Recently, the reporter learned from the relevant departments that the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission revised the "On toys and child care products in the phthalic requirements" will be officially implemented on the 25th of this month.

The revision is mainly for the federal Act 16CFR1307 chapter, the plasticizer (phthalate) limit scope and requirements modification. After the amendment, children's toys and child care products plasticizer restrictions will be increased from the previous 6 kinds of 8 kinds of value, products containing more than 1000mg/kg, will not be sold in the United States market. The scope and extent of the control is called "the strictest in history". At present, Ningbo port exports of toys has more than 10 billion yuan, of which the United States market accounted for about 40%, the new regulation on Ningbo toy export industry obvious impact.

Plasticizer has become the focus of attention of all countries

The earliest restriction requirements on plasticizers is the European Union, 2005, the European Union issued a ban on phthalates (2005/84/EC), for children under 3 years old and can be put into their mouth supplies, The content of 6 kinds of phthalate plasticizers in its plastic parts can not exceed 0.1%. A warning is required on packages containing toys that contain soft Pvc for use by children under 3 years of age and can be placed in their mouths.

In 2008, the United States Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act was formally promulgated and implemented, and plasticizers became restricted substances in children's consumer products for the first time. According to the regulations at that time, any children's toys and child care products produced in the United States or imported into the United States for sale, DEHP, DBP and BBP three phthalates must not exceed 0.1%. Any toys and child care products that are likely to be placed in a child's mouth contain no more than 0.1 percent of DINP, DIDP or DNOP phthalates.

On July 18, 2014, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's Chronic Hazard Advisory Panel released a hazard analysis report on phthalates and their substitutes in toys and child care products. The report recommended to maintain the permanent ban on DEHP, DBP and BBP, and to increase the permanent ban on DIBP. DINP was also recommended to be upgraded from a temporary ban to a permanent ban, that is, the plasticizer to take a permanent ban increased from the original 3 to 8.

Export consumer goods are frequently affected by plasticizer ban

In recent years, plasticizer ban has become an important factor restricting China's export of consumer goods.

According to statistics, in 2017, China's exports of children's toys and supplies were notified by the EU 579 times, of which 166 times were notified because plasticizers exceeded the standard, accounting for nearly 30%. In the first quarter of 2018, 77 times were notified because plasticizers exceeded the standard, accounting for 47.2%.

It is understood that plasticizer does have its excellent effect on plastic softening, and soft plastics are often needed in toys and children's products. And to phthalate as the main component of plasticizer in softening plastics do have other substances irreplaceable effect, it is low cost and good effect, so it is favored by China's plastic industry.

According to the analysis of relevant experts, some environmental plasticizers on the market are developed by compounding, but some purification technology is poor, and the plasticizer contains a high content of phthalic dimethyl ester. Once used too much in the injection molding process, it will lead to unqualified.

For enterprises, compared with heavy metals, the detection requirements of phthalates are high, the cost is large, and few enterprises have the ability to self-test. At the same time, plasticizers widely exist in all kinds of plastics, and enterprises are impossible to guard against.

Promote hard and soft power to cope with the plasticizer ban

The United States is the largest export market in Zhejiang, and children's products are an important part of the export products. According to statistics, in 2017, Zhejiang toy exports 24.089 billion yuan, an increase of 33%. The export of toys at Ningbo port has exceeded 10 billion yuan, of which the US market accounts for about 40%.

Inspection and quarantine department reminds that in response to the plasticizer ban, export enterprises should start from two aspects of software and hardware:

On the one hand is to enhance the "soft power" of product safety management, pay close attention to learning the new substances and limited requirements in the plasticizer ban, strengthen the management of raw material suppliers, adjust the quality and safety requirements of raw material procurement, and control the ban on plasticizers from the source; Strict process management to prevent harmful substances such as phthalates from being mixed in the production process; Carry out testing and verification of harmful substances, and implement batch testing and verification of purchased raw materials.

On the other hand, it is to enhance the "hard power" of technology. Qualified enterprises should carry out laboratory construction, introduce advanced instruments and technical personnel, and improve the ability of self-testing and self-control; At the same time to actively seek alternatives, through the "industry-university-research" cooperation as soon as possible to find both meet the requirements of technical regulations, but also meet the process needs of alternative plasticizer

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