European Commission Adopted EN 12472:2020 in the Compliance Standards for Nickel Release under REACH

2021-06-15

Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 - "Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals" (REACH) aims at improving the protection of human health and the environment from the risks that can be posed by chemicals. In Annex XVII, it sets out the restrictions of certain chemicals due to their hazardous properties such as carcinogens, irritants and reprotoxins. In addition, specific European Standards (ENs) are developed and used to provide test methods to demonstrate compliance with those REACH restrictions.

For instance, nickel is listed in Entry 27 of Annex XVII to REACH, and EN 12472 "Method for the simulation of accelerated wear and corrosion for the detection of nickel release from coated items," which is one of those European Compliance Standards under REACH.

Major Changes:

According to a recent publication of EN 12472:2020, which replaced EN 12472:2005+A1:2009, the European Commission adopted this revised EN and announced the changes on 2021-04-20. The updated list of superseded standards to be used as the test methods for demonstrating the conformity of nickel release (Entry 27 of Annex XVII to REACH) is as follows:

Reference and Title of the Standard	Reference of Superseded Standard
EN 1811:2011+A1:2015 Reference test method for release of nickel from all post assemblies which are inserted into pierced parts of the human body and articles intended to come into direct and prolonged contact with the skin	*EN 1811:2011*
*EN 12472:2020* Method for the simulation of accelerated wear and corrosion for the detection of nickel release from coated items	*EN 12472:2005 +A1:2009*
*EN 16128:2015* Ophthalmic optics – Reference method for the testing of spectacle frames and sunglasses for nickel release	*EN 16128:2011*