Latest Regulatory Trends for bluesign® and ZDHC
Chemical regulations in textile processing are becoming more and more stringent.
bluesign® and ZDHC also indicated new RSL. Please check the latest information.
■bluesign®
bluesign® always keeps a close eye on SVHC trends and has prepared two RSLs (Restricted Substance Lists).
1. BSBL; bluesign System Blacklist: content exceeding the threshold is literally excluded (latest version ver.4)
https://www.bluesign.com/downloads/bsbl/2022/bsbl_v40.pdf
2. BSSL; bluesign System Substance List: List and threshold of regulated chemical substances remaining in treated fabrics
(latest version ver.13)
https://www.bluesign.com/downloads/bssl/2022/bssl_v13.0.pdf
Normally, each is updated in July every year, but the chemical substances newly listed as subject to regulation this year are as follows.
(1) MEKO <50ppm (Usage restriction)
(2) Tightening of PFAS regulations, no new registration of fluorine-based water and oil repellents after July 2022
(3) Low-molecular-weight cyclic silicon (D4-D6) <1000ppm (Usage ban; continued from ver.3)
(4) Formaldehyde (Limitation; <15ppm for skin contact, <300ppm for non-skin contact)
(5) Methanol (Limitation; <200ppm for skin contact)
(6) Bisphenol S (Monitoring; <10ppm for all applications)
■ ZDHC
MRSL ver.3.0 (https://mrsl.roadmaptozero.com/) was announced on November 1, 2022. The transition period is one year. From November 2023, only ver.3 compliant products can be uploaded to Gateway, and from June 2024, only ver.3 compliant products will be displayed.
The main changes from ZDHC MRSL ver.2 to ver.3 are as follows.
(1) D4-D6 added to MRSL (threshold 1000ppm each)
(2) The regulated components of PFAS have increased significantly (all PFAS are subject to regulation)
Policy to remove PFAS-containing products in cooperation with bluesign®
In addition, the following candidates were listed as chemical substances that may be subject to regulation in the next MRSL (ver.4).
Candidate List :
(1) Beef tallow amine EO adduct
(2) BPS
(3) Formaldehyde (250ppm threshold is planned for ver4)
(4) Methanol (residual from ver.2)
NICCA CHEMICAL will continue to monitor bluesign® and ZDHC regulatory trends, provide information to customers, and strive to respond quickly.
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