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The list of substances subject to the ban on use is always adapted to the latest findings and is revised at regular inter vals. The so called POP‘s (Persistant Organic Pollutants) are generally forbidden to use.The introduction of the REACH guideline has created a new basis for the evaluation and assessment of chemicals. The list of the so-called SVHC substances (Substances of Very High Concern), ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) is extended at irregular intervals.
Only a few of the chemicals hither to indicated in this list are of relevance for the field of textile floor coverings. When the SVHC list has been updated and published by ECHA, GUT checks whether new substances relevant for textile floor coverings have been included and, if necessary, will adjust its test and licensing criteria accordingly.
The substances listed in the tables below are either subject to a ban on use or have been allocated a limit value. For details, if necessary, please see either the relevant chapters covering the respective substance or the appendix.
Dyes and pigments, in par ticular azodyes, which, under reductive conditions, release carcinogenic amines, must not be used.
Allergenic (sensitising) dyes must not be used.
An active biocidal, biostatic or fungicidal finish* of the textile floor covering is not permissible. If a manufacturer offers in the market textile floor coverings with and without finish, the GUT licence may be used only for the product without the finish (* except the treatment is GUT approved)
For substances having a biocidal, biostatic or fungicidal effect that are used for the preser vation (or in-can preser vation) of initial products (including fibres of natural raw materials), the following limit values apply:
The use of formaldehyde or of finishing chemicals releasing formaldehyde is not permissible. (See also emission limit value for HCHO)
As a protection against moth and beetle infestation, wool fibres may be finished only with permethrine. The use of other substances– these expressly include also other pyrethroids – is not permissible for finishing. In order to ensure safe finishing of the wool and to prevent the occurrence of resistances, the minimum quantity applied must amount to 75 mg/kg of wool. The permissible maximum quantity amounts to 210 mg/kg of wool. Sprayed application is not permissible.
If the wool share was treated with permethrine, textile floor coverings containing more than 15% of wool fibres must be marked as follows:
If textile floor coverings having a wool fibre share exceeding 15% have not been finished with moth and beetle repellent, the product must be marked as follows:
A permethrine content of up to 1 mg/kg is considered to be a contamination of the non-finished wool.
This marking will be done automatically on the GUT licencing documents.
For the PAH content in textile floor coverings and in raw materials used for the manufacture of the back coating of textile floor coverings the limit values listed below are binding.
The following inorganic fibre-like materials must not be used in either the surface layer or in order to reinforce the back coating.
Finishes on the basis of PFOS and PFOA (“C8”) are not permissible.
For the manufacture of foam coatings, there is a ban on the use of the vulcanisation accelerator Zn-diethylditho-carbamat (ZDEC).