On 10 January 2012, the EU-wide ban on the presence of cadmium in certain products entered into effect. Hong Kong traders will recall that the ban was introduced last year as a result of the adoption of EU Regulation 494/2011, and covers plastics, jewellery articles and brazing sticks.
The move follows concerns by the European Commission that jewellery, and in particular imitation jewellery imported from Asia, contains high levels of cadmium. Evidence suggests that skin or oral contact with cadmium has a serious impact on human health leading to such conditions as various types of cancer, lung problems and liver disease.
Thus, jewellery articles, including metal beads, bracelets, necklaces and rings, piercing jewellery, wrist watches and wrist-wear, and brooches and cufflinks, are now all prohibited on the EU market if they contain 0.01% or more of cadmium (expressed as Cd metal). Antique jewellery articles, however, are not covered by the ban.
In addition, the cadmium ban has also been further extended to all types of plastics. Cadmium has already been banned in the EU in most plastics as far back as 1992. However, some uses such as inclusion in PVC were allowed because of the absence of suitable alternatives at the time. PVC manufacturers have, it is reported, themselves voluntarily phased out cadmium in their products over time due to the availability of new suitable alternatives.
In sum, as from 10 January 2012, and just as with jewellery articles, all plastics placed on the EU market are prohibited from containing a concentration equal to or over 0.01% of cadmium (expressed as Cd metal) by weight of the plastic material.
Exemptions apply, however, for low levels of cadmium in recovered and reused PVC waste intended for uses such as in construction projects. In that case, a specific logo (outlined in Regulation 494/2011) must inform users that the recovered PVC contains cadmium before it can be placed on the market, or alternatively bear the words “Contains recovered PVC”.
Finally, the new cadmium ban also applies to brazing sticks which are rods of soft metal used to join metal pieces at very high temperatures, typically used by consumers in constructing model trains and cars. Studies have shown that the fumes emitted by these heating brazing sticks when containing cadmium represent very dangerous health risks if inhaled. Certain professional uses of brazing sticks are not concerned by the ban. These include uses in defence and aerospace applications.
The three restrictions of Regulation 494/2011 were added to Annex XVII of Regulation 1907/2006 concerning the registration, evaluation and authorisation of chemical substances, i.e., the REACH Regulation. Regulation 494/2011 can be accessed at:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2011:134:0002:0005:EN:PDF
