It's been reported that Oeko-Tex Standard 100, an international testing and certification system for textiles, limiting the use of certain chemicals has banned the use of two types of fabric flame retardants and have also restricted the use of certain phthalates in interior textiles and outerwear.
Included now are: Brominated flame retardants decaBDE (decabromodiphenyl ether) and HBCDD (hexabromocyclododecane) , in the new test parameters and which will be banned under new Oeko-Tex Standard 100 criteria.
Phthalates or phthalate esters, are esters of phthalic acid and are mainly used as plasticizers (substances added to plastics to increase their flexibility) are already being phased out of many products in the United States and European Union over health concerns. The new restrictions from Oeko-Tex therefore come as no surprise.
“In 2009 we will also restrict the use of these chemicals on product classes three and four which include textiles that do not come into direct contact with the skin as well as interior textiles,” Helmut Müller of Oeko-Tex.
Oeko-Tex
http://www.oeko-tex.com/
