From the European Coalition to end Animal Experiments:

The ECEAE has launched a new initiative with concerned companies across the industry, with the goal to gain acceptance in China for the well-established and validated methods that are available as an alternative to cosmetics testing on animals. We have invited companies to join this campaign whether or not they are already certified under the Humane Cosmetics Standard, so that we can get the broadest possible support for our objective to persuade the Chinese government to remove this barrier to ethical trade.

Both animal protection campaigners and the cosmetics industry are very concerned about the absence of alternatives to animal testing for cosmetics in China, as well as the requirement to do additional testing even for products already tested elsewhere. This puts industry in a difficult position, since many products have been long accepted around the world and companies are reluctant to see further animal testing take place when the products are already known to be safe. However, reports suggest that China is now planning to open the possibility of non-animal alternatives.

In March, at an inaugural meeting at the BUAV offices in London, representatives of leading cosmetics companies met with representatives from the BUAV and the ECEAE to discuss how progress could be made, with the support of the European Commission and Cosmetics Europe in finding a way forward that would meet the concerns of all sides. The productive meeting reached agreement on a number of ways to pursue the issue in partnership and it is hoped to have significant progress to report later this year.

For more information click here.

From ECHA:

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) published a list of the following 13 new Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) candidates. After preparing dossiers for each substance, the ECHA has now invited interested parties to a public consultation in which they can provide comments within a timeframe of 45 days (until 12 April 2012).

After consultation, a decision will be made as to whether the substances will be added to the ECHA Candidate List. Once on the Candidate List, producers, suppliers, importers and retailers must provide business clients directly, and consumers upon request, with information on the presence and safe use of any product containing the SVHC that exceeds 0.1% (w/w). In case the total amount of an SVHC exceeds 1 t per actor per year for all products, this SVHC also has to be notified to the ECHA.

We will keep you updated with any developments.

From ECHA:

For the first time, ECHA is publishing information on articles on the EU market that contain SVHCs included on the Candidate List. The data gathered is based on information provided by companies to ECHA in notification and registration dossiers.

The majority of notifications received so far relate to four phthalates that are on the Candidate List due to their toxicity to reproduction. These can typically be found in plastic articles. Examples of such notified articles are cables, bags, packaging material, waterproof garments and PVC flooring. The second most common notification is for the brominated flame retardant (HBCDD), which is persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic. This substance can be found in articles used by the construction and building sectors such as plastic panels for the thermal insulation of buildings. It has also been notified in polystyrene foam used for packaging and in the plastic housing of electronic appliances.

This does not mean that all articles of these types contain the substance, just that they may. Similarly, not finding an article in the list does not mean that it does not contain an SVHC.

ECHA is providing this information to add to the general increase in knowledge on the use and presence of hazardous substances in consumer articles. It is also to remind importers and producers of their legal obligations, under certain conditions, to notify when their articles contain substances on the Candidate List. Finally, consumers are reminded that they have the right to know when substances on the Candidate List are present in articles that they want to buy. They have the right to ask the retailer this and to receive an answer within 45 days.

From April to December 2011, the Agency received only 203 notifications. This is a new obligation for producers and importers of articles and many may yet be unaware of their responsibility to notify. Consequently, the information does not provide a full picture of substances of very high concern in articles on the EU market. Companies are therefore encouraged to check that they have implemented their legal obligations in this regard.

The deadline for producers and importers of articles to notify ECHA of the presence in articles of the 20 SVHCs that were included in the Candidate List in December 2011 is in June 2012.

The data is available on the ECHA website and is updated every six months.

For more information click here.

From: Bureau Veritas

On 26 January 2012, the European Commission published implementing Decision 2012/48/EU on the extension of the temporary ban on Dimethylfumarate (CAS 624-49-7) which will come into force on 15 March 2012. The limit is still set as 0.1 mg/kg which applies for each component part of the article. No transition period has been deemed necessary since a ban on DMFu already has existed since 2009.

DMFu is a biocide and has antifungal properties. It can be used to prevent mould growth and has been found to cause skin sensitizations (contact dermatitis) even at very low concentrations. As a result, several reports were published in the EU’s rapid alert system for dangerous consumer products (RAPEX). Therefore in 2009, the EU temporarily banned all types of consumer articles containing DMFu under Regulation 2009/251/EC.

Follow the links for more information.

From: Plastics & Rubber Weekly

There are currently six substances outlawed in the EU. However, the European Chemicals Agency has recommended to the EU Commission adding a further 13 chemical compounds to that list.

The new list includes chemicals used in paint production, pigments, ceramics, glazes and metal processing.

The additional chemical compounds proposed for a ban are:

• Seven chromium compounds (chromium trioxide, chromic acid, sodium potassium chromate, and sodium chromate);
• Five cobalt compounds (cobalt sulphate, cobalt dichloride, cobalt dinitrate, cobalt carbonate, and cobalt diacetate); and
• The solvent trichloroethylene.

Click on the links for more information.

From: ECHA

By the date set in the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation, the European Chemicals Agency submitted to the European Commission its study on communication of information on the safe use of chemicals to the general public.

The study provides insights on how to further improve hazard communication to EU citizens. It highlights some key key points, including:

• Awareness amongst the general public of the new international hazard labels which appear on the packaging of chemical substances is mostly low but consumers rarely purchase these chemicals, the labels are relatively new and awareness will surely grow. However, work is needed at national, industry and EU level both to raise awareness and, crucially, understanding of what the labels mean.

• Most people make their choices on the safe use and storage of household chemical products on the basis of their acquaintance with the product as well as other emotional drivers which rely more on experience than on information found on the package. Awareness-raising activities therefore also need to take into account these emotional and experience-based drivers.

The remaining key points and complete study can be found on the ECHA website:  http://www.echa.europa.eu/web/guest/view-article/-/journal_content/37a61697-8fbe-4766-baa6-22fdad2ba1f6

Click on the links for more information.

From: ECHA

The European Chemicals Agency has submitted to the European Commission a recommendation that thirteen Substances of Very High Concern should in future not be used without authorisation. These substances are all classified because of their carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction (or a combination thereof) properties. They are used in applications where there is potential for worker exposure.

Making these thirteen Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) subject to authorisation seeks to ensure that their risks are properly controlled and that the substances are progressively replaced with suitable alternative substances or technologies.

These chemicals include Trichloroethylene, Chromium trioxide, and Ammonium dichromate.

For a complete list of the thirteen chemicals, and the reasoning for their inclusion, please click on the above link.

From the Globe and Mail:

Michael Moffatt, whose business, NexReg Compliance, helps companies navigate overseas regulations, still takes a certain pleasure in pointing to the European Union’s Commission Regulation 2257/94 as an example of why foreign markets can be hard to navigate.

For years, the rule set out the standards for the appropriate condition and curvature of bananas, including a minimum length of 14 centimetres and grade of 27 millimetres.

Regulation 2257/94 was not to be confused with Regulation No 1677/88 – which laid down the rules for cucumbers.

Tired of having the “bendy banana” regulation used as a cudgel against them, EU members voted in 2008 to repeal the regulation. But the mentality that led to its existence is still a powerful force on the other side of the Atlantic.

“The EU is the most heavily regulated market in the world,” says Mr. Moffatt, who founded the London, Ont.-based business, and acts as its director of communications. “You’re going to want to get some assistance with it.”

Doing business overseas is fraught with challenges, and regulatory hurdles are only one of them.

Small businesses have to confront language obstacles, cultural differences, financial barriers and logistical hurdles as they try to get their products into a foreign market. Often, the knowledge to make these leaps doesn’t reside in-house.

How can they tap outside expertise and online resources to help make the leap?

Europe makes a tempting target market these days, especially as the U.S. economy continues to languish.

The United Kingdom, with its commonalities of language and culture, is a common first entry for Canadian companies expanding beyond North America; France offers similar advantages (if perhaps to a lesser extent).

And having broached the Euro zone, businesses can move into other, more challenging European markets.

But for all the commonalities that Western markets share, Europe poses its own challenges.

The full article can be found here.

For further reading click the link above.

From: Bureau Veritas Group

On 20 May 2011, the European Commission issued a regulation (EU 494/2011) amending the restrictions on cadmium under Annex XVII of REACH regulation (EC) No.1907/2006. This regulation restricts cadmium in jewellery, brazing sticks and all plastic materials and comes into force on 10 December 2011 as per the Corrigendum of 21 May 2011.

Annex XVII of the REACH regulation (EC 1907/2006) already contains several restrictions on cadmium in mixtures and articles. Now, these restrictions have been extended to jewellery, brazing sticks and all plastic materials with a limit of 100 mg/kg. For the recycling of PVC in construction products, the new legislation allows the re-use of recovered PVC containing low levels (0,1%) of cadmium.

Click on the above link for highlights of this new regulation.

From : ECHA

Six substances of very high concern will be banned within the next three to five years unless an authorisation has been granted to individual companies for their use. These substances are carcinogenic, toxic for reproduction or persist in the environment and accumulate in living organisms. Operators wishing to sell or use these substances will need to demonstrate that the required safety measures have been taken to adequately control the risks, or that the benefits for the economy and society outweigh the risks. Where feasible alternative substances or techniques exist, a timetable for substitution will also have to be submitted.

Six substances of very high concern have today been moved from the candidate list to the authorisation list, known as Annex XIV, under the EU’s REACH regulation. Substances in Annex XIV cannot be placed on the market or used unless authorisation has been granted for a specific use.

The following 6 chemicals are the first entrants in the Annex XIV: 5-ter-butyl-2,4,6-trinito-m-xylene (musk xylene), 4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane (MDA), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD), bis(2-ethylexyl) phthalate (DEHP), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP).

For more information on this regulation, click the above link.