The Ningbo Inspection and Quarantine Bureau announced today that on June 30th, the transition period of the 37/2015/TT-BCT notice issued by the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Commerce in November 2015 officially ended. Starting from July 1st, the content of formaldehyde and aromatic amines from azo dyes in textiles exported to Vietnam must meet new limit requirements.
According to the new regulations, textiles sold in the Vietnamese market, except for untreated yarn and yarn blanks, should have a formaldehyde residue of ≤ 30mg/kg (milligrams/kg) for use by children under 36 months old. Textiles that come into direct contact with the skin should have a formaldehyde residue of ≤ 75mg/kg, and textiles that do not come into contact with the skin should have a formaldehyde residue of ≤ 300mg/kg. The residual amount of aromatic amines in textiles should not exceed 30mg/kg.
It is worth noting that the product has obtained certificates and eco labels from other countries, such as Oeko Tex ® This only applies to document verification and cannot be used as proof of compliance with Vietnamese standards.
It is understood that formaldehyde and banned azo dyes are common harmful chemicals in textiles. If there is excessive formaldehyde in textiles, direct skin contact can cause dermatitis, pigmentation, etc. Regular inhalation of small amounts of formaldehyde can cause symptoms such as chronic poisoning. After long-term contact with human skin, some textiles containing azo dyes can form carcinogenic aromatic amine compounds, which can induce human diseases.
Vietnam joined the World Trade Organization (WTO) at the end of 2006 and is also a member of the China ASEAN Free Trade Area. Due to its relatively low labor costs and location advantages, it has attracted textile enterprises from countries such as China, South Korea, Japan, and France. The development of Vietnam's textile and garment industries is uneven, with large garment production capacity and exports to Europe and America. However, upstream fabrics mainly rely on imports, especially from China.
Textiles have always been a key export product of Ningbo City, exported to more than 100 countries and regions around the world, with an export value exceeding 3.4 billion US dollars in 2015. According to the EU RAPEX notification, as of May this year, multiple exports of children's clothing and gloves have been recalled due to the presence of azo dyes that release aromatic amines. The inspection and quarantine department reminds textile export enterprises to timely learn and understand the relevant instructions and requirements of the exporting country, and strictly provide qualified textiles in accordance with the new requirements; Strengthen technological research and development, improve product production processes, enhance quality control, and cultivate new competitive advantages; Pay attention to market trends, enhance risk prevention capabilities, and avoid losses caused by changes in policies and regulations of exporting countries and market fluctuations.