European Commission to restrict CMR in textiles

30 Jul '16

3 min read

The European Commission plans to restrict in two phases a preliminary list of carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic to reproduction substances (CMRs) categories 1A and 1B potentially present in textile articles and clothing CMR substances.

The Commission has considered comments received in the public consultation and as discussed at the Competent Authorities for REACH and CLP (CARACAL) meetings, before announcing its intention to restrict 286 CMRs in textile products in two phases.

The first phase will limit the scope of the restriction to cover the articles where consumer exposure is most relevant and where articles may come into direct and prolonged contact with the skin. The first phase covers clothing, footwear and interior textiles articles (such as bed-linen), according to a report by Geneva-based SGS which provides inspection, verification, testing and certification services.

Clothing accessories, such as buttons or zippers, interior textiles with no or infrequent contact with skin and footwear made of real leather will be excluded. By focusing on the function of the articles and not on the composition, also clothing with very little or no textile fibre content, such as vinyl raincoats and artificial leather, would be included Articles to be considered in the second phase might include floor coverings, carpets, upholstery, clothing accessories and leather articles.

The Commission will establish four lists of CMRs in categories 1A and 1B substances to restrict in the first and second phases.

They will include substances that are potentially present in clothing and are relevant for the restriction and substances that are less likely to be present in clothing or less likely to be released, to be further assessed in second phase.

The categories will also include substances that are not present in clothing and substances that were not present in the initial list, but suggested during the public consultation, to be further assessed in second phase.

Substances that will not be considered in the first phase restriction include those only present in accessories, those bound to the matrix and not released, petroleum and coal stream derivatives and substances that might be present only as impurities at levels below detection limits.

The two phase restriction process will go through the simplified procedures outlined under the Article 68(2) of the REACH regulation, which allows the Commission to avoid lengthy procedures involved. (SH)

Fibre2Fashion News Desk – India

More Textiles News - Switzerland...