Press Releases from SGS (486 total)
New SGS Lab in Vietnam for Jewelry and Candle Making Sectors
In January 2017, SGS officially opened a new laboratory at Hai Phong, in northern Vietnam. The current focus of the facility is on providing state-of-the-art…
SGS Offers Hover Board Certification for Canada and the USA
Having successfully completed the ISO 17025 audit, SGS is now able to offer certification to ISO 17065 and UL 2272 for hover boards destined for…
SGS Testing for Biodegradable and Compostable Plastic Bags
By offering third-party testing services, SGS is helping manufacturers, retailers and other organizations to substantiate their claims about the use of biodegradable and/or com-postable plastics.
As…
ECHA Adds Four New SVHCs to Candidate List Under REACH
On January 12, 2017, the European Chemical Agency (ECHA) updated its Candidate List of Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) to include four new chemicals,…
US EPA Issues Final Rule for Formaldehyde Emissions Standard in Composite Wood P …
On December 12, 2016, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published in the Federal Register its final rule and an associated certification program relating to…
US State of Oregon Introduces Rules for Reporting Hazardous Substances in Childr …
The US state of Oregon has issued rules relating to the disclosure of hazardous substances contained within children’s products. Manufacturers of children’s products offered for…
CARB Updates Labeling Rules for Composite Wood Products
The California Air Resources Board (CARB) has published the latest revision of its advisory on labelling requirements for composite wood products. Advisory number 384, dated…
Safety Standards for Children’s Winter Clothing
Manufacturers and designers of children’s winter clothes should consider how young con-sumers might behave when wearing such products – and take the necessary safety pre-cautions.
What…
EU 655/2013: How to avoid issues with claims about cosmetics
European Union (EU) regulation 655/2013 sets out the legislative requirements for claims made about cosmetics. The aim is to help manufacturers make accurate statements and…
New SGS Product Testing Lab in Vietnam
SGS opened a new product testing laboratory at Hai Phong, in northern Vietnam on Janu-ary 11, 2017. The state-of-the-art facility is designed to provide physical…
SGS Helps Suppliers of Children’s Cosmetics and Promotional Items Understand E …
SGS has launched a series of webinars to help suppliers of children’s cosmetics, cosmetic toys and promotional items better understand and apply EU regulations.
Each webinar…
US FDA Prohibits 19 Antibacterial Soap Ingredients
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a final rule regarding 19 ingredients in over-the-counter (OTC) consumer antiseptic products intended for use with…
EC Introduces Greater Restrictions on Methylisothiazolinone in Cosmetic Products
The European Commission (EC) has updated the regulations regarding the use of Methylisothiazolinone (MI) in cosmetic products. With immediate effect, the use of MI is…
EC Changes the Regulations for Ethyl Lauroyl Arginate HCl in Cosmetics
On July 11, 2016, the European Commission created a separate category of cosmetic product for mouthwashes and amended the restrictions regarding the use of Ethyl…
Netherlands Applies Updated Law on Food Contact Materials and Articles
The Netherlands has enforced new regulations concerning food contact materials and articles. The new law came into force on January 1, 2017, and is an…
EU Revises Standards for Non-Domestic Furniture
Three European standards relating to non-domestic furniture were updated in late 2016. Specifically, they relate to office tables, ranked seating and non-domestic tables. It is…
BPA in Thermal Paper Restricted Under REACH
The European Union (EU) has implemented a new law to restrict the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in thermal paper. The new directive, published as…
Canada Begins Consultation on Changes to Children’s Jewellery Regulations
Canadian authorities have begun a 75-day consultation over proposed changes to the Children’s Jewellery Regulations (SOR/2016-168). The consultation process began, on December 3, 2016, with…
China Brings Into Force New Mandatory Standards for Food Contact Materials and A …
China will begin enforcement of a list of 53 mandatory national standards relating to food contact materials and articles on April 19, 2017. Stakeholders should…
Korea Looks to Update Regulations on Toys
On September 9, 2016, the South Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) issued proposals to amend the regulations concerning toy safety. If accepted,…
Health Canada Begins Consultation Process Over Proposed Changes to Consumer Prod …
Health Canada has begun a consultation period relating to proposals to amend Consumer Products Containing Lead (Contact with Mouth) Regulations (CPCLCMR, SOR/2010-273). The 75-day consultation…
The 4C Model of Improved Chemical Management in the Textile Industry
As awareness within the textile industry increases regarding the harm caused by hazardous chemicals, more manufacturers are now using the 4C model for implementing an…
Belgium’s New Law on Food Contact Varnishes and Coatings Comes into Force
Belgium has introduced a new law relating to food contact varnishes and coatings. The Belgian Federal Public Service (FPS) - Health, Food Chain Safety and…
Numerous Parties Conclude Prop 65 Settlements for Phthalates
A number of Californian Proposition 65 (Prop 65) settlements relating to phthalates were reached during the second quarter of 2016. They cover a range of…
Parties Conclude Prop 65 Settlements for Lead in Consumer Products
The second half of 2016 has seen the conclusion of several California Proposition 65 (Prop 65) settlements relating to lead content, lead migration and/or releasable…
California Proposition 65 Settlements Reached for Consumer Products
During the second quarter of 2016, a variety of California Proposition 65 (Prop 65) settlements were agreed on a number of different consumer products. In…
US State of Maine Proposes Additions to the List of Priority Chemicals for Child …
The US state of Maine has issued a proposal to designate decabromodiphenyl ether (Deca-BDE) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) as Priority Chemicals (PC). As designated PC’s, the…
California Proposition 65 Settlements Concluded on Use of DEHP
California has concluded a number of Proposition 65 (Prop 65) settlement agreements relating to the use of DEHP in various consumer products. The settlements require…
New State-of-the-Art Agriculture and Food Testing Laboratory Opened by SGS in So …
SGS has established a new 2,340 m2 state-of-the-art laboratory in Uiwang City, near Seoul, South Korea. Opened on November 14, 2016, the new laboratory creates…
SGS Establishes Central Asia’s Only ISO 17025 Accredited Laboratory for Cotton …
SGS operates Central Asia’s only cotton yarn testing laboratory with ISO 17025 accreditation in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
SGS’s laboratory in Tashkent has achieved ISO 17025 accreditation,…
Washington State Proposes Changes to the Reporting Rule and List of Chemicals of …
On October 5, 2016, the US state of Washington’s Department of Ecology (DOE) issued proposals to amend the reporting rules for, and make additions and…
Economic Downturn Affects China’s Minimum Wage
The recent period of economic uncertainty has meant some Chinese local governments have started changing the way they adjust the minimum wage. In some instances,…
Vietnam Nullifies Regulations on the Use of Azo Dyes and Formaldehyde in Textile …
On October 12, 2016, the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade has annulled the rules regarding the use of azo dyes and formaldehyde in textile…
HOKLAS Accreditation Puts SGS Lab First For GMO Testing in Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Laboratory Accreditation Scheme (HOKLAS) has awarded accreditation to SGS’s food testing. This is the first existing commercial facility laboratory in the Special…
EU Rules Improve Bunk and High Beds Safety
High beds and bunk beds have more product recalls than any other category of furniture, and the injuries tend to be more critical – even…
Five Ways To Reduce Fire Risk in Home Furnishings
Although fire safety may not be the first consideration when consumers buy new home furnishings, manufacturers are realizing that it may be a deciding factor…
Singapore Introduces New RoHS Requirements for Electrical and Electronic Equipme …
Singapore has restricted six substances and their compounds for six categories of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). Published on June 1, 2016, the Restriction of…
Japan Harmonizes Clothing Care Symbols with ISO Standards
On December 1, 2016, Japan will harmonize textile and clothing care labels with internationally recognized symbols. Under the Household Products Quality Labelling Law, care labeling…
Spotlight on Hong Kong’s Fire Doors
Following several fire-related incidents in Hong Kong, the effectiveness of fire-resistant doors has come under greater scrutiny. Fire doors are one of the key defences…
SGS Develops Testing Service for Silicone-Based Dry-Cleaning
SGS has developed a new garment silicone-based dry-cleaning testing service. Working with GreenEarth Cleaning LLC to create the service, the new test can assess the…
EU Publishes Proposal to Restrict PFOA under Annex XVII of REACH
The European Union (EU) has announced its intention to regulate perfluorooctanic acid (PFOA), its salts and other PFOA-related substances in a wide variety of products…
Cradle to Cradle Product Certification: A Process Overview
To address the growing demand for quality products that are safer for users and the environment, more and more manufacturers are ensuring that they’re creating…
ISO 17025 Accreditation For SGS’s Food Laboratory in Colombia
In Bogota, Colombia, SGS’s food testing and analysis lab is recognized for its competence to carry out tests, analyses and sampling.
Colombia’s national accreditation body, ONAC,…
SGS Receives Outstanding Customer Feedback for Baseefa Certification
SGS has received outstanding feedback on its hazardous area equipment certification services in a recent customer survey, with 95% of customers declaring themselves pleased with…
Turkey Begins Harmonizing Toy Safety Regulations with European Standards
Turkey has published a new set of Toy Safety Regulations, Oyuncak Güvenliği Yönetmeliği, bringing them into line with European Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC (TSD). Published…
Webinars: Keep Up To Date With Toy & Juvenile Product Regulations
Join one of SGS’s complimentary webinars to help manufacturers stay compliant with regulatory changes affecting toys and juvenile products, between now and the end of…
SGS Publishes White Paper on Household Appliances Pollution Regulations
As the number and variety of pollutants and hazardous substances increase, both at home and at work, so does the range of cleaning products and…
Learn How to Mitigate Chemical Risk and Meet Brand Expectations in Textiles and …
Managing hazardous substances along the textile and leather supply chains is no longer optional. Brands and consumers want to know what chemicals have been used,…
Join SGS Experts at CFSI 016
Join SGS experts Christine Cherevko and Mike Turner at this year’s Conflict Free Sourcing Initiative (CFSI) conference in Santa Clara, to learn about the company’s…
California Updates Prop 65 Labeling Requirements
On August 30, 2016, the Office of Administrative Law approved the adoption of a new set of rules regarding the language requirements for clear and…
