Further Alignment in Swiss and EU Chemical Regulations

SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, is reminding stakeholders that Switzerland has further aligned its chemical regulations with European Union (EU) regulations.

 

The Swiss Federal Office of Public Health (FoPH), in agreement with the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) and State Secretariate for Economic Affairs (SECO) published Official Collection 2022 1 (RO 2022 1) in January 2022. This amends Switzerland’s Chemical Risk Reduction Ordinance (ORRChem) and further aligns Annex 1.10 with EU requirements by adopting the list of carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic (CMR) category 1A or 1B substances in Regulation (EU) 2021/2204.

 

Annex 1.10 of ORRChem prohibits the use of CMR category 1A and 1B substances that are specified in Appendixes 1 to 6 under entries 28 to 30 of Annex XVII of Regulations (EC) 1907/2006 ‘Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals’ (REACH). The restriction applies when the substance, individually or in mixture, is in a concentration that exceeds the ‘Cut-off Values’ under section 1.1.2.2. in Annex I to Regulation (EC) 1272/2008 ‘Classification, Labeling and Packaging of Substances and Mixtures’ (CLP Regulation).

 

Switzerland also issued Official Collection 2021 927 (RO 2021 947) to revise its Chemicals Ordinance (ChemO), which stipulates the requirements for placing substances and preparations onto the market. The revision expands Switzerland’s Candidate List of substances of very high concern (SVHC) from 211 to 219.

 

Under ChemO Article 71, suppliers are obliged to provide the professional user or distributor of the article with sufficient information, available to the supplier, to allow the safe use of the article if it contains an SVHC on the Candidate List in a concentration of more than 0.1%. Equivalent information must be supplied to a consumer free of charge within 45 days upon request.  

 

Stakeholders should be aware of the following dates:

 

  • February 1, 2022:
  • RO 2022 1 entered into force
  • RO 2021 927 entered into force (requirements for 219 SVHCs became applicable)
  • March 1, 2022 – compliance date for the list of 17 CMR substances specified in the amendment (RO 2022 1)
  • December 17, 2022 – compliance date for CMR substances other than those specified above (RO 2022 1)

 

SGS Chemical Testing

SGS offers a comprehensive range of testing services to help manufacturers and suppliers ensure their products are safe and comply with national and international regulations concerning harmful chemicals. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested. Learn more about SGS Chemical Testing Services.

 

SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full Switzerland Further Aligns Chemical Regulations with REACH SafeGuardS.

 

Subscribe here to receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.

 

For further information contact:

 

Dr. HingWo Tsang

Global Information and Innovation Manager

Tel: (+852) 2774 7420

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: www.sgs.com/cgnr   

LinkedIn: sgs-consumer-goods-&-retail

 

About SGS

We are SGS – the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company. We are recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. Our 96,000 employees operate a network of 2,600 offices and laboratories, working together to enable a better, safer and more interconnected world.

Mintable Recovers NFTs Stolen in Opensea Exploit

NFT marketplace, Mintable, is sending 3 NFTs that were stolen in a recent OpenSea exploit, back to their rightful owners. They found the NFTs on the LooksRare marketplace, which has garnered its own reputation for over USD 10 billion in wash trading and stolen NFTs, while acquiring NFTs for Mintable’s most recent flash sale.

In an exploit on 19 Feb, OpenSea users had about USD 1.75 million worth of NFTs stolen by a phishing scam. Mintable was buying Azuki NFTs for their flash sale on 20 Feb, which is part of Mintable’s ongoing floorbuster campaign to sell trending collections below floor prices. They came across listings for the stolen NFTs and bought Azuki #1178, #4176 and #1180 for about Ξ13.35 each and would like to return them to their previous holders.

“This exploit was possible because of a bug on Opensea, and if OpenSea isn’t going to make it right, someone has to,” stated Mintable founder and CEO, Zach Burks, “For some of these people, all their net worth is tied up in their NFTs and it’s horrible to have them stolen. We like the Azuki community and we want to help give back to the people who lost over $140,000 through the exploit.”

Maintaining a Safe Space for NFT Communities

The OpenSea hack highlights security risks in Web3, and the imperative that users are well-informed about potential threats in the evolving landscape. While 3 NFTs have been recovered and will be returned by Mintable, over a million dollars’ worth of NFTs remain lost.

A leading technology platform in the space, Mintable has pioneered gasless minting, batch minting and credit card purchases of NFTs. Burks believes it is now time to take another kind of step forward.

Mintable is first reaching out to the Azuki project to help identify the community members who own the recovered NFTs, and then to open up a channel of communication to ensure that the NFTs returned remain secure.

Understanding the vital importance of communities in the NFT space, Mintable’s most recent gesture reflects the platform’s commitment to building and maintaining a secure space where NFT buyers and holders can transact with their peace of mind intact.

About Mintable:
Mintable is a utility-focused marketplace, with every feature dedicated to improving the NFT trading experience. As the top technology platform in the space, Mintable has pioneered gasless minting, batch minting, and credit card purchases of NFTs. In 2021, Mintable announced the backing of a list of high-caliber investors including renowned venture capitalist and television personality, Mark Cuban; Sound Ventures, a venture capital firm founded by Ashton Kutcher and Guy Oseary; and TIME Ventures, the investment fund for Marc Benioff. To date, Mintable has sold and auctioned works by Grammy-Award-winning artists, 20th-century avant-garde artists, and various high-profile artists and celebrities.

In addition to the Marketplace, the Mintable ecosystem also includes Mintology, an NFT solutions provider for enterprise, and Mintable Go!, an investment fund dedicated to driving innovation in the NFT ecosystem.

Mintable Official Channels:
Website: https://mintable.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mintable_app
Discord: https://discord.com/invite/FB2br9Q
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpX0bACIfqMCuyXOSudx1mQ

The David and Marlene Howard Antique Collection will be Auctioned on March 19th by Woody Auction

Douglass, KS, USA, February 24, 2022 -- The lifetime single-owner collection of David and Marlene Howard of Ohio – hundreds of quality antiques gathered over many decades of dedicated searching – will come up for bid on Saturday, March 19th, at 9:30 am Central time, by Woody Auction, online and live in the Woody Auction auction hall at 130 East 3rd Street in Douglass. In all, more than 450 quality lots will be sold.

"This collection is well above average because of the care and diligence the Howards spent finding only the best items," said Jason Woody of Woody Auction. “What makes it special is its sheer breadth, and this auction barely covers half of it. The other portion, with a spotlight on children's dishes, will be featured in the coming months. That will be an online-only auction, planned for later in the year.”

Mr. Woody said David and Marlene Howard were frequent attendees at Woody Auction events through the years. “They made the decision to downsize and sell their collection the way they had purchased many of the items – at public auction without reserve,” Mr. Woody said. “Their quiet and unassuming demeanor could sometimes catch other buyers off guard when it came to pieces they truly wanted.”

Two lots could easily top the $10,000 mark. One is a gorgeous bowl marked R.S. Prussia, 10 ½ inches in diameter with a portrait décor and a lavender and white satin finish – the only known example of a Spring Season bowl in the Carnation mold. The other is an incredibly nice Regina upright music box, serial #3500107, fully operational and functioning with good sound. The music box, with 22 15-inch discs, has a mahogany case, curved glass, the original Regina label, double comb and a dial selector.

Many of the items are highly desirable glass pieces. There are many quality vases, to include these:

- A signed Daum Nancy French cameo art glass vase, 15 ½ inches tall, boasting a yellow, white, orange and amethyst mottled ground, fabulous cameo carved chestnuts and enamel highlights.

- An American Brilliant Cut Glass (“ABCG”) vase in the Othello pattern by Clark, exceptionally well cut, 20 inches tall and weighing over 17 pounds, with a thick blank and huge hobstar base.

- A plated amberina art glass trumpet vase by New England, extremely rare, 9 inches in height.

A fantastic example of a chocolate pot marked R.S. Prussia (Iris Mold, Spring), 11 ¾ inches tall, has a rare keyhole spring season portrait décor and iridescent Tiffany ground with heavy gold highlights. Also offered is an R.S. Prussia chocolate set with ribbon and jewel mold, a dice throwers scenic décor and dazzling gold and opal jewel highlights. The set includes a pot and four matching cups and saucers.

A table lamp by Pairpoint, 20 ½ inches tall, features a Venice shade having yellow and white panels with a large pink rose décor, electrified, with a Pairpoint signed shade and marked base. Also up for bid will be an American Brilliant Cut Glass cranberry cut to clear tankard, 10 inches tall, in the Prism and Fluke pattern, with a clear applied ribbed handle, ray cut base and sterling collar marked “J.F. Fradley”.

Rounding out just a handful of the day’s expected top lots is a 51-piece sterling flatware set in the Kirk Rose pattern by Kirk & Sons. The total weight of the solid silver items in the entire set is 1,750 grams.

An in-person gallery preview will be held on Friday, March 18th, from 1 pm to 5 pm Central time. Woody Auction’s 5,000-square-foot auction hall is located at 130 East 3rd Street in Douglass, Kansas.

People can register and bid online now, at www.liveauctioneers.com/woody-auction-llc. Bidders are encouraged to register at least 48 hours in advance. There are no reserves, and there is no buyer’s premium for bidders who attend in person and pay by cash or check. Online bidders will be charged a 20 percent buyer’s premium (or, they can pay by cash or check for a 15 percent buyer’s premium).

Absentee bids will be accepted, with a written statement indicating the lot number and amount of the bid. The deadline to submit an absentee bid is 12 noon on Thursday, March 17th. All absentee bids will be charged a buyer’s premium of 15 percent of the selling price (or 10 percent if paying by cash or check). Absentee bids can be sent by fax, to 316-746-2145; or via email, to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Phone bidding will be available for lots with a low estimate of $750 or greater (low estimates are found on LiveAuctioneers.com). Email your phone bid list to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by 12 o’clock noon on Wednesday, March 16th, and please include your name, full address, a primary phone number and a backup/secondary phone number. You will receive a phone call to confirm receipt of your phone bids.

For lodging, there are three hotels in the area that are convenient to the venue: The Comfort Inn, in Augusta, Kansas (316-260-3006) (mention Woody Auction for a single queen or king room rate of $79); the Holiday Inn Express, in Andover, Kansas (316-733-8833); and the Hampton Inn, in Derby, Kansas (316-425-7900). All are within a 15-20-minute drive from the Woody Auction auction hall.

Woody Auction has an Antique Auction planned for Saturday, April 23rd, starting at 9:30 am Central. To learn more about Woody Auction and the sale of the lifetime single-owner collection of David and Marlene Howard of Ohio on Saturday, March 19th, please visit www.woodyauction.com. Updates are posted often.

SRSI joins MHEDA the Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association

DALLAS, Texas, Nov. 29, 2021 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — SRSI has joined MHEDA, the Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association. MHEDA is the premier trade association dedicated to serving the material handling community. MHEDA programs and services are accessed by thousands of industry professionals each year who are seeking to help their business stay competitive and their employees stay connected.

As a part of this network of industry professionals, SRSI is able to access professional development programs, best practice benchmarking and networking opportunities, all specific to the material handling industry.

“Joining MHEDA is exciting and necessary for us to continue growing and succeeding in our space,” notes Benjamin York, SRSI CEO. “We look forward to showcasing more of SRSI, networking with other industry leaders, and introducing more industry-breaking solutions to the market. MHEDA is a perfect avenue for us to connect with more of the Material Handling industry.”

ABOUT SRSI:

SRSI is a material handling systems integrator specializing in automation and warehouse information systems. They provide comprehensive, turnkey solutions to meet and exceed your performance goals. From inventory flow analysis, slotting and storage systems design, order processing, inventory control, to warehouse safety and even optimized labor and equipment utilization, SRSI has the breadth and depth of experience to design, execute and support your integrated system.

For more information, visit https://www.gosrsi.com.

SRSI’s headquarter office is located in Dallas, Texas with regional offices and remote workspaces all over the United States including Colorado, North Carolina, Illinois, and Indiana to name a few. While growing quickly, SRSI currently has 35 employees and has been in business for three years.

ABOUT MHEDA:

The Material Handling Equipment Distributors Association (MHEDA) is the only national trade association dedicated solely to improving the proficiency of material handling distributors, integrators and suppliers. MHEDA represents close to 600 companies in the material handling equipment business. Located in suburban Chicago, the association provides services to companies seeking to improve their business through education, networking, benchmarking and best practices. For more information, visit http://www.mheda.org/.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Skyeler Smith, Marketing Coordinator at SRSI

info(at)gosrsi.com

SGS Reminds Stakeholders That California Is Ending the Use of Perc in Dry Cleaning

SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, is reminding stakeholders that California is phasing out the use of Perchloroethylene (Perc) in dry cleaning.

 

Perc was identified by the California Air resources Board (CARB) as a toxic air contaminant (TAC) under the state’s Toxic Air Contaminant Identification and Control Program in October 1991. Because Perc is mostly in dry cleaning operations, CARB adopted its Dry Cleaning Air Toxic Control Measure (ATCM) in 1993.

 

In 2007, CARB amended the Dry Cleaning ATCM to phase out the use of Perc, thereby virtually eliminating all health risks. The amendment requires all Perc machines to be removed from service once they become 15 years old or by January 1, 2023, whichever is sooner. This will phase out the use of Perc from all dry cleaning and water-repelling operations.

 

The health risks associated with Perc are now recognized by consumers and authorities. Regulations are becoming increasingly restrictive, increasing costs and requiring the use of safer solvent alternatives. A variety of alternative dry-cleaning machines are now available. These use a variety of alternatives, such as professional wet cleaning, liquid carbon dioxide (CO2), hydrocarbon solvent, and silicone-based solvents.

 

SGS provides a range of dry-cleaning testing solutions using a silicone-based solvent and the proprietary GreenEarth® cleaning system. This can be used to assess appearance and dimensional stability in garments. In addition, SGS provides consultancy services to ascertain the impact of this dry-cleaning process on garments and textile products.

 

SGS Softlines Services

SGS has a worldwide network of over 40 state-of-the-art laboratories, including 10 in China, specializing in testing of apparel, footwear, and home textiles. Their committed team is drawn from multi-disciplinary backgrounds, allowing them to conduct a comprehensive range of physical, chemical, and functional testing services for components, materials and finished products. SGS helps companies ensure quality, performance, and compliance with international, industrial, and regulatory standards worldwide. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested. Learn more about SGS’s Softlines Services.

 

SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full California Phase Out of Perchloroethlyene in Dry Cleaning – an update SafeGuardS.

 

Subscribe here to receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.

 

For further information contact:

 

Louann Spirito

Consumer and Retail — Softlines

US & Canada Softlines Business Head

Tel: +1 973 461 7919

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: www.sgs.com/softlines

LinkedIn: sgs-consumer-goods-&-retail

 

About SGS

We are SGS – the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company. We are recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. Our 96,000 employees operate a network of 2,600 offices and laboratories, working together to enable a better, safer and more interconnected world.