1. EU issues RoHS Exemption Assessment Report Pack13 and Pack14

　　On October 22, 2018, the RoHS Consultative Body of the European Union issued the RoHS Exemption Assessment Report Pack 13 and Pack 14. Pack 13 covers three exemptions, including an existing exemption for mercury in a specific fluorescent lamp (Appendix III, Article 1 (g)). The assessment found that the application did not meet the acceptance criteria and recommended that the exemption be abolished and an 18-month transition period be granted; the other two new requests for exemption have been revoked. Pack 14 covers eight exemption clauses. For appendix III articles 41, appendix IV articles 37 and 41, the evaluation report gives corresponding evaluation suggestions and validity periods. Among the five new exemption applications, except for lead and DEHP exemption applications in specific off-road mobile mechanical engine applications, the EU rejected specific applications for radiation identification. The application for lead exemption in solder for mass spectrometer, hexavalent chromium in specific components of mass spectrometer and lead exemption in specific hot fuses have been withdrawn.

　　2. The EU intends to revise the requirements for phthalates in Appendix XVII of REACH

　　Recently, the European Commission voted on the draft amendment of Article 51 of Appendix XVII to REACH concerning phthalates and received positive comments. A new phthalate ester "DIBP" is proposed in the revised draft. In addition, the draft amendment intends to expand the scope of control of Article 51 of Appendix XVII, requiring that the sum of four phthalates (DEHP, DBP, BBP, DIBP) in plasticizing materials of all articles shall not exceed 0.1% for a transitional period of 18 months, which falls within the scope of regulation and control of EU RoHS Directive 2011/65/EU, EU Food Contact Materials Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 or (EC) No 10/2011. Products are not applicable to this requirement because they are regulated by specific laws and regulations.

　　3. Appendix XVII of REACH adds new restrictions on CMR substances in textiles

　　In February 2017, the EU proposed to limit the use of CMR 1A, 1B in textiles. On October 12, 2018, the EU issued a formal revised regulation (EU) 2018/1513 in the Official Gazette, amending the list of restrictive substances in Appendix XVII of REACH, adding Article 72 to restrict 33 CMR 1A, 1B substances in textiles. According to the revised regulation, after November 1, 2020, clothing and related accessories, textiles other than clothing (similar to clothing in the degree of skin contact under normal or reasonable foreseeable use conditions) and footwear shall not be put on the market if the concentration of these substances is equal to or greater than the prescribed limit. These restrictive substances often appear in clothing and related products in the form of impurities or intentional additions.

　　4. Soluble Nickel Compounds Included in California 65 List

　　On October 26, 2018, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) officially added nickel (soluble compounds) to California's list of 65 chemicals. At a public meeting on October 11, the United States Reproductive Hazard Identification Commission (DARTIC) identified soluble nickel compounds as developmental and male reproductive toxicity. According to California Proposal 65, 12 months after chemicals are listed on the list of controlled chemicals, if the products contain these chemicals and pose exposure risks to consumers, enterprises need to post warning labels, otherwise they may face litigation, high compensation and other risks. LCS recommends that enterprises investigate the harmful substances in products in time to ensure product compliance.

　　5. Canada has issued a ban on asbestos

　　On October 17, 2018, Canada issued two legal documents in the Official Gazette amending the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA 1999): SOR/2018-193 "Order to Amend Appendix 3 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act" and SOR/2018-196 "Regulations on Prohibiting Asbestos and Asbestos-Containing Products". SOR/2018-193 redefines six types of asbestos. SOR/2018-196 stipulates that the import, sale and use of asbestos shall be prohibited, and the manufacture, import, sale and use of products containing asbestos shall be prohibited, except for a few specified exemptions. The ban will enter into force on December 20, 2018. As the latest requirements are more stringent, existing regulations on asbestos and asbestos products will then be replaced by new regulations.

　　About Lixun Chemicals Department of Consumer Goods Testing

　　Consumer Chemistry Department (hereinafter referred to as the Chemical Department) is a comprehensive department which is carefully built by Lixun Testing Group and integrates testing, consulting, training and technical services. At present, the laboratory has been approved by CNAS, which can provide one-stop environmental protection compliance services for all sectors of society. The Ministry of Chemistry is committed to providing high-quality, convenient and efficient services, helping enterprises to promote green environmental protection, and providing strong support and guarantee for the smooth global flow of enterprise products.

　　Contact Way of Consumer Chemistry Department

　　Mr. Peng: 15019245002

　　Consultation mailbox: Dick@lcs-cert.com

　　Shenzhen Lixun Testing Co., Ltd. has been focusing on testing and certification services for 14 years. We can provide you with efficient and reliable certification services in the United States (OSHA NRTL, FCC, ENERGY STAR), Canada (ISED), European Union (CE), Korea (KC), Japan (MIC), Singapore (IMDA), Hong Kong (OFCA), Taiwan (NCC, BSMI), Egypt (NTRA), Vietnam (MIC), Saudi Arabia (SASO), Philippines (NTC), Thailand (NBTC), Malaysia (SIRIM), India (BIS/WPC/TEC) and other countries to protect your products against international trade barriers. Today, with the increasing intensity, we are still smoothly entering the international trade market!