German-based Hohenstein Institute has a great importance with its laboratory, tests and research for the establishment of qualities and standards demanded by the global textile and ready wear sector. Having served the sector and contributed to the improvement of quality of the textile products with the innovative works since 1946, Hohenstein and the other institutes in Europe set up Oeko-Tex® Association and created the concept of “Standard” in the sector with the label of Oeko-Tex® Standard 100.
In today’s world where the concept of traceability is very important in the produced textile products, the European manufacturers do not prefer the products without a label. At this point, the label of Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 gains importance.
Harmful to Environment and Human Health
Providing a comprehensive range of test and certification applications that can be easily relied in the tested and approved decision taking processes in product development and marketing, Hohenstein Institute pointed out to the measures taken in this respect in Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 after the campaigns aiming at showing the potential hazards of perfluorononanoic acid used in the textile products.
PFOA, a synthetic chemical agent, is used in the fabrics to facilitate polymerization in the production of fluoro-polymers, that is, to make the fabrics impermeable to water. However, when C8 is directly used in the production of fluoro-telomere based water- and oil-proof products, hazards to human health and environment come out.
Bill Fielder from AGC Chemicals Americas Inc. said that: “In 2006, American Environmental Protection Association invited the producers of fluoro chemical agents to participate in the initiative called 2010/15 PFOA Stewardship Programme. The participants promised to reduce the rate of PFOA and other long chain PFCs by 95 % until 2010 and to terminate the use of PFOA and PFCs by 2015.
With this concern about the long chain PFCs, C6 products based on short chain fluoro-telomere became subject to strict examination as an alternative to C8. Thus, short chain C6-based products are controlled by the industry and regulators. Demanding the products to comply with the newly emerging safety and sustainability concepts, the members of Fluoro Council works together with EPA and produces data about C6s.
Considering the increasing concern about PFOA and long chain PFCs and the trends envisaging the gradual removal of C8 products from the market, transition to C6 based products is a smart decision.” and continued by saying: “However, this new technology cannot be an alternative to C8s suddenly. For sure, we need changes in formulation and processes. It is important that manufacturers receive technical support for understanding and implementing the best processes and procedures.”
New Restrictions
In addition to its restrictions related to PFOA, Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 will make another four long chain perfluorine compounds subject to these criteria and they will be exposed to restrictions similar to those of PFOA. These four compounds are perfluoro-n-undecanoic acid/ henicosafluoroundecanoic acid (CAS2058-4-8), perfluoro-n-dodecanoic acid/ tricosafluorododecanoic acid (CAS307-55-1), perfluorotridecanoic acid/pentacosafluorotridecanoic acid (CAS 72629-94-8) and perfluorotetradecanoic acid/ heptacosafluorotetradecanoic acid (CAS 376-06-7). This is because of the fact that these chemicals are included in the ECHA Candidate List within the scope of REACH proposal as “high risk agents” (SVHC).
With these two measures, Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 shows its loyalty to the initiative of “Zero Diffusion of Hazardous Chemicals” (ZDHC) through which it supports the international brands. After a three-month transition period, the new sanctions came into effect on 1 April 2014.
