Jewellery manufacturers and makers using silver encouraged to respond to EPMF
24 Nov 2020
The Silver Advocacy Taskforce at the European Precious Metals Federation (EPMF) are asking all jewellers who work with silver to provide a response to the following activity, before it closes on 1st December 2020.
In a statement Katrien Arijs, EPMF Project Facilitator said,
"Kemi has currently included an environmental classification of silver massive and silver powder as Aquat. Acute 1 (M=10) and Aquat. Chronic 1 (M=10) in their CLH proposal. However, it was also clarified that the transformation/dissolution data of silver massive justify a non-classification of this form for environmental hazard, and that the proposed classification should only be applicable to silver powder. As you were informed, not recognizing the difference between massive and powder has very large consequences for massive metal and its uses."
Two important arguments to justify a split environmental classification of the silver massive form vs silver powder form are however currently lacking in the silver REACH registration dossier:
- a verification and justification that silver powder is produced by a special process and generally not generated from massive silver, and
- a verification and justification that silver powder is not formed (at significant quantities) during the use of silver massive (covering both industrial, professional as well as consumer uses).
Attached below are two sets of questions, which are relevant for companies that a) manufacture Ag powder and/or b) are a downstream user of silver massive.
Please send your feedback to the relevant questions at the latest Tuesday 1 December COB.
Katrien Arijs explains,
"Your answers would allow us to collate all information, organise bilateral discussions where needed, and include this information in a generic way in EPMF’s input during the Public Consultation of the CLH proposeal for Ag metal and to update the silver REACH registration dossier. Please note that all provided information will be considered strictly confidential by the EPMF Secretariat and will only be included in the CLH comments / REACH registration dossier in a generic way."
Download questions for Ag massive users
Download questions for Ag powder manufacturers
Source: European Precious Metals Federation (EPMF)