The European Commission has published Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/227 amending Annex XVII to REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006.

The Regulation introduces a restriction on the use of the substance decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE) under entry no. 67 of Annex XVII of REACH.

This Regulation shall be effective from 2 March 2017, and the requirement of the restrictions for decaBDE shall be fulfilled by 2 March 2019.

The requirement is that the substance after 2 March 2019:

1. Shall not be manufactured or placed on the market as a substance on its own.

2. Shall not be used in the production of, or placed on the market in:

a. another substance, as a constituent;

b. a mixture;

c. an article, or any part thereof, in a concentration equal to or greater than 0,1 % by weight.

DecaBDE has uses as a flame retardant for textile products. It is also known to be used as a flame retardant added to plastic articles, and also adhesives, sealants, coatings and inks. The reason for the restriction is because decaBDE is a persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substance.

A link to the regulation is below

http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=uriserv:OJ.L_.
2017.035.01.0006.01.ENG&toc=OJ:L:2017:035:TOC

Intertek Softlines focuses on textile and footwear service, which is one of the earliest businesses that Intertek developed in China. Starting from 1989, Intertek Softlines has set up laboratories and offices in textile and footwear industry clusters, and now can support its customers through its network of more than 20 laboratories and offices and over 2000 experts and professionals around China.

We can not only offer testing and certification services for finished products including textile and garment, shoes and leather goods, but also help companies to ｅｘｅｃute quality control over the whole industry chain from raw material to finished products.

Our Main Services:

• Textile, Apparel and Accessories testing
• Footwear and Material testing
• Handbag & Leather Goods testing
• Individual Protective Equipment (PPE) testing and certification
• Restricted substances testing

About Intertek

Intertek is a leading Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide. Our network of more than 1,000 laboratories and offices and more than 100 countries, delivers innovative and bespoke Assurance, Testing, Inspection and Certification solutions for our customers’ operations and supply chains. Intertek Total Quality Assurance expertise, delivered consistently with precision, pace and passion, enabling our customers to power ahead safely.

www.intertek.com.cn