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REACH Tests

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Demonstrate that your articles do not contain any substances of very high concern (SVHC) and that your company is fully engaged in conforming to REACH.

Centexbel has developed a test package to analyse the presence of substances of very high concern in your products, such as defined by the REACH legislation. On the basis of this analysis, manufacturers, textile finishers, importers, retailers and brands may fulfil the REACH SVHC obligations.

Challenge:

The European Chemical Agency (ECHA) has already included 38 (chemical) substances of very high concern in its candidate list for authorisation; a list that will be rapidly growing. Each and every company has to communicate to its professional clients, the presence of one of these substances in its products (such as upholstery, carpets, seats…) a concentration exceeding 0,1 weight by weight percentage. This obligation to inform is also valid with respect to the final consumer, but only on demand of the latter. In this event, the information has to be transmitted within 45 days following the demand. Also companies, importing goods from outside Europe to be marketed on the European market, are bound by these obligations.
Because of the fact that the candidate list will be regularly updated (twice per year), it is to be expected that the number of included substances will grow very rapidly. This will complicate a transparent control of the articles (eg. in the case of import).

Solution:

For these companies desiring to check their products on the presence of substances of very high concern (SVHC) in accordance to the REACH requirements and aspiring at REACH conformity, Centexbel has developed a test programme to evaluate both preparations and objects.

  • this test is designed and limited to detect substances of very high concern (as published in annex XIV / candidate list of the European Chemical Agency)
  • this test is available for both objects and preparations

Which tests are included?

Two screening tests:

  • thermal extraction at 120°C to detect the presence of organic compounds
  • X-ray Fluorescence analysis (XRF) to determine the content of heavy metals (eg. Co, As,…), and/or halogens (Cl, Br,…)

On the basis of these test results, Centexbel may conclude whether the products/preparations contain components included in the list of substances of very high concern in a concentration of more than 0.1 weight/weight percentage.