Insight Bulletins: 2016
The below Intertek Insight technical bulletins are from 2016.
Results of China Market Textile and Footwear Spot Checks – Nov. 2016
The Guangdong, Guangxi Province Municipal Administration for Industry and Commerce launched a special product quality supervision and inspection for children’s and infant wear. This spot check was conducted according to GB 18401-2010 “National general safety technical code for textile products.” More…
Health Canada Proposes to Expand the Scope of Consumer Products Covered for Total Lead Restrictions
On December 3, 2016, Health Canada published proposal for the Consumer Products Containing Lead Regulations in Canada Gazette, Part I to expand the scope of the product covered for total lead restrictions under the Consumer Products Containing Lead (Contact with Mouth) Regulations. More…
Health Canada Proposes to Revise Children’s Jewellery Regulations
On December 3, 2016, Health Canada published proposal in Canada Gazette, Part I to amend the Children’s Jewellery Regulations, SOR/2016-168. The proposed requirements are intended to improve the safety of children’s jewellery and to align the children’s jewellery total lead content limit More…
China – 2016 Updated Textile Product Standard List
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China released an announcement No. 56 of 2016 with updated standard information. For the textile product standard, please refer to the following information: More…
EU REACH – Proposal to add PFOA to Annex XVII
The European Commission issued a draft regulation to add the restriction on Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related substances to Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH). More…
Vietnam – Issuance of Circular to Withdraw the Inspection of Formaldehyde and Aromatic Amines in Textile Products
The Vietnam Ministry of Trade and Industry recently issued Circular 23/2016/TT-BCT to replace Circular 37/2015/TT-BCT on permitted limits of content of formaldehyde and aromatic amines released from Azo dyes in textile products. The abolishment of this circular will come into force on 26 Nov 2016. More…
Results of China Market Textile and Footwear Spot Checks – Oct. 2016
On the published spot check report of October, the Beijing, Liaoning, Zhejiang and Shandong Municipal Administration for Industry and Commerce launched a special product quality supervision and inspection for children’s and infant wear. This spot check was conducted according to GB 18401-2010 More…
U.S. – ASTM Publishes Revised Toy Safety Standard – F963-16
On October 20, 2016, ASTM International published revised toy safety standard F963-16 as part of its ongoing effort to monitor and proactively address concerns pertaining to the toy safety. The update was five years in the making and includes significant revisions to strengthen the safety of toys More…
Korea – Proposed Amendments to Safety Confirmation Annex VI for Toys
On 9 Sep, 2016, the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) has issued Notice No. 2016-481 to propose amending the safety confirmation (Annex VI) for toys under the special act on safety management of children’s products. More…
U.S. – CPSC Proposes 16 CFR 1235 Safety Standard for Baby Changing Products
As part of the rule-making process required by Section 104(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has proposed a new federal regulation: 16 CFR 1235 Safety Standard for Baby Changing Products. More…
Results of China Market Textile and Footwear Spot Checks – Sept. 2016
On the published spot check report of September, Guangdong, Sichuan , Henan and Hebei Municipal Administrations for Industry and Commerce launched a special product quality supervision and inspection for children’s and infant wear. This spot check was conducted according to GB 31701-2015 “Safety Technical Code for Infants and Children Textile Products.” More…
Results of China Market Textile and Footwear Spot Checks in Aug 2016
In the second quarter, the Liaoning Municipal Administration for Industry and Commerce launched a special product quality supervision and inspection for children’s wear. The spot check inspected 20 batches of samples covered most of Liaoning province. More…
EU – Regulation Amending and Correcting Regulation (EU) No 10-2011 on Plastic Food Contact Materials and Articles Approved
On 25 August 2016, the Regulation (EU) 2016/1416 has beenwas published by the European Commission to amend and correct Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 on plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. It clarifies and corrects some definitions and testing conditions, More…
China – 2016 Updated Footwear and Light Industrial Product Standard List
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China released announcement No. 37 of 2016, which published updates to a number of footwear standards. These standards include some product standards such as More…
U.S. – CPSC Proposes to Exempt Four Polymeric Materials from CPSIA Phthalate Content Testing Requirements
On August 17, 2016, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published notice of proposed rulemaking (NPR) to exempt four polymeric materials – polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) More…
Australia – Voluntary Toys Safety Standards AS-NZS 8124.1:2016 and AS-NZS 8124.2:2016 Published
On 30 June 2016, the following voluntary standards were published: AS/NZS 8124.1:2016 Safety of toys. Part 1: Safety aspects related to mechanical and physical properties, and AS/NZS 8124.2:2016 Safety of toys. Part 2: Flammability More…
Health Canada Approves New Cribs, Cradles and Bassinets Regulations, SOR-2016-152
Health Canada has adopted the new Cribs, Cradles and Bassinets Regulations, SOR/2016-152, proposed on June 29, 2016. The new regulations will be effective for cribs, cradles and bassinets manufactured, imported, sold or advertised in Canada, including those given away or sold second-hand... More…
Results of China Market Textile and Footwear Spot Checks in July 2016
The new mandatory standard GB 31701-2015 for infant and children’s textile products has been effective from June 1, 2016. Recently, China Consumer Association (CCA) launched a test for some infant products in the market according to this new mandatory standard. More…
Australia – New Voluntary Industry Code for Consumer Goods that contain Button Batteries
On 29 July 2016, the industry code for consumer goods that contain button batteries is published by Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC). The industry code is intended to provide a guide to reduce child exposure incidents relating to the consumer use of button batteries in Australia. More…
Japan – New Requirement for Food Contact Articles made of Polyethylene Naphthalate under Food Sanitation Law
On 8 June 2016, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) published Notice No. 245 to approve adding new requirements for food utensils, containers and packaging made mainly of Polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) under the Food Sanitation Law. More…
Results of China Market Textile and Footwear Spot Checks in June 2016
The Beijing Bureau of Quality and Technical supervision launched a product quality supervision and inspection for Children's wear, . The spot check inspected 7 batches of samples according to GB 31701-2015 "Safety technical code for infants and children’s textile products." More…
U.S. – Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act Passed
On June 22, 2016, U.S. President Barack Obama signed the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act1 (Lautenberg Act) into law, the changes are effective immediately. The Act is the first major change to the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) since... More…
EU – HBCDD Prohibited under POPs Regulation
On March 2, 2016, The European Commission published Regulation (EU) 2016/293 to amend Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 850/2004 on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) regarding hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD). According to the new Regulation, the production, placing on the market and use of HBCDD More…
Turkey – Risk-based Import Control System (GTIB-IRIS) Consumer Product Audits
On April 30, 2016, Turkey’s Ministry of Customs and Trade announced that the Turkish Ministry of Economy published an announcement concerning the auditing of imported consumer products, with issue No 29699. The effective date of this announcement was May 2, 2016. More…
EU REACH – ECHA Announces Addition of SVHC to Candidate List
On 20th June, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announced the addition of a new a Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC) to the Candidate List. The substance is benzo[def]chrysene, which is detailed below for reference: More…
Indonesia – Toys Must be Tested by Appointed Labs in Indonesia
From 17 April 2016, toys entering the Indonesia market must be tested by the appointed testing laboratories located in Indonesia for the SNI certification as the two-year stay period for overseas testing laboratories has ended. More…
Results of China Market Textile, Footwear and Non-Textile Spot Checks in May 2016
In order to enforce quality control on children’s products and guarantee the health and safety of children, authorities in several provinces of China launched quality inspections for children’s products before Children’s Day (June 1st, 2016). Intertek has summarized the results below for your reference. More…
EU Reach – Lead Restrictions Now in Force
As previously announced in Insight No. 826, from 1 June 2016, lead is restricted in consumer products supplied to the public in the EU under Entry 63 of Annex XVII of REACH. The total content limit of lead of 0.05% is applied... More…
U.S. – Styrene added to the California OEHHA Proposition 65 List
On April 22, 2016, the California EPA Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) added styrene to the Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to the state to cause cancer under the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, also known as Proposition 65. More…
China - Quality and Safety Inspection Results of Imported Consumer Goods Published
The General Administration of Quality supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ) recently published the inspection results of some sensitive and high-risk imported consumer goods, including imported car seats for children, apparel, food contact articles and disposable sanitary products. More…
China – 2016 Updated Textile Standard List
The standardization administration of the People’s Republic of China recently released announcement No. 7 of 2016, which published updates to a number of standards. The standards include two important product standards for apparel and home textiles: More…
U.S. – California Prop 65 Bisphenol A (BPA) Warning Label Requirement
On May 11, 2015, Bisphenol A (BPA) was identified by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) as a chemical known to cause reproductive toxicity and was added to the Proposition 65 list of chemicals. More…
Results of China Market Textile and Footwear Spot Checks in April 2016
The Shanxi Bureau of Quality and Technical supervision launched a product quality supervision and inspection for T-shirts, denims, leather belts, jackets, dresses and hosiery: More…
China – 2016 Supervision and Inspection of Uncatalogued Imported and Exported Commodities Launched
In order to strengthen the overall quality supervision of import and export commodities, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of consumers and the interests of the state, the General Administration of Quality supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ) announced... More…
EU – PPE Regulation 2016-425 Guidance
The new European PPE Regulation 2016/425 was listed in the Official Journal on 21st April 2016, starting its two-year transition period to replace the current Directive 89/686/EEC. The Scope of the Regulation has remained the same as the Directive 89/686/EEC with the following inclusions: More…
China – 2016 Updated Textile and Light Industrial Product Standard List
The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic of China released announcement No. 17 of 2016, which published updates to a number of apparel industry standards. The standards include some product standards for apparel and textile accessories such as... More…
Results of China Market Textile and Footwear Spot Checks in March 2016
The Jiangsu Bureau of Quality and Technical supervision launched a special product quality supervision and inspection for brassieres at manufactures, in the market and e-commerce platforms. The spot check inspected 247 batches of samples; 177 batches were found unqualified. More…
U.S. CPSC Approves 16 CFR 1233 Safety Standard for Portable Hook-On Chairs
As part of the rulemaking process required by Section 104(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) voted unanimously to approve new federal regulation 16 CFR 1233 Safety Standard for Portable Hook-On Chairs. More…
China – 2015 Results of the Supervision and Inspection of Uncatalogued Imported and Exported Commodities
In order to strengthen the overall quality supervision of import and export commodities, safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of consumers and the interests of the state, the General Administration of Quality supervision, Inspection and Quarantine of the People’s Republic of China (AQSIQ) More…
New Zealand – Approves to Adopt the Updated Standard AS-NZ S 1249: 2014 for Children’s Nightwear and Limited Daywear Garments
On 17 March 2016, the New Zealand Government has published Gazette no. 24, declaring the current Product Safety Standards (Children’s Nightwear and Limited Daywear Having Reduced Fire Hazard) Regulations 2008 will be replaced by the... More…
Australia Proposes to Revise Mandatory Safety Standard for Bunk Beds
On 29 February 2016, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) published the consultation document to review the current mandatory safety standard for bunk beds (Consumer Protection Notice No.1 of 2003 – Consumer Product Safety Standard: Bunk Beds) More…
U.S. – Washington State Department of Ecology Issues Guidance to Part I of the Children’s Safe Products Act Lead, Cadmium and Phthalates Restriction
The State of Washington’s Children’s Safe Products Act (CSPA) is a two part rule: Part I restricts the use of lead, cadmium and phthalates in children’s products under the scope of the CSPA... More…
U.S. – CPSC Approves Formal Enforcement Policy Removing GCC Requirement for Adult Apparel Exempt from Flammability Testing
On February 24, 2016, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) approved a formal enforcement policy lifting the requirement for a General Certificate of Conformity (GCC) for adult apparel that is exempt from flammability testing per the Flammable Fabrics Act (FFA). More…
Brazil Approves Quality Technical Regulation for Children’s Cots
On 1 February 2016, Brazil’s National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology (INMETRO) published Ordinance No. 53/2016 to approve the Quality Technical Regulation for children's cots, including tailor-made, folding, convertible – when in cradle position – balance and swinging cots. More…
EU – CEN Publishes Specification for Slide Fasteners EN 16732: 2015
The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) has published a standard on requirements for zip fasteners. The new standard is EN 16732: 2015 Specification for Slide Fasteners and it is the first EU-wide standard for this component. More…
Results of China Market Textile and Footwear Spot Checks in January 2016
The Shanghai Municipal Bureau of Quality and Technical supervision launched a special product quality supervision and inspection for leather garments. The spot check inspected 50 batches of samples; 5 batches were found unqualified. More…
Japan Publishes New Toy Safety Standard ST 2016
The new Japan Toy Safety Standard ST 2016 was published in February 2016, and will be effective from 1 April 2016. The previous version, ST 2012 (5th edition), shall remain valid until 31 March 2018. More…
EU – CEN Approves EN 16128:2015 Nickel Release Standard for Spectacle Frames and Sunglasses
On 19 September 2015, the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) approved EN 16128:2015 - Ophthalmic optics — Reference method for the testing of spectacle frames and sunglasses for nickel release. According to EN 16128:2015, the EN 16128:2015 will be given the status More…
Japan Proposes Enforcement Order of the Act on Preventing Environmental Pollution of Mercury
Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Ministry of the Environment (MoE) have proposed an Enforcement Order relating to “Act on Preventing Environmental Pollution of Mercury,” which implements the Minamata Convention on Mercury to protect human health and More…
EU REACH – CEN Publishes PD CEN-TR 16417:2016 Footwear Guidance Standard
The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) has published PD CEN/TR 16417:2016 Footwear - Footwear industry guideline for substances of very high concern (Annex XIV of REACH). The technical report indicates which substances of very high concern (SVHC) may be present in footwear materials. More…