Phthalates

Phthalates are restricted in many countries since they are widely used in hundreds of products such as in electrics and electronics, toys, food packaging materials, medical bags and rubber tubes, vinyl floors and wallpapers, detergents, lubricants, personal care products (such as nail polish, hair spray, soap and shampoo) as a plasticizer of polymer materials such as plastic. However, due to its estrogen-like effect in both human and animals, it will interfere with the endocrine system, cause significant harm to human health. 

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

On July 1, 2015, AfPS GS 2014:01 PAK, the new standard for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHS) control for German GS certified products, came into effect, and the original standard ZEK 01.4-08 expired on June 30. Electrical and electronic products, toys, food contact materials, plastic products, rubber products, machinery etc. all need to satisfy the requirements of the new PAHs tests in order to apply for the German GS certification. On September 15, 2019, the German Product Safety Commission (AfPS) released AfPS GS 2019:01 PAK for evaluation and testing of PAHs in GS certification, which will come into effect on July 1, 2020.

Halogens

Halogens in electrical and electronic products generally include fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br) and iodine (I). Halogens are advantageous in that they are flame retardants, easily dissolved, highly reactive. Therefore they are often used in flame retardants, refrigerants, organic chemical raw materials, bleach, wool degreasing agent etc.

Applications of halogens in electrical and electronic products: halogen flame retardants. The common halogenated flame retardants are polybrominated biphenyl, polybrominated diphenyl ether, tetrabromobisphenol A, polychlorinated biphenyl, polychlorinated naphthalene, hexabromocyclododecane, short-chain chlorine paraffin, etc.

Other hazardous substances

A. Heavy metals

Heavy metals exist extensively in electrical and electronic products, such as wires, coatings and circuit boards. Heavy metals are difficult for biodegradation. On the contrary, heavy metals accumulate to levels hundreds and thousand times higher under the food chain’s biological amplification effect. When they finally enter the human body, it will cause allergies and damage the liver, kidney and nervous system. Therefore, heavy metals in electrical and electronic products are strictly regulated.

b. Asbestos

Asbestos is a generic name of a class of natural fibrous siliceous minerals that belongs to the silicate category. It is a substance with fibrous crystalline structure, containing oxides like magnesium, iron, aluminum, and sodium, as well as binding silica. Asbestos dispersed in the air in dust form. When inhaled, asbestos fibers bind to lung tissues and form deposits, causing organ carcinogenesis.

In 2009, China implemented Determination of Asbestos in Products (GB/T 23263-2009), which is applicable to the determination of asbestos in construction materials, friction materials, sealing materials, insulation materials and non-metallic minerals. EU Directive 1999/77/EC issued by the EU in 1999 clearly restricted the use of six types of asbestos, namely crocidolite, amosite, chrysotile, anthophyllite, actinolite and tremolite, which now has now been included in REACH Annex XVII. The United States has restricted the use of asbestos since 1971 and banned the manufacture and use of asbestos and asbestos products in 1992. Japan banned asbestos products altogether in 2008.

c. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)

In 2009, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was included in the restricted substance list in REACH Annex XVII. Later, due to the modification of POPs in EU Persistent Organic Pollutants Regulation (EU) No 757/2010 and higher restriction requirements, the restriction in REACH was deleted in 2011.

d. EU POPs Requirements for PFOS

Substance or mixture: PFOS≤10 mg/kg

Articles (including finished products, semi-finished products and their parts and components) : PFOS≤1000 mg/kg

Textiles or other cladding materials : PFOS < 1 µg/m² in cladding materials

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