27. June 2016 | All posts, Archive, World news

In June 2016 the Official Journal of the European Union published the ”Commission Regulation (EU) 2016/1017 amending Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of European Parliament and the Council concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) as regards inorganic ammonium salts“.

According to this

“inorganic ammonium salts shall not be placed on the market, or used, in cellulose insulation mixtures or cellulose insulation articles after 14 July 2018 unless the emission of ammonia from those articles results in a concentration of less than 3 ppm by volume (2,12 mg/m3)” –

which is to be proven in compliance with the technical specification CEN/TS 16516. So the TS 16516 is adapted as follows:

“a)     the duration of the test shall be at least 14 days instead of 28 days;
b)     the ammonia gas emission shall be measured at least once per day throughout the test;
c)     the emission limit shall not be reached or exceeded in any measurement taken during the test;
d)     the relative humidity shall be 90 % instead of 50 %;
e)     an appropriate method to measure the ammonia gas emission shall be used;
f)      the loading rate, expressed in thickness and density, shall be recorded during the sampling of the cellulose mixtures or articles to be tested“.

Reason to this regulation were building damage events revealing insulation materials equipped with ammonium salts may, during normal placement conditions at elevated temperature and humidity, emit ammonium gases which may soak into a building’s inside and thus may harm the residents’ health.

The original text in the Official Journal oft he EU you find here

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