OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 already covers a proposed Japanese legislation regarding banned azo colorants

Affected articles are, among others, bedding articles, textiles such as underwear, socks, nightwear, garments, towels, etc.

In December 2014, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW) notified the WORLD TRADE  Organization (WTO) of a proposal for the prohibition of certain azo colorants which can break down into 24 carcinogenic aryl amines. Affected articles are, among others, textiles such as underwear, socks, nightwear, bedding articles, garments, towels, etc. as well as leather materials. The MHLW proposes a limit value of 30 mg/kg, and stipulates the test methods defined by the current European legislation. The planned Japanese legislation shall amend the “Act on Control of Household Products Containing Harmful Substances”. The new law is meant to be adopted in March 2015 and is scheduled to come into force on 1st April 2016. Products which do not meet the legislation, shall not be placed on the market or be sold.

The OEKO-TEX® Association would like to emphasize that testing for banned azo colorants has been part of the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 requirements since its introduction in 1992. In each certification process, all OEKO-TEX® institutes have a special focus on the test parameter “banned azo colorants”. Textiles and materials which meet the strict requirements of OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 already comply with the proposed Japanese legislation regarding banned azo colorants. In addition, it should be noted that the limit value of 20 mg/kg (quantification limit) required by the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 is stricter than the current proposal of the Japanese Ministry, and even goes well beyond the current European legislation with respect to both the stipulated limit value and the number of the included carcinogenic aryl amines.