Acting on reports of health consequences related to consumer exposure to the chemical dimethylfumarate (DMF), the Commission of the European Union (EU) has added DMF to the list of restricted chemicals under its regulations concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH)
Published in the Official Journal of the European Union, in May 2012, the new regulation bans the use of DMF in any article in concentrations greater than 0.1 mg/kg.
DMF is a biocide intended to prevent or inhibit the growth of mold on leather furniture or footwear during storage or transport in humid environments. The Commission’s actions related to DMF follows reports that furniture and footwear containing DMF and available for sale in several EU member states have been linked to consumer health issues in France, Poland, Finland, Sweden and the United Kingdom.
Read the complete text of the EU Commission’s REACH regulation on the use of DMF.
