Turkey Introduces Regulations on POP Chemicals

Turkey has introduced regulations covering the use of persistent organic pollutant (POP) chemicals (kalici organic kirleticiler (KOK) in Turkish). The new legislation seeks to:
• Prohibit their manufacture, sale, distribution or use
• Eliminate or restrict their use
• Minimize their emission
• Manage their waste

To cover this, the regulation includes seven annexes for the management of POP chemicals:
• Annex 1 ‘Prohibited substances list
• Annex 2 ‘Restricted on its own, in mixtures or articles’
• Annex 3 ‘List of substances subject to emission reduction’
• Annex 4 ‘List of substances subject to waste management’
• Annex 5 ‘Waste management’
• Annexes 6 and 7 ‘Notification forms’

Representative restrictions include:
• Tetrabromodiphenyl ether - ≤ 10 mg/kg in substances, mixtures, articles or parts thereof
• Pentabromodiphenyl ether - as above
• Hexabromodiphenyl ether - as above
• Heptabromodiphenyl ether - as above
• Decabromodiphenyl ether - as above
• Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid and its derivatives (PFOS) –
o ≤ 0.001% in substances or mixtures
o < 0.1% in semi-finished products or articles, or parts thereof
o < 1 μg/m² in coated textiles or materials
• Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) and its main isomers (-, - and -HBCDD) –
o ≤ 100 mg/kg in substances, mixtures, articles or parts thereof
• Short chain chlorinated paraffins (C10-C13, SCCP) –
o < 1% in substances or mixtures
o < 0.15% in articles

Stakeholders should also be aware that the ethers (tetrabromodiphenyl, pentabromodiphenyl, hexabromodiphenyl, heptabromodiphenyl, decabromodiphenyl) are exempt in electrical and electronic equipment under Number 28300 of May 22, 2012 and must be below 0.1% in recycled materials.

Published on November 14, 2018, the new law broadly mirrors the European Union’s Regulation (EC) 850/2004 for POP chemicals. Annexes 1 to 5 contain many of the same POP chemicals and the scope and requirements are largely similar.

Stakeholders should be aware Turkey has also listed the following chemicals under its POP legislation:
• Dicofol – a pesticide used in agriculture (prohibited under Annex 1)
• Decabromodiphenyl ether – a commercial mixture of Deca-BDE that is used as a flame retardant in a wide variety of applications (adhesives, coatings, inks, plastics, textiles and sealants). It is restricted under Annex 2 and is a chemical listed under Annex A (elimination) in the Stockholm Convention

The approach to Deca-BDE differs between the European Union and Turkey. In the EU it is restricted under entry 67 to Annex XVII of REACH, which is not the same in scope and requirements to Turkey’s POP legislation.

Published in the Resmi Gazete on November 14, 2018, as Number 30595, the legislation has two effective dates. The full POP legislation came into effect on November 14, 2018, except for the prohibited POP chemicals listed in Annex 1 that are in articles and restricted POP chemicals listed in Annex 2 that are in articles. For these, the effective date is May 14, 2019.

SGS Chemical Testing Services
With a global network of testing laboratories, SGS can conduct chemical, mechanical or physical property tests to ensure products are safe and compliant with regulations around the world. Learn more about SGS’s Chemical Testing Services. [www.sgs.com/en/consumer-goods-retail/hardgoods/home-furnishings-and-houseware/testing/chemical-testing]

SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full Turkey Regulates POP Chemicals SafeGuardS. [www.sgs.com/en/news/2018/12/safeguards-15718-turkey-regulates-pop-chemicals]

Subscribe here, www.sgs.com/subscribesg, to receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.

For further information contact:

Hingwo Tsang
Global Information and Innovation Manager
Tel:(+852) 2774 7420
Email: crs.media@sgs.com
Website: www.sgs.com/cgnr

About SGS
SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 95,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,400 offices and laboratories around the world.

1, Mons Calpe
Chitcombe Road
Broad Oak
Rye
East Sussex
TN31 6EU

This release was published on openPR.