Brazil is proposing to strengthen lead content requirements for paints and similar surface coating materials. Comments are accepted until early February 2018.

SAFEGUARDS | Hardgoods NO. 003/18

In December 2017, the World Trade Organization (WTO) circulated a proposal from Brazil to strengthen its national law on lead in paints and similar surface coating materials.

The draft bill [1], attached to WTO document number 17-7033 [2] and notified under G/TBT/N/BRA/768, would repeal Law no. 11,762 of August 1, 2008 [3]. The proposal contains a number of important provisions, including the following:

  • Strengthening the lead content limit by approximately 7-fold

  • Paints and similar surface coating materials complying with existing laws that are manufactured or imported before the new law becomes effective may remain on the market until stocks are exhausted

According to the proposal, the following products are exempt from the scope:

  • Inks used in anti-theft devices for cash handling and certified by the Brazilian Conformity Assessment System (SBAC)

  • Products regulated by Law no. 6.360 of September 1976 [4] and its amendments by the National Health Surveillance Agency (Agência Nacional de Vigilância Sanitária, Anvisa)

There are three effective dates:

  • One year from the date of publication in the Diário Oficial da União (DOU) for paints and similar surface coatings for products other than those indicated below

  • Three years from the date of publication in the DOU for paints and similar surface coatings for the following:

    • Agriculture and industrial equipment

    • Anticorrosive paint-based treatments

    • Exclusively for artistic use

    • Household appliances and metal furniture

    • Industrial, agricultural and commercial metal structures

    • Motor vehicles, airplanes, vessels and railway wagons

  • Five years from the date of publication in the DOU for traffic signaling and security equipment

According to the WTO document, the final date for comments is February 5, 2018.

A comparison of the proposal and Law No. 11,762 of August 1, 2008, is summarized in Table 1.

Proposal under WTO document Number 17-7033
 Law Number 11,762 of August 1, 2008
Scope Paints and similar surface coating materials Paints and similar surface coating materials
Requirement for lead (dry or non-volatile content) ≤ 90 ppm ≤ 600 ppm
Effective date Date of publication in the DOU 2009

Throughout our global network of laboratories, we are able to provide a range of services, including analytical testing and consultancy, for lead in paints and similar surface coatings for international markets. Please do not hesitate to contact us for further information.

Stakeholders are advised to comply with the latest requirements for lead in paints and similar surface coating materials for the Brazilian market.

For enquiries, please contact:

Hingwo Tsang
 Global Information and Innovation Manager
t: +852 2774 7420

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SGS SA published this content on 11 January 2018 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 11 January 2018 08:14:10 UTC.

Original documenthttp://www.sgs.com/en/news/2018/01/safeguards-00318-brazil-proposes-to-strengthen-lead-requirements-in-paints

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