Stay Updated with Compliance Trends – September 21

At Compliance & Risks we help manufacturers, retailers and their supply chain partners to monitor and manage global regulations via C2P, our compliance knowledge management platform.

These are some of the top trending topics that generated the most interest in the last month.

1. UK: Product Safety and Metrology (Amendment) (EU Exit) Draft Regulations, August 2021

The UK Government has confirmed that businesses will have an additional year before they need to start using the new UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) product safety marking. Whilst on the face of it, this is welcome relief for businesses getting their compliance measures in place in order that they can apply the UKCA mark, in reality, this is largely driven by the fact there is a lack of availability of UK approved bodies to provide adequate conformity assessment services. That need still remains and there is still work to be done to ensure the UK has sufficient testing capability even to meet the extended deadline.

2. Thailand: Establishment of Industrial Standard TIS 2368-2564 on Electrical and Electronic Equipment that May Contain Hazardous Substances: Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances, Announcement No. 6240, 2021

On 8 September 2021, the Thai Ministry of Industry announced the establishment of the Industrial Standard 2368-2564 on Electrical and Electronic Equipment that May Contain Hazardous Substances: Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances.

This announcement cancels the previous announcement of the Thai Ministry of Industry on the establishment of the Industrial Product Standard TIS 2368-2551, dated 26 May 2008, on Electrical and Electronic Equipment that May Contain Hazardous Substances: Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances. The Standard applies to the electrical and electronic equipment listed in Annex A.

3. Indonesia: Minimum Energy Performance Standards for Energy Consuming Equipment, Regulation No. 14, 2021

In June 2021, the Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources issued Regulation No. 14 concerning the Application of Minimum Energy Performance Standard for Energy Consuming Equipment.

This regulation obliges producers and importers to apply the SKEM mark (the next Minimum Energy Performance Standard) to energy recovery equipment to show that the equipment meets the minimum energy efficiency limits and criteria. An Energy Saving Sign Label must also be displayed on energy recovery equipment. Article 4 of the regulation sets out the relevant criteria for this label.

4. Saudi Arabia: Adopting a List of Mandatory Standards, Decision No. 181, August 2021

The Saudi Arabian Standards, Metrology and Quality Organisation (SASO) has issued a list of adopted standards related to various sectors. The list was approved in the SASO board of directors’ meeting 181, and the standards are largely derived from international (ISO, IEC and ASTM) standards.

5. South Korea: Designation of Toxic, Restricted or Prohibited Substances under K-REACH, Notice No. 2014-238 – Proposed Amendment – (on change of restrictions on certain substances and addition of a restricted substance) Draft Notice No. 2021-175

On 1 September 2021, the South Korean Ministry of Environment issued a draft amendment to the Notice on Designation of Restricted or Prohibited Substances. The draft primarily changes the restrictions on certain restricted substances to reduce risks to public health and the environment.

Specifically, the draft strengthens the limit on the content of Lead (CAS No. 7439-92-1) in its mixtures from 0.06% to 0.009%, and restricts its use in all paints, including paints for wooden toys for children under the age of 13. The amendment further expands the restrictions on the use of Hexavalent Chromium compounds (CAS No.: 18540-29-9) and mixtures containing 0.1% or more, to all paints, and newly designates Acrylamide (CAS No.: 79-06-1) and mixtures containing 0.1% or more, as a restricted substance. Acrylamide must not be used for grouting purposes.

This information is based on the most viewed regulations on C2P this month. If you would like to find out more about how you can stay on top of global regulations, why don’t you Book a Demo today?