Satra promotes testing facilities ahead of EC’s chromium deadline
Leather and footwear testing organisation Satra is promoting its services for companies wishing to verify leathers are compliant with the new European Commission ruling on chromium, which comes into effect on May 1.
Leather articles, or articles which contain leather parts that will come into contact with the human skin, that contain chromium VI above 3 mg/kg (on dry weight of leather) will be prohibited.
This has been a requirement for personal protection equipment containing leather for several years but the extension will now include footwear with leather linings, leather clothes, some leather furniture and accessories such as belts, wallets and bags.
The vast majority of chrome tanned leather will contain chromium in its trivalent state which is not considered to be harmful but chromium VI can be present in the final product either as a result of the tanning process or by oxidation during transport or storage, according to Satra.
The many misconceptions surrounding chrome, leather and health are addressed as part of World Leather’s latest initiative, Nothing to Hide, through which leading authorities dispel the myths through a series of essays. They will be published in World Leather, and the Nothing to Hide website will launch in the coming weeks.
