SLOVAK REPUBLIC: STN 80 0055 TEXTILES. LIMIT CONCENTRATIONS OF HARMFUL SUBSTANCES. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS AND TESTING METHODS The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6. G/TBT/Notif.97.240. 1. Member to Agreement notifying: SLOVAK REPUBLIC. If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2). 2. Agency responsible: Slovak Ministry of Health, Chief Sanitation Officer of the Slovak Republic. Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification can be indicated if different from above. 3. Notified under Article 2.9.2. 4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Children's and baby clothing including diapers and textiles for their manufacturer; clothes which are in direct contact with the skin including textiles for their manufacture; clothes which are in indirect contact with the skin including textiles for their manufacture, bed clothes including textiles for their manufacture, coverlets, towels, textile wall coverings, drapes, curtains, floor coverings, threads and yarns (5007, 5107, 5109, 5111-5112, 5204, 5207, 5208, 5209, 5210-5212, 5309, 5401, 5406, 5407, 5408, 5508, 5511-5516, 5701-5705, 5801, 5905, 6001-6002, 6101-6109, 6110-6117, 61241, 61249, 6201-6214, 6216, 63012-63014, 63019, 63021-63023, 63026, 63029, 6303, 6505). 5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: STN 80 0055 Textiles. Limit Concentrations of Harmful Substances. Technical Requirements and Testing Methods (35 pages, available in Slovak). 6. Description of content: This standard is establishing limit concentrations of the health harmful substances (formaldehyde, extractable heavy metals, pesticides) in textiles and textile products. It also states the list of colouring matters, the use of which is banned in the Slovak Republic, aqueous extract pH limit values, and colour fastness minimum values for given range of products. At the same time the standard specifies relevant testing methods for determining given parameters. This standard is not valid for textile fibres. The draft of the standard is corresponding with provisions given by respective Council Directives: 92/59/EEC (safety of products) and 94/60/EEC (prohibition concerning use of dangerous substances). Determination of harmful substances, limits and testing methods is in correspondence with the 96/304/EC and EN 71-3, as well as with other standards and actions approved in various EU countries. 7. Objective and rationale: This standard was developed to protect the users' health, and to provide complex protection from respective harmful substances. It is based on results obtained from the textile products obligatory certification applied to products for children up to three years of age, which was put to use in the Slovak Republic in 1995-1996. In accordance with the Act of No. 272/94 Coll., dealing with the population protection, as well as the Act No. 142/92 Coll, dealing with technical standardization, Slovak Ministry of Health put forth the requirement for a part of the standard, namely Tables 1-4, to be obligatory for a five year period. 8. Relevant documents: (a) Previous documents: Act No. 242/94 Coll., on human health protection; Act No. 142/92 Coll., on technical standardization; (b) International documents: 92/59/EEC Council Directive; 94/60/EEC Council Directive; 96/304/EC Council Regulation; (c) Publication in which there is a reference: UNMS Bulletin (Vestn

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AC T='1'>NMS SR). 9. Proposed date of adoption: Not listed; Proposed date of entry into force: Not stated. 10. Final date for comments: 25 August 1997. 11. Text available from: National enquiry point. (0168)

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