The German polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) require major changes

In August 2014, the German technical equipment and consumer goods commission (ATAV) published the regulation requirements for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that require GS certification for products, effective from 1 July 2015.

Major changes include:

1. Category ii and category iii products are divided into two categories according to the toy standard 2009/48/EC (toys and other products within the scope of 2009/48/EC) and are respectively assigned with limits;

2. The original standard only stipulated the total limit of 18 PAHs and the limit of benzo (a) pyrene, while the new standard increased the limit of 10 PAHs such as benzo (e) pyrene, benzo (a) anthracene, benzo (b) fluoranthene and naphthalene, and regulated the total limit of 7 PAHs such as acenaphthene, acenaphthene, fluorene, phenanthrene, pyrene, anthracene and fluoranthene.

3. The new standard requires lower limits for benzo (a) pyrene in the second and third products;

4. The new standard requires a lower limit for the total amount of 18 PAHs.

The main products affected are:

Electronic appliances, toys, food packaging materials, plastic products, rubber products, machinery and other products that need to apply for GS certification.

Effective date and transitional period:

1. The updated document will replace the previous standard ZEK 01.4-08 from July 1, 2015;

2. GS certificates issued from July 1, 2015 must meet the new requirements;

3. For products obtained GS certification before July 1, 2015, the certificate is still valid, but safety assessment should be done to confirm its compliance;

4. For the re-issuance of existing GS certificates, such as the change of company name or address, the document puts forward the corresponding exemption requirements.

Table 1: original requirements for GS certification:

* if category I limits are exceeded but category ii limits are met, suitability for exposure can be verified by DIN EN 1186 and § 64 LFBG 80.30-1, which are usually supplemented by pahs component migration tests.

Table 2: PAHs limitation requirements of the new standard (unit: mg/kg) :

"*" : article 50 of annex 17 to the eu REACH regulation does not set out a specific definition of "repeated short time contact with skin". For details, see (EU) No. 1272/2013 amendments to annex 17 of the EU REACH regulation.