South Korea is consulting over its proposed revision to the Common Safety Standard for Children’s Products. The amendment is proposed to be adopted and enter into force in June 2021 or later.
In January 2021, the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) announced a proposal to strengthen the requirements for phthalates falling under its Common Safety Standard for Children’s Products subject to certification pursuant to Article 17(3) of the Special Act on Children’s product Safety, children’s products subject to confirmation pursuant to Article 22(2), and children’s products subject to supplier conformity verification pursuant to Article 25(2). The common safety standard for children’s products applies to products that are used by or for children under the age of 13. It does not apply to inaccessible components of a children’s product.
The latest proposal expands the number of phthalates from six to seven by adding DIBP.
According to MOTIE Notice Number 2021-052 of January 25, 2021, comments are accepted until March 28, 2021.
This proposal was also notified under World Trade Organization (WTO) document number 21-1469 of February 22, 2021. Per this notification, the proposed date of adoption and date of entry into force is June 2021 or later.
Highlights of phthalates under Notice Number 2021-052 and a comparison of existing requirements are summarized in Table 1.
| Section 3.1.3 ‘Phthalate Plasticizer’ | ||
|---|---|---|
| MOTIE Notice 2021-052 of January 25, 2021 to amend Common Safety Standards for Children’s Products | Common Safety Standards for Children’s Products | |
| Scope | Children’s products | Children’s products |
| Phthalate* | BBP, DBP, DEHP, DIDP, DINP, DnOP and DIBP | BBP, DBP, DEHP, DIDP, DINP and DnOP |
| Requirement | < 0.1% (sum) | < 0.1% (sum) |
| Effective Date | Proposed June 2021 or later for date of adoption and entry into force | In force |
| *Applicable to synthetic resins, including coatings on fibers and leather | ||
Table 1
Definitions
| Item | Abbreviation | Phthalate | CAS Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BBP | Benzyl butyl phthalate | 85-68-7 |
| 2 | DBP | Dibutyl phthalate | 84-74-2 |
| 3 | DEHP | Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate | 117-81-7 |
| 4 | DIBP | Diisobutyl phthalate | 84-69-5 |
| 5 | DIDP | Di-isodecyl phthalate | 68515-49-1/26761-40-0 |
| 6 | DINP | Diisononyl phthalate | 68515-48-0/28553-12-0 |
| 7 | DnOP | Di-n-octyl phthalate | 117-84-0 |
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