Trade Alert: Leather Export Caution Six Valence Chromium

In order to make leather products with good strength, handle and heat and moisture resistance, leather exporting enterprises almost use chrome tanning when producing light leather, but in the process of chrome tanning, six valent chromium will be formed, which will have a great impact on the human body and environment.

Western countries have strict requirements for the six valent chromium in leather products. The EU allows the highest content of six valent chromium in leather products to be 3.0mg/kg. In April 19, 2010, the German Federal Ministry of food, agriculture and consumer protection issued the G/TBT/N/DEU/11 circular, the eighteenth revision of the act of commodity law, which stipulates that no leather products such as leather bags, knapsacks, textiles, watchbands, shoes and toys can be detected in the final products. The notice is to be approved and entered into force in 2010, and the deadline for commencement of the review will be 60 days from the date of the communication.

　
For this reason, the inspection and quarantine department suggests that the enterprises concerned should test the chromium powder used in leather making, check whether the content of six valence chromium and six valent chromium are exceeding the standard, and adjust the leather making process to prevent trivalent chromium from being oxidized to six valent chromium, including using vegetable tanning agent for retanning, adding antioxidants in the process of fatliquoring, and avoiding drying under direct sunlight. At the same time, as the final control of the product, enterprises should effectively detect the products and further improve the quality of leather products, so as to prevent the EU's notification due to quality problems, resulting in unnecessary losses.