ZURICH — Oeko-Tex® has new regulations in 2019, saying its goal is again to reinforce consumer protection and sustainability along the value creation chain for textiles and leather.
It reports the existing guidelines for its, “product portfolio have thus been amended again for the start of the year. The new regulations will come into effect after a three-month transition period on April 1, 2019.”
Here are new additions to its limit value catalogues, it notes:
“New to the limit value catalogues are various Substances of Very High Concern: these are the siloxanes D4, D5 and D6 as well as diazene-1, 2-dicarboxamide (ADCA). Furthermore, a requirement has now been made with regard to the extractable part of the metals barium and selenium,” it says.
“In Annex 6 of the STANDARD 100 by Oeko-Tex, limit values have been made stricter for various parameters. This relates to the parameters for phthalates (softeners), alkylphenols and alkylphenol ethoxylates as well for per- and poly-fluorinated compounds,” it writes.
“The even more stringent requirements for residues in textile materials will result in an overall lower impact on the environment, workers and consumers,” it relates.
It also notes that in 2019, two new product groups will be under observation: glyphosate and its salts as well as the carcinogenic N-nitrosamines and N-nitrosatable substances.
The STeP assessment will be extended to leather production facilities in 2019, the Zurich firm says, adding, “The name will also be changed in the course of this integration: ‘Sustainable Textile Production,’ will become ‘Sustainable Textile and Leather Production’ — the product name STeP remains the same.”
Oeko-Tex already complies with the new “REACH Annex XVII CMR Legislation,” it points out.
The substance benzene and four amine salts have been included in the STANDARD 100 by Oeko-Tex and LEATHER STANDARD by Oeko-Tex and limit values have been defined. The substance quinoline, which has been under observation by the association since 2018, it notes, is now also regulated with a limit value.
In the course of “standardization” of the limit value requirements, it adds, the requirement “<” now applies for almost all limit values.
For over 25 years, the Oeko-Tex’s strategy has not been to wait for legislation but to be proactive in the field of consumer protection as a pioneer, it states.
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