The main driver of deforestation and forest degradation is the expansion of agricultural land, which is linked to the production of seven commodities: cattle, cocoa, coffee, oil palm, rubber, soya, and wood; and some of their derived products, such as leather or furniture.
Overall, around 145,000 tonnes of microplastics are estimated to be used in the EU each year. And 42,000 tonnes of these microplastics end up in the environment from products intentionally containing them. The largest contribution with up to 16,000 tonnes is made by granules from artificial turf pitches.
There are many directives and regulations that address product compliance. Still it is practically impossible to cover all risks for all consumer products. The solution is a broad-based legislation to fill possible gaps and to complement existing and future legislation.
Static electricity is the situation where electrical charges remain on the surface of a material. Rubbing of two materials against each may cause these charges. The amount of electric charge depends on the two materials but everybody knows the effect that (plastic) combs may have on your hair or the static electricity
The aesthetics or performance of products may require properties such as “anti-scratch”. Anti-scratch additives are used when the surface of moulded plastics components must be both soft and scratch- resistant and also hard or tough enough to resist any damage to the surface from everyday use.
Although all PFAS are controversial are not all PFAS substances restricted. It is expected that more and more PFAS substances will be added to the REACH candidate list in the near future. Seeking for PFAS alternatives is a must. You can divide the PFAS applications in consumer products in three major categories.
Plasticisers are also called softeners because of this, phthalates are a well known type of plasticisers. Plasticisers are added to polymers for the manufacturing of plastics. Plasticisers are mostly used in PVC, but a significant amount of plasticisers is also used in polymers like acrylics, polypropylene or
Flame retardants are chemicals added to plastics (including rubbers) and used to prevent ignition or spread of flame by the product (material) when there is a heat source in the vicinity of the product. Flame retardants are useful chemical additives but some of them are hazardous and therefore restricted or banned.
Plastics and rubber materials are both made from the same families of polymers. The polymers are mixed with a complex blend of materials known as additives. Rubbers are elastomers, these are polymers with an elastic property. This elasticity differentiates rubbers from plastics
How to pick the applicable one(s) from more than 150 harmonised EMC standards Start be getting the latest summary list of Harmonised EMC standards from the European Commission’s website. Then proceed as follows
Wireless products require radio frequencies to work. The allocation of frequencies is done by each Member State in their regional frequency plans or registers. Once frequencies are allocated for a certain use, it is difficult to allocate these frequencies for other uses as well without causing interference with
The following standards are no longer harmonised because member states raised formal objections. These standards are therefore no longer sufficient to declare conformity your products.
Sweden has additional national rules restricting certain substances in chemical products and articles in addition to existing European restrictions on chemical substances.