OEKO-TEX® Association this year revised and updated limit values, test criteria and by-laws for testing for harmful substances according to OEKO-TEX® Standard 100.

OEKO-TEX® Association this year revised and updated limit values, test criteria and by-laws for testing for harmful substances according to OEKO-TEX® Standard 100.

New items included in the catalogue of criteria are, for example, testing for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as well as the regulation of diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) and dioctyl tin (DOT).

institutes, the Oeko-Tex® Association has again revised and expanded the applicable test criteria, limits and by-laws of the product certification process as per Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 effective 1 January 2010. As of December, the Oeko-Tex® certificate contains a notice advising that the "certified articles meet the requirements of Annex XVII of the REACh regulation (including the use of prohibited azo dyes, nickel etc.), and also fulfil U.S. specifications regarding the total content of lead in children's products (CPSIA; not applicable to glass materials)".

The following new provisions will go into effect following a three-month transition period:

• Synthetic fibres, yarns, plastic parts etc. will be tested for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon substances (PAH) in all four Oeko-Tex® product classes. An overall limit of 10 mg/kg applies to the 16 defined substances, and 1 mg/kg to benzo[a]pyrene.
  
• Considering that diisobutylphtalate (DIBP) will likely be added to the list of REACh substances (substances of very high concern), this softener will also be excluded from use as part of the Oeko-Tex® certification process (in additional to already tested phthalates).
  
• Based on its explicit mention in the EU Directive 2009/425/EC in connection with products such as printed textiles, gloves and textile floor coverings etc., the Oeko-Tex® Association has also added dioctyltin (DOT) to the list of prohibited tin-organic substances. A limit of 1.0 mg/kg applies to baby articles (product class I), as well as 2.0 mg/kg for articles of the other Oeko-Tex® product classes.
  
• The transition provision for total lead content in metallic materials will be extended.
  

A complete overview of current Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 test criteria is available at www.oeko-tex.com/limitvalues. Detailed information regarding individual test parameters and the Oeko-Tex® by-laws are also available at the member institutes (www.oekotex.com/institutes) of the Oeko-Tex® Association.

Detailed information on new additions and revisions that will come into force on 1 April can be downloaded

Here : New Limits for 2010:

Down Load the Latest Version of Oekotex 100 : Here

ASTM Protective Clothing Standard Developed for Applicators of Pesticides

ASTM Protective Clothing Standard Developed for Applicators of Pesticides
The ability to provide the correct amount of protection is one of the important elements in the development of protective clothing worn by individuals who apply pesticides as part of their jobs. While overprotection in hot climatic conditions can result in heat stress and low compliance, some of the existing design-based requirements can result in too little protection, as material performance plays a critical role in protective clothing.

In an attempt to find the right balance of protection, ASTM International Committee F23 on Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment has developed a new standard. ASTM F2669, Performance Specification for Protective Clothing Worn by Operators Applying Pesticides, is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee F23.30 on Chemicals.

According to Anugrah Shaw, Ph.D., professor, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and chair of the task group that developed the standard, ASTM F2669 (www.astm.org/Standards/F2669.htm) takes the level of potential risk into account in making recommendations for protective clothing.

“ASTM F2669 has three levels of protection that allow for the selection of garments based on potential risk determined as part of the pesticide registration process,” says Shaw. “For example, a Level 1 cotton or polyester/cotton coverall, similar to those used routinely for operator exposure studies, is sufficient when the potential risk for the formulation is relatively low. Garments that meet more stringent requirements can be used for scenarios where higher protection is required.”

Shaw notes that the key point of the standard is that it provides a basis for the development of certified garments. ”Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) instructions on pesticide labels around the world are very inconsistent, and often very general statements are used. Part of the problem has been lack of international performance specification standards for the certification of garments. Certified garments would provide the opportunity for the crop protection industry to specify the garment level on a pesticide label. This is already being done for gloves and respirators,” says Shaw.

The crop protection industry and government agencies responsible for worker/operator protection and registration of pesticide products will be the potential users of ASTM F2669.

ASTM International standards can be purchased from Customer Service (phone: 610-832-9585; service@astm.org) or at www.astm.org. ASTM International welcomes and encourages participation in the development of its standards. For more information, visit www.astm.org/JOIN.

CONTACT:

ASTM Committee F23 Next Meeting: Jan. 26-28, 2010, January committee week, San Antonio, Texas

Technical Contact: Anugrah Shaw, University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, Md., Phone: 410-651-6064; ashaw@umes.edu

ASTM Staff Contact: Stephen Mawn, ASTM International, Phone: 610-832-9726; smawn@astm.org

ASTM PR Contact: Barbara Schindler, ASTM International, Phone: 610-832-9603; bschindl@astm.org

ASTM Works on Standard to Specify Color

ASTM Works on Standard to Specify Color
The Proposed Standard Is Based on the Scandinavian Colour Institute’s Natural Color System^®©

ASTM International Committee E12 on Color and Appearance is currently working closely with the Scandinavian Colour Institute to develop a standard based on the Institute’s Natural Color System. The proposed new standard, WK24817, Practice for Specifying Color by the Natural Color System (NCS^®©), is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee E12.07 on Color Order Systems

“The Natural Color System describes colors exactly as we see them, is easy to understand, logical and simple to use,” says Ellen Carter, an independent color science consultant and the recording secretary of Committee E12. “Any of the millions of colors that exist can be defined within the NCS system and given a precise notation.”

Understanding the NCS system gives users the ability to judge the attributes of a color and to communicate and check specifications and identify colors, according to Carter. “The NCS notations describe the purely visual properties of the color and have nothing at all to do with the mixing of pigments or reflection curves,” notes Carter.

The NCS system is used internationally in such fields as architecture, corporate identity, cosmetics, education, fashion and textile forecasting and production, interior design and product design. For more information on NCS, visit www.ncscolour.com.

Interested parties are invited to join in Subcommittee E12.07’s work on WK24817 and other possible standards development work. In addition to WK24817, the subcommittee has received suggestions that it develop standards on the RAL system and the Practical Color Coordinate System. The subcommittee has developed D1535, Practice for Specifying Color by the Munsell System, and E1360, Practice for Specifying Color by Using the Optical Society of America Uniform Color Scales System.

ASTM International welcomes and encourages participation in the development of its standards. For more information on becoming an ASTM member, visit www.astm.org/JOIN.

ASTM Committee E12 Next Meeting: Jan. 20-22, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Technical Contact: Ellen C. Carter, Konica Minolta, Pennsville, N.J., Phone: 856-678-6444; ellen.carter@alum.rpi.edu

ASTM Staff Contact: Thomas O’Toole, Phone: 610-832-9739; totoole@astm.org

ASTM PR Contact: Barbara Schindler, Phone: 610-832-9603; bschindl@astm.org

Will the Care Label Regulation change

Will the US Federal Government consider a care label with an alternate care instruction as given in the below picture