REACH Update nr. 1, 2022
SVHC
- Four hazardous chemicals added to the Candidate List
EU
- N,N-dimethylformamide restricted from December 2023
- Majority of inspected products sold online breach EU chemicals laws
EU PFAS
- PFAS upcoming EU restrictions ultimately 2025!!
- PFAS roadmap welcomed, 'bolder action needed'
Netherlands
- Intrekking Warenwetbesluit formaldehyde in textiel
- Flame-Retardant, Formaldehyde-Free Cotton? New Breakthrough Makes it Possible
NGO’s
- Report: Target Leads, Shein and Amazon Lag on Tackling Chemicals in Clothing
USA Biocides
- On-demand content for: Understanding Biocides Regulations in the US
SVHC
Four hazardous chemicals added to the Candidate List
The Candidate List of substances of very high concern now contains 223 entries for chemicals that can harm people or the environment. Companies are responsible for managing the chemicals safely and providing sufficient information to their customers and consumers. Read more>>
EU
N,N-dimethylformamide restricted from December 2023
The European Commission has published a regulation restricting N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) – an aprotic solvent used in many industrial applications in the EU. This decision follows the proposal of the Italian authorities and the opinion of ECHA’s scientific committees. The restriction starts applying from 12 December 2023. Some uses have been granted longer transition periods. We expect that by lowering the levels of DMF at workplaces, 1 300-2 500 workers will be better protected from negative health effects, such as liver and developmental effects and reproductive harm.
Majority of inspected products sold online breach EU chemicals laws
In the latest project of ECHA’s Enforcement Forum, enforcement authorities found that most inspected products sold online were non-compliant with at least one requirement under relevant EU chemicals legislation being checked. The inspections resulted in more than 5 000 enforcement actions, reports ECHA. Read more>>
EU PFAS
PFAS upcoming EU restrictions ultimately 2025!!
MODINT last week participated in a consultation with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. This consultation, better known as the textile & carpet working group and PFAS (PFAS Action Programme). Companies were also present at the invitation of MODINT. I&W and VNO-NCW briefly stated that the action program wants to help companies and sectors in finding alternatives to PFAS and limiting PFAS that enters the living environment. Also relevant in view of the ongoing EU restriction process on PFAS for non-essential applications. Four working groups are now underway, including the one for textiles & carpets. The program involves collaboration between government, the business community and all kinds of other parties, including knowledge institutes such as RIVM. For some time now, the program has also had its own resources and will soon also have more manpower. In addition, existing government resources such as subsidies can also be used via RVO. RIVM has given a presentation about the process of the Netherlands, together with a number of other EU states in the EU, to achieve a total PFAS ban. That process is expected to be completed in 2025. Antonio Barberi Ettaro has reported MODINT's initiative to host a webinar (Q2) on PFAS (awareness and knowledge). PFAS is at the moment widely used in outdoor garments, waterproof jackets and other articles, carpets and textiles with additional performances such as water repellent and or oil resistance etc….
In case you like to participate in this group please contact Antonio Barberi Ettaro.
PFAS roadmap welcomed, 'bolder action needed'
Environmental and health experts at the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) non-profit have welcomed a new US roadmap to tackle pollution from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) but called for bolder action, writes Eco-textile News.It comes after President Joe Biden's administration confirmed that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was to launch a PFAS Strategic Roadmap to "research, restrict and remediate harmful" PFAS compounds.Dubbed 'forever chemicals' because of their durability in the environment, PFAS are widely used in the textile industry for their water, stain and oil-repellent properties, as well as in other products such as non-stick cookware.The EPA roadmap aims to restrict PFAS through a new national testing strategy, designating certain PFAS as hazardous under existing laws, and actions to broaden and accelerate clean-up operations.The NRDC says the proposals include "several key advancements" but fail to incorporate more urgent and bolder actions which it feels are needed to avoid an "escalating PFAS crisis".
Celliant October 2021
Daniel Rosenberg, NRDC federal toxics policy director, said: “After four years of the Trump Administration’s enabling the chemical industry’s widespread production, use and pollution of PFAS, the EPA should be sprinting towards adopting health protections, stopping exposure, and preventing the production and use of new class compounds."While the roadmap contains some potentially positive steps forward, the plans are not enough, or fast enough, to tackle the ongoing PFAS crisis."And NRDC staff scientist Dr Anna Reade added: “While assessing and possibly regulating PFAS as subgroups is a step forward from the individual chemical approach taken currently, to fully protect public health and the environment, the EPA needs to take regulatory measures to address the full class of PFAS as quickly as possible.”PFAS exposure has been linked to a number of serious health risks including liver damage, thyroid disease, decreased fertility, high cholesterol, obesity, hormone suppression and cancer.Announcing the roadmap, EPA administrator Michael Regan said: "For far too long, families across America - especially those in underserved communities - have suffered from PFAS in their water, their air, or in the land their children play on. "This comprehensive, national PFAS strategy will deliver protections to people who are hurting, by advancing bold and concrete actions that address the full lifecycle of these chemicals. Let there be no doubt that EPA is listening, we have your back, and we are laser focused on protecting people from pollution and holding polluters accountable."
Netherlands
Intrekking Warenwetbesluit formaldehyde in textiel
Hierbij brengen wij u op de hoogte over het besluit tot intrekking van het Warenwetbesluit formaldehyde in textiel. De reden tot intrekking van dit Warenwetbesluit is dat in Verordening (EU) 2018/1513 een maximale concentratiegrenswaarde formaldehyde in textiel is opgenomen. Door opname van deze stof in bijlage XVII bij de REACH-verordening is geen ruimte meer voor nationale regelgeving voor formaldehyde in textiel. Lees meer>>
Flame-Retardant, Formaldehyde-Free Cotton? New Breakthrough Makes it Possible
The Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, known as Empa, has developed a physically and chemically independent network of flame retardants inside cotton fibers, circumventing a problem often found in flame retardant cotton textiles that can release formaldehyde and be uncomfortable to wear, reports Sourcing Journal. Read more (you may need a login to read the complete article).
NGO’s
Report: Target Leads, Shein and Amazon Lag on Tackling Chemicals in Clothing
In fact, only Target has emerged as the “clear leader” when it comes to protecting consumers and garment workers from hazardous chemicals both from its supply chain and on the items themselves, according to Green America’s latest “Toxic Textiles” scorecard. The bulls-eye retailer, which hawks clothing under private labels such as All in Motion and Universal Thread, maintains publicly available restricted substances (RSL) and manufacturing restricted substances lists (MRSL), the environmental nonprofit said. Equally important, Target has “clearly stated” goals of eliminating some hazardous classes of chemicals in a time-bound manner, reports Sourcing Journal. Read more (you may need a login to read the complete article). Read Toxic textiles.
Target is the “clear leader” among U.S. retailers, Green America said.
USA Biocides
On-demand content for: Understanding Biocides Regulations in the US
The video recording is now available for you to watch online or download. View the presentation slides here. We are pleased to announce that after a three year break, Biocides USA is back on 16–17 February 2022. The fifth annual conference will focus on biocidal products regulation where key industry speakers will advise on how they deal with regulatory challenges and discuss the impact of Covid-19 and other pressures.
Key topics include:
- an update on the activities of the EPA Antimicrobial Division;
- updates from US industry;
- efficacy updates;
- international trends in sustainability and biocides; and
- trends and updates from the Americas.
