their suppliers to provide SVHC test results for their products. Authorization: To encourage the use of safe and environmentally friendly chemicals, some SVHCs have been prioritized in the authorization process. Those SVHCs listed in Annex XIV will no longer be permitted for sale on the market or imported into Europe after a specified date unless the company has been authorized. In June 2009, the European Chemicals Committee (ECHA) will publish its first authorized list, and will conduct a rigorous review every two years. For products containing any SVHCs exceeding 0.1% (w/w) and with an annual production or import volume exceeding 1 metric ton, manufacturers or importers must notify the ECHA. By the end of 2008 or...

Battery Directive 2006/66/EC Q&A Compilation (II) NO.22/2008 Definition of Battery Producer According to Article 3 of the Directive, "producer" means the person who first manufactures or supplies batteries/accumulators (including those used in household appliances/vehicles) to a third party within the territory of a Member State. This definition is unrelated to sales techniques or whether there is a recycling fee for the battery. Battery Producer – Example Battery manufacturers or domestic importers who purchase batteries from retailers and resell them to end-users within the Member State. Battery manufacturers or domestic importers are the first to supply batteries to the market, therefore they are producers. Retailers selling batteries within a Member State purchased from their Member State (outside) Retailers selling batteries purchased in other countries to end-users within a Member State. These retailers are the first to supply batteries to the market in a Member State, therefore they are producers.

Battery Directive 2006/66/EC Q&A Compilation (I) NO.21/2008 The Battery Directive 2006/66/EC, which came into effect on September 26, 2006, applies to all batteries/accumulators sold in all markets. Member States were required to transpose this directive into their domestic law by September 26, 2008. The EU updated its Q&A in April 2008 and will continue to update it periodically thereafter. Preventive Measures: This directive restricts the use of mercury in all batteries. It also restricts the use of cadmium in portable batteries, but portable batteries used in emergency and alarm systems are excluded. Battery Collection Regulations: The Battery Directive aims to collect large quantities of waste batteries/accumulators. Consumers should bring used portable batteries back to collection points free of charge and without needing to purchase new batteries. Wholesalers should collect used batteries when selling them. Industrial battery manufacturers are responsible for collecting industrial batteries from end users. Vehicle battery manufacturers should establish collection programs for used vehicle batteries not collected under the ELV Directive. Battery recycling and disposal regulations: All collected batteries must be recycled. However, Member States may dispose of used batteries containing mercury, cadmium, or lead by landfill in the following two situations: Phase-out national strategies for heavy metals following impact assessments, with landfill as an alternative to recycling; No feasible end point.

The new standard EN55022:2006 (Limits and methods of measurement for radio interference from information technology equipment) was published on the Online Judge (OJ) on December 21, 2006. The new version was applicable from April 1, 2007, and became mandatory on October 1, 2009. The older versions, EN55022:1998+A1 2000+A2 2003, were also phased out at that time. The most significant updates to this standard are the addition of radiated emissions requirements at frequencies above 1 GHz and the redefinition of test methods for telecommunications ports. According to the new version of EN55022:2006, IT products with a maximum internal frequency greater than 108 MHz must undergo radiated emissions testing at frequencies above 1 GHz, with a maximum test range of 6 GHz. Simultaneously, products with network and telecommunications ports must be subject to conducted emissions testing on the telecommunications ports, such as network ports (Land port, RJ45) and telephone ports (Telecom, RJ11).

Have you investigated the presence of decabromodiphenyl ether (DBD) in your product? Did your previous tests show that the sum of DBD and 1-9 bromodiphenyl ethers exceeded 1000 ppm? Are you aware that from July 1, 2008, a product exceeding 1000 ppm of the sum of DBD and 1-9 bromodiphenyl ethers would be non-compliant with EU RoHS? Please act immediately to conduct an assessment, as the EU will remove the DBD exemption on July 1, 2008. On April 1, 2008, the European Court of Justice issued a notice stating that the European Commission had violated relevant regulations in exercising its powers regarding the DBD exemption in Directive 2005/717/EC, and therefore removed the DBD exemption from the RoHS Directive. However, considering the need for a transition period, the European Court of Justice allowed the DBD exemption to be extended until June 30, 2008. Previously, the European Commission adopted RoHS Directive 2002/95/EC, Article 10 of the Annex: "The European Commission shall evaluate the application of decabromodiphenyl ether in accordance with the procedure referred to in Article 7(2)...". Subsequently, the risk assessment of decabromodiphenyl ether was undertaken by the UK and France, with the UK responsible for assessing its environmental impact and France for assessing its human health impact. The UK completed its first assessment report in May 2004, and in August 2005, the UK published an addendum to the 2004 risk assessment report. On October 13, 2005, the European Commission published Directive 2005/717/EC, Article 2 of the Annex...