The European Commission has passed a new regulation limiting the use of hazardous chemicals in clothing, textiles and footwear.
A new restriction under the REACH Regulation adopted on 10 October highlights 33 chemicals that are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction and can no longer be used in everyday clothing, textiles and footwear above a certain concentration limit.
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The restriction will become applicable within 24 months.
The new restriction was prepared on the basis of a technical assessment by the European Chemicals Agency, followed by broad discussions with relevant stakeholders.
The substances restricted may occur either as impurities or to give specific properties, such as to prevent shrinkage or make fabric crease-resistant. Consumers can be exposed to these hazardous substances through skin contact, inhalation or unintentional ingestion of dust released from the textile fibres.
“The most vulnerable to exposure from these substances are pregnant women and small children,” asserts a press release from The EU Commission.
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By GlobalDataThe restriction includes maximum concentration limits established either for individual substances or for groups of substances, such as certain azodyes and carcinogenic aromatic amines; impurities, mainly polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); metals: arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead and their compounds as well as organic compounds: formaldehyde, chlorinated aromatic hydrocarbons, benzene, phthalates, quinolone and polar aprotic solvents.
