The use of 33 chemical substances identified to cause cancer, change DNA, or be harmful to human reproduction is restricted by ECHA in clothing, textiles, and footwear as of 1 November 2020. The restriction places maximum concentration limits on these substances or substance groups to protect people’s health – especially children and pregnant women who may experience more adverse health effects.
List of available analytical methods for substances covered by the restriction
| CAS No. (en) | EC No. | Substances | Concentration limit by weight | Analytical method |
| 50-00-0 | 200-001-8 | Formaldehyde | 75 mg/kg | EN ISO 14184-1:2011 Textiles – Determination of formaldehyde Part 1: Free and hydrolyzed formaldehyde (water extraction method) Possible alternative: ISO 17226-1:2008 |
| 50-00-0 | 200-001-8 | Formaldehyde | 75 mg/kg | EN ISO 14184-1:2011 Textiles – Determination of formaldehyde Part 1: Free and hydrolyzed formaldehyde (water extraction method) Possible alternative: ISO 17226-1:2008 |
| – | – | Cadmium and its compounds (listed in Annex XVII, Entry 28, 29, 30, Appendices 1-6) |
1 mg/kg (expressed as Cd metal that can be extracted from the material) | EN 16711-2:2015 Textiles Determination of metal content – Part 2: Determination of metals extracted by acidic artificial perspiration solution |
| – | – | Cadmium and its compounds (listed in Annex XVII, Entry 28, 29, 30, Appendices 1-6) | 1 mg/kg (expressed as Cr VI that can be extracted from the material) | EN ISO 17075-1:2017 Leather — Chemical determination of chromium(VI) content in leather – Part 1: Colorimetric method EN ISO 17075-2:2017 Leather — Chemical determination of chromium(VI) content in leather – Part 2: Chromatographic method (in case of interferences as confirmation method)DIN 38405 Oekotex ST 201 M10ML102017 |
| – | – | Arsenic compounds (listed in Annex XVII, Entry 28, 29, 30, Appendices 1-6) | 1 mg/kg (expressed as As metal that can be extracted from the material) | EN 16711-2:2015 Textiles Determination of metal content – Part 2: Determination of metals extracted by acidic artificial perspiration solution |
| – | – | Lead and its compounds (listed in Annex XVII, Entry 28, 29, 30, Appendices 1-6) | 1 mg/kg (expressed as Pb metal that can be extracted from the material) | EN 16711-2:2015 Textiles Determination of metal content. Part 2: Determination of metals extracted by acidic artificial perspiration solution |
| 5216-25-1 | 226-009-1 | α, α,α,4-tetrachlorotoluene; p-chlorobenzotrichloride | 1 mg/kg | DIN 54232:2010 Textiles – Determination of the content of bonds based on chlorobenzene and chlorotoluene |
| 98-07-7 | 202-634-5 | α, α,α-trichlorotoluene; benzotrichloride | 1 mg/kg | DIN 54232:2010 Textiles – Determination of the content of bonds based on chlorobenzene and chlorotoluene |
| 100-44-7 | 202-853-6 | α-chlorotoluene; benzyl chloride | 1 mg/kg | DIN 54232:2010 Textiles – Determination of the content of bonds based on chlorobenzene and chlorotoluene |
| 71888-89-6 | 276-158-1 | 1,2-benzene dicarboxylic acid; di-C 6-8-branched alkyl esters, C 7-rich | 1000 mg/kg (individually or in combination with other phthalates in this entry) | EN ISO 14389:2014 Textiles -Determination of the phthalate content – Tetrahydrofuran method |
| 117-82-8 | 204-212-6 | Bis(2-methoxyethyl) phthalate | 1000 mg/kg (individually or in combination with other phthalates in this entry) | EN ISO 14389:2014 Textiles -Determination of the phthalate content – Tetrahydrofuran method |
| 605-50-5 | 210-088-4 | Diisopentylphthalate | 1000 mg/kg (individually or in combination with other phthalates in this entry) | EN ISO 14389:2014 Textiles -Determination of the phthalate content – Tetrahydrofuran method |
| 131-18-0 | 205-017-9 | Di-n-pentyl phthalate (DPP) | 1000 mg/kg (individually or in combination with other phthalates in this entry) | EN ISO 14389:2014 Textiles -Determination of the phthalate content – Tetrahydrofuran method |
| 84-75-3 | 201-559-5 | Di-n-hexyl phthalate (DnHP) | 1000 mg/kg (individually or in combination with other phthalates in this entry) | EN ISO 14389:2014 Textiles -Determination of the phthalate content – Tetrahydrofuran method |
| 872-50-40 | 212-828-1 | N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone; 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) | 3000 mg/kg | CEN ISO/TS 16189:2013 Footwear – Critical substances potentially present in footwear and footwear components – Test method to quantitatively determine dimethylformamide in footwear materials |
| 127-19-5 | 204-826-4 | N, N-dimethylacetamide (DMAC) | 3000 mg/kg | CEN ISO/TS 16189:2013 Footwear – Critical substances potentially present in footwear and footwear components – Test method to quantitatively determine dimethylformamide in footwear materials |
| 68-12-2 | 200-679-5 | N, N-dimethylformamide; dimethylformamide (DMF) | 3000 mg/kg | CEN ISO/TS 16189:2013 Footwear – Critical substances potentially present in footwear and footwear components – Test method to quantitatively determine dimethylformamide in footwear materials |
| 71-43-2 | 200-753-7 | Benzene | 5 mg/kg | e.g. VDA 278 – Thermal Desorption Analysis of Organic Emissions for the Characterization of Non-Metallic Materials for Automobiles |
| 56-55-3 | 200-280-6 | Benz[a]anthracene | 1 mg/kg | AFPS GS 2014 – Testing and assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the course of GS mark certification |
| Testing and assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the course of GS mark certification | ||||
| 205-99-2 | 205-911-9 | Benz[e]acephenanthrylene | 1 mg/kg | AFPS GS 2014 Testing and assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the course of GS mark certification |
| 50-32-8 | 200-028-5 | benzo[a]pyrene; benzo[def]chrysene | 1 mg/kg | AFPS GS 2014 Testing and assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the course of GS mark certification |
| 192-97-2 | 205-892-7 | Benzo[e]pyrene | 1 mg/kg | AFPS GS 2014 Testing and assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the course of GS mark certification |
| 205-82-3 | 205-910-3 | Benzo[j]fluoranthene | 1 mg/kg | Testing and assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the course of GS mark certification |
| 207-08-9 | 205-916-6 | Benzo[k]fluoranthene | 1 mg/kg | Testing and assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the course of GS mark certification |
| 218-01-9 | 205-923-4 | Chrysene | 1 mg/kg | Testing and assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the course of GS mark certification |
| 53-70-3 | 200-181-8 | Dibenz[a,h]anthracene | 1 mg/kg | Testing and assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the course of GS mark certification |
| 548-62-9 | 208-953-6 | [4-[4,4′-bis(dimethylamino) benzhydrylidene]cyclohexa-2,5-dien-1-ylidene]dimethylammonium chloride; C.I. Basic Violet 3 with ≥ 0,1 % of Michler’s ketone (EC no. 202-027-5) |
50 mg/kg | EN ISO 16373-2:2014 Textiles – Dyestuffs – Part 2: General method for the determination of extractable dyestuffs including allergenic and carcinogenic dyestuffs (method using pyridine-water) DIN 54231:2005 Textiles – Detection Of Disperse Dyestuffs |
| 2475-45-8 | 219-603-7 | 1,4,5,8-tetraaminoanthraquin | 50 mg/kg | DIN 54231:2005 Textiles – Detection Of Disperse Dyestuffs |
| one; C.I. Disperse Blue 1 | Disperse Dyestuffs | |||
| 569-61-9 | 209-321-2 | Benzenamine, 4,4′-(4- iminocyclohexa-2,5- dienylidenemethylene) dianiline hydrochloride; C.I. Basic Red 9 | 50 mg/kg | EN ISO 16373-2:2014 Textiles – Dyestuffs – Part 2: General method for the determination of extractable dyestuffs including allergenic and carcinogenic dyestuffs (method using pyridine-water)DIN 54231:2005 Textiles – Detection Of Disperse Dyestuffs |
| 3165-93-3 | 221-627-8 | 4-chloro-o- toluidinium chloride | 30 mg/kg | EN ISO 14362:2017 Textiles — Methods for determination of certain aromatic amines derived from azo colorants — Part 1: Detection of the use of certain azo colorants accessible with and without extracting the fibers |
| 553-00-4 | 209-030-0 | 2-Naphthylammoniumacetate | 30 mg/kg | EN ISO 14362:2017 Textiles — Methods for determination of certain aromatic amines derived from azo colorants — Part 1: Detection of the use of certain azo colorants accessible with and without extracting the fibers |
| 39156-41-7 | 254-323-9 | 4-methoxy-m-phenylene diammonium sulphate; 2,4-diaminoanisole sulphate | 30 mg/kg | EN ISO 14362:2017 Textiles — Methods for determination of certain aromatic amines derived from azo colorants — Part 1: Detection of the use of certain azo colorants accessible with and without extracting the fibers |
| 21436-97-5 | – | 2,4,5-trimethylamine hydrochloride | 30 mg/kg | EEN ISO 14362:2017 Textiles — Methods for determination of certain aromatic amines derived from azo colorants — Part 1: Detection of the use of certain azo colorants accessible with and without extracting the fibers |
| 91-22-5 | 202-051-6 | Quinoline | 50 mg/kg | Extraction with methanol or THF, analysis by HPLC-MS/MS or HPLC-DAD |
Reference: https://ec.europa.eu/
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