The official Journal of the European Union (OJ) released (EU) 2016/217 on 17 Feb 2016, amended entry 23 in Annex XVII under REA CH Regulation: Cadmium and its compounds shall not be used or placed on the market in paints with codes [3208] [3209] in a concentration (expressed as Cd metal) equal to or greater tha 0.01% by weight. 

The keypoint for this amendment is to extend the existing restriction to the placing on the market of such paints containing cadmium over a certain concentration and further specify the concentration limit for cadmium in such paints is 0.01% by weight. Currently, entry 23 paragraph 2 in Annex XVII only regulates the paints with codes [3208] [3209].

Annex XVII of (EC) No1907/2006(REACH), column 2 of entry 23paragraph 2 is replaced by the following: 

Cadmium may irritate respiratory tract, whose long-termexposure will result in anosmia and yellow spots in gingival. Hard to be absorbed by intestinal tract, Cadmium compounds can be ingested by the body while breathing, leading to hazards to liver or kidney and osteoporosis.

Annex XVII under REACH Regulation is the strictest one to regulate products to be used or placed on the EU market. Therefore, any change to the foregoing clauses may affect import of businesses. So BACL’s suggestion is to learn about the recent news of the regulation to gain more advantages.