Walmart has urged suppliers to remove hazardous chemicals from packaging in a new guidance document. The guidance suggests suppliers to enhance sustainability of packaging in view of design optimization, resource sustainability and recycling support. Under it Walmart requires suppliers should confirm priority chemicals present in the packaging and check whether to eliminate, reduce or restrict them. It drew its criteria list from Article 57 of REACH: priority chemicals are d ...

Belgium has published a royal decree on varnishes and coatings, which will come into force on 1 January 2017. The summary of the regulation is as follows: The migration limit on varnishes (except on metal) into food cannot exceed 10mg/dm2; A generic limit of 60mg/kg is set where a specific migration limit is unavailable; Permitted food contact varnishes and coatings are listed; It adopts analysis methods for food contact varnishes and coatings from Regulation (EU) 10/2011 wi ...

On 9 November 2016, Tianjin Inspection and Quarantine Bureau Binhai Office found a batch of rattles imported from South Korea were noncompliant as the products failed to be 3C marked. The officials destroyed those products according to laws. Note: The China Compulsory Certificate mark, commonly known as a CCC Mark (3C mark), is a compulsory safety mark for many products imported, sold or used in the Chinese market. The toys are rattles and sets manufactured in South Korea wo ...

On 10 November 2016, the Awarding Ceremony of 2016 Top 100 Zhejiang Technology-based Companies with Growth Potential has been held in Hangzhou under the guidance of Science Technology Department of Zhejiang Province. Hangzhou C&K Testing Technic Co., Ltd. attended the conference as one of the ward-winning companies. The list for the award winners is publicised by Zhejiang Hi-tech Enterprises Association and available at Zhejiang Daily. The scene of Awarding Ceremony of 2 ...

Helsinki, 10 November 2016 – ECHA's seventh recommendation to prioritise substances of very high concern for authorisation to the European Commission includes nine substances that are toxic for reproduction. The details for the nine substances are as follows: # Substance EC NO CAS NO SVHC-relevant intrinsic properties Examples of uses in the scope of authorisation Latest application date Sunset date 1 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, dihexyl ester, branched and linear 271-093 ...

The Washington State Department of Ecology is investigating five apparent self-reported violations of cadmium and phthalate levels in children’s products. Each year, manufacturers of children’s items in Washington are required to report the presence of Chemicals of High Concern to Children (CHCC), under the Children’s Safe Products Act (CSPA). There were 5,300 reports filed of toxic chemicals in the products, sold between 9 March and 6 September this year. They were fr ...

Taiwan has formulated “Inspection Rules on Suitcases” covering wheeled or trolley suitcases with frames or in fixed shapes on 31 October 2016. The standard takes into force immediately. It specifies that the inspection of suitcases shall be subject to CNS 15331 Evaluation criteria for bags, cases and trunks, including performance tests and test for material quality. Performance tests: drop test, load test, function test for expendable handles and travelling test. The che ...

On 4 November 2016, Health Canada has published a code of practice for 2-(2-methoxyethoxy) ethanol (DEGME). Under the code, it is recommended that the concentration of total DEGME present in a surface coating material available to a consumer in Canada should not be more than 10,000 mg/kg (also expressed as 1.0% w/w). This Code is applicable to consumer products that are surface coating materials containing DEGME. But surface coating materials for industrial and/or commercial ...

On 1 November 2016, the first Chinese standard GB/T32610-2016 Standard on protective masks for daily use has come into force, specifying that the masks are compliant only when they can help reduce the concentration of PM 2.5 inhaled to 75μg/m3 so that to enhance air quality to a good or better level by filtering. The standard only appliers for protective masks used in daily life to protect us from particulars from air pollution. But respiratory protective articles for speci ...

The Washington Ecology Department has launched a public consultation aiming to add 20 substances to its Chemicals of High Concern to Children list (CHCC) and also delist 2 substances from the list. The public consultation ends on 14 November 2016. The details for CHCC update are as follows: CAS Number Acronym Chemical Name ADDITION 78-33-1 TBPP Tris(p-tert-butylphenyl) phosphate 80-09-1 BPS Bisphenol S 84-61-7 DCHP Dicyclohexyl phthalate 84-69-5 DIBP Diisobutyl phthalate 115 ...