The European Commission asks for public comments on substances classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction (CMR), categories 1A and 1B that may present in textiles and clothing under REACH Regulation. The list will be added as a schedule to Annex XVII under regular updates. The public consultation period ends on 22 January 2016.

The list contains 291 chemicals that may present in textiles and clothing, including phthalates, flame retardants and pigments, covering clothing, swimming suits, accessories & footwear, curtains, carpets, towels and bed sheets.

Article 68(2) of REACH provides a simplified procedure, the restriction list skips steps such as the preparation of an Annex XV Dossier to initiate the restriction process, public consultation, opinions by RAC and SEAC and the consultation of Forum so as to confirm the substances in the list as soon as possible.

In addition, the Commission will formulate restrictions for other consumer products. Textiles are selected as the first test case due to their direct contact with consumers during a long period increasing the likelihood for consumers to expose to hazardous substances.

REACH is a regulation on preventative administration for all chemicals to be placed on the EU market, requiring all articles and preparations comply with restriction requirements of Annex XVII. The preparation of the aforesaid list means stricter regulation on textiles. C&K Testing reminds companies to prepare for it in advance.