The Swiss Federal Office for Food Safety and Veterinary Affairs (FSVO) has published a new national food law that includes food contact materials (FCMs). It will come into force on 1 May and updates three annexes, which list authorised substances for the production of consumer goods. They are: Annex 2: plastic and requirements for these substances; Annex 9: silicone and requirements for these substances; and Annex 10: printing inks and requirements for these substances. The ...

The European Commission has notified the World Trade Organisation (WTO) of its intent to include 23 substances as carcinogenic, mutagenic and reproductive toxicants (CMRs) and amend 2 CMR restrictions under REACH Annex XVII- the Restricted Substances List (RSL) with Notification G/TBT/N/EU/435. The comments period runs for 60 days since the notification date. The substances concerned are listed in Appendices 1 to 6 to Annex XVII to REACH Regulation, which prohibits the placi ...

On 28 December 2016, China published notification on six food related products, namely: food contact plastic, paper, rubber, glass, metal articles and disinfectants. There are 2,919 batches of products randomly inspected from 2,413 enterprises. The failure rate is 2.4%. The highlight of the inspection lies in physicochemical properties, which can directly reflect the hazard that may present to food. It is shown that 71 batches do not comply with relevant standards. Details a ...

On 26 December 2016, 11 Chinese ministries published Notification for the effectiveness of Amendment on hexabromocyclododecane (‘HBCDD’) under the Stockholm Convention as regards Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). The amendment becomes effective since 26 December 2016. Our HBCDD ban includes: I. The production, use, import and export of HBCDD are prohibited since 26 December 2016, unless otherwise specified in the Stockholm Convention as regards Persistent Organic Pol ...

It is said that 14 categories of products will be included under the Compliance Management Catalogue ofThe Administrative Measures for the Restriction of the Use of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Products (also known as RoHS 2.0)as the first batch of products several days ago. The news sources from 2016 Annual Survey of Green Development of Electrical and Electronic Industry and Electronic Pollution Heroes Conference in Beijing on 22 December 2016. Mr. Lei ...

American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) publishes Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety ASTM F963-16 in October 2016. It will become mandatory if no major objections in the second quarter of 2017. It is noted that Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) mandates ASTM F963 all toys sold in the US comply with ASTM F963. The Commission have a 90-day period to review the amendments to decide whether to adopt the updated version when ASTM notifie ...

On 26 December 2016, China conducted 230 recalls involving 6,176,300 pieces (nearly half of such recalls are electrical and electronic products). The Administrative Measures on Defective Consumer Products from toys and electrical & electronic equipment expanding to children’s products, furniture, art, education and sports goods, food-related products, merchandise for daily use, textiles, garments, hardware & tools and building materials. The guarantee for consumer ...

From 2017 onwards, producers and suppliers of leather goods can also have their products certified to be tested for harmful substances by the International OEKO-TEX® Association. The basis for the certification is the new LEATHER STANDARD by OEKO-TEX®, which was launched during the annual meeting of the General Managers of the OEKO-TEX® institutes in Ostend, Belgium at the start of November. Formed in 1992 and celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2017, the OEKO-TE ...

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recalls 28 batches of products in October 2016. There are 16 batches of Chinese products, accounting for 57.14% . Based on our statistics, the Chinese products notified through the CPSC in November were as below: The above diagram show that household products are the most frequently notified in this month. Our analysis shows that fall (10 notifications) and injury (6 notifications) are types of risk that most frequently notified, acco ...

General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People's Republic of China (AQSIQ) validated notifications on 68 batches of imported industrial goods, which were found non-compliant during inspection and quarantine process at the entry ports of China. They have not been offered for sale on the China market yet and are re-dispatched or destroyed instead according to laws. Upon our analysis, Information for the notifications validated is as the ...