SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, is reminding stakeholders that Maryland has become the latest US state to prohibit per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in several categories of consumer products.

The state’s governor signed SB 273 into law on April 21, 2022. Among the provisions in the new law:

• PFAS prohibited from being intentionally added to Class B fire-fighting foam (FFF), rugs, carpets and certain food packaging materials. NB. second-hand rugs and carpets are exempted
• Disposal of Class B FFF with intentionally added PFAS forbidden in certain settings, e.g., landfill
• Sellers of personal protective equipment (PPE) for firefighters with PFAS mandated to give written notice to purchasers of the inclusion of PFAS. Must be kept for three years minimum

These requirements will come into effect on January 1, 2024. Stakeholders should be aware that the enforcement dates for prohibition on Class B FFF depend on usage:

• Airports, ports, refineries and chemical plants – September 30, 2024
• Terminals – December 31, 2027
• Allowed to be used by any applicable date specified in federal law for persons who require to use Class B FFF that contains intentionally added PFAS

For food contact packaging materials – substantially composed of paper, paperboard, or other materials derived from plant-fibers – plastic disposable gloves for food preparation, rugs and carpets, the manufacturer must establish a certificate of compliance (CoC).

PFAS are defined in the law as a class of fluorinated organic chemicals that contain at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom.

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 Maryland, USA, Regulates PFAS in Certain Consumer Goods 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.

SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, is advising manufacturers of food contact products that the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has published a new standard for vitreous and porcelain enamels.

Issued in April 2022, ISO 4531:2022 updates the 2018 iteration in several ways:

• Migration limit for aluminum strengthened five-fold in accordance with EU standards
• Three consecutive release tests must be conducted on one day using the same sample with fresh test solution
• Test reports must include relevant information relating to measurement uncertainly and procedural deviations

To see a full list of the release limits for 16 heavy metals from food contact vitreous and porcelain enamels, see SGS’s original SafeGuardS 056/22.

Stakeholders should be aware that the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) published Opinion No. 24/2018 in 2018. This found that some enameled grill grates released significant amounts of aluminum, antimony, arsenic and nickel. The enameling on certain grills manufactured from steel or cast iron often had an enamel coating to protect against corrosion and facilitate cleaning. The enamel contained a variety of silicates and oxides derived from metals, including aluminum, antimony, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, iron, lead, lithium and nickel. 

The new standard – ISO 4531:2022 – is considered effective immediately.

SGS Food Contact Material Services

SGS’s technical experts have extensive experience of testing materials and articles in contact with food. They can ensure that your products meet the appropriate regulations for food contact materials and pave the way for compliance. SGS offers the full range of testing, including migration tests, along with expert advice on emerging regulations, compliance issues and documentation review. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested. Learn more about SGS’s Food Contact Material Services.

SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full ISO Issues ISO 4531:2022 for Food Contact Enamels 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/hardlines

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.

In response to a state house hearing on labor rate reimbursed for collision repairs, several hundred Massachusetts auto body shop owners, family members, employees, voc-tech students and supporters are expected to converge on the State House. In addition to community demonstration of support, a motorcade of flatbed trucks topped with damaged cars will circle the area.

The Collision Course event is set for Wednesday, May 18 at 10:30 a.m. – rain or shine. The event is led by The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Massachusetts (AASP/MA).

Scheduled speakers include State Representative James K. Hawkins, D-2nd Bristol; Evangelos “Lucky” Papageorg, Executive Director, AASP/MA; Kevin Gallerani, President of AASP/MA and owner of Cape Auto Collision Center, Plymouth, MA; Jack Lamborghini, co-owner of Total Care Accident Repair in Raynham, MA; Guy Glodis, Former State Senator, D-2nd Worcester who led Financial Services Committee as a legislator; and Dennise Caratazzola, concerned consumer from Bridgewater.

The group is protesting the unsustainably low reimbursement rates that were artificially set by insurance companies.

In a statement, State Senator Michael O. Moore, D-2nd Worcester noted, “The current Labor Rate for the auto body industry in unfair and unsustainable. I will continue to advocate for a legislative change that increases the labor rate to make the industry viable and consumers safe.”

Brian Bernard, co-owner of Total Care Accident Repair in Raynham, an independent collision center owner, said the current $40-per-hour reimbursement rate is the lowest in the nation and falls far short of covering the body shop owners’ labor, equipment, training and repair costs. As a result, unfortunately, many consumers have to pay the difference out of pocket, he said.

Bernard said the labor reimbursement rates paid by Massachusetts auto insurers have stayed the same for 11 years.

The rates only moved $10 in nearly 34 years. Since 1988 the labor rate has increased $10 while the Consumer Price Index (CPI) has increased 137.7% and insurance premiums have increased 254%.

Additionally, advanced technology has resulted in cars becoming far more complex and expensive to repair. Additional training and equipment have forced Massachusetts auto body shop owners to invest far more to get paid less, Bernard said.

“It’s tremendously unfair to consumers who pay thousands of dollars in premiums to have their insurance companies tell them they’re not going to cover the cost of their repairs. We’ve done our best to bring attention to this issue, but at this point we need to make it clear to insurers and consumers that we cannot do this work at the current reimbursement rates,” Bernard said.

The final report, issued on April 13, 2022, of the Special Commission on Auto Body Labor Rates outlines the issues that require a vote by the state legislature to rectify. The full report can be found at https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/SD3104

For more information about the Collision Course to the State House rally, visit
AASPMA.org/rally

UK-based University of Essex today announced a series of free online courses on mental health in children to raise awareness of some of the challenges faced by children and young people today. The courses offer an insight into issues such as body image disorder, gender identity difficulties, self-harm, challenging behaviour, and interventions like psychodynamic counselling and the positive roles of schools. The courses will be of interest to those who work with children, as well as teachers and parents. The courses are led by PPS lecturers, all experts in their fields.

Chris Tanner, senior lecturer in University of Essex’s Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies (PPS), said: “We’re delighted to be running this series of free courses. We’re committed to supporting all who work with vulnerable, or traumatised clients through learning about relational approaches, based on psychodynamic thinking.”

On Friday 13 May, Dr Chris Nicholson, Head of Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies, will run a session on Understanding and working with self-harm. This talk will form an introduction to self-harm, what it is and what we know about it. After the presentation, Chris will run a workshop introducing the ‘self-harm spectrum’ through which participants can share experiences and ask questions. Chris has worked in children’s services for several years and, with colleagues, set up The Junction, the young people's service for mental health charity Colchester MIND.

On Tuesday 14 June, Professor Sue Kegerreis, well-known for her work in psychodynamic counselling, will introduce some of the less obvious factors at work in children who are disruptive or difficult to manage in her talk “Why won’t they behave? Why can’t they learn?” This talk will introduce some of the less obvious factors at work in children who are disruptive or difficult to manage, or who are inhibited in or resistant to learning.

On Tuesday 21 June, Dr Chris Nicholson will run a session on Under Pressure: Therapeutic work in residential children’s homes? This talk looks at therapeutic work in residential children’s homes.

On Wednesday 6 July, there is a session to support staff who work with traumatised children. This talk is on supporting staff and how to unpack the stresses of working in this environment.

On Wednesday 29 June, there is also a session highlighting a school intervention, called Be Yourself, which looks at how using a virtual reality environment can be used for early assessment and prevention in children and adolescents with early signs of body image disorder and gender identity difficulties.

The online talks also provide a taster to the Foundation Degree/BA Therapeutic Communication and Therapeutic Organisations – a course which attracts professionals already working in the mental health sector.

Attendance to these courses is free and open to all, but please register your place in advance.

About University of Essex

Founded in 1964, University of Essex is one of the UK’s leading universities, which has grown from 122 students in the first year to 17,000+ now. The University maintains three campuses at Colchester, Southend and Loughton. Essex has three faculties which lead on delivering excellence in teaching and research: the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Faculty of Science and Health, and Faculty of Social Sciences. It has close to 1,000 active researchers and 17,000 students from over 140 countries with an alumni strength in excess of 100,000. It was named University of the Year at the Times Higher Education Awards 2018 and in the top 25 for research quality in The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide2 2022.