CEN TC 351 - Construction Products, Assessment of Release of Dangerous Substances NORMAPME Mirror Committee

This is the Mirror Committee for TC 351 - Construction Products, Assessment of Release of Dangerous Substances. The Mirror Committee is the group of SMEs that support the NORMAPME expert in presenting the views of SMEs during the drafting of standard.

Committee 351 aims at the development of test methods for release scenario of dangerous substances from construction products. Ms Csilla Csiha supported by the German Timber Council and working for University of West Hungary was nominated NORMAPME expert on this Technical Committee.

The members of NORMAPME have shown the interest in this subject, because the standardisation work will regard the intended use of a product. The deliverables will not concern the contents of substances in the item itself, but the release scenario of the products e.g. when working with them on work sites.

At the moment, a number of Member States (MS) have their own regulations on dangerous substances. This situation results in different testing methods and in consequence in mounting costs for industry since mutual acceptance of test results is not possible due to the differences in test methods.

In addition, SMEs are affected by health and environmental regulation as they have hardly any capacity neither to change the products, production method, raw materials nor to prove whether their products are fit to be used. In this matter SMEs hope that a concept of WT (without testing) or WFT (without further testing) will be a helpful tool.

As a result of TC 351 work a list of substances to be approached has been developed. NORMAPME has sent it to its members. This way, NORMAPME members could verify, whether their products, releasing some chemical substances, would be subject to the new tests methods, and if needed, join the work.

Furthermore, a study is conducted to provide information about barriers to trade. Any difficulty of a producer exporting his construction products to another Members State because of differences in regulation regarding the environmental aspects of the product should be regarded as a barrier to trade. On the other hand, some committee members raised opinions that it is not only the regulation of MS but the one of European Level also. NORMAPME Expert supported this opinion. At the moment examples of such barriers are being collected. On the basis of expert’s reports, NORMAPME prepared a circular with a list of examples, asking members to come up with the barriers they have encountered.

The TC 351 working groups have made also progress in the subject of WT and WFT. Both: CEN committee and EDGS drafted already their opinions on this subject. The opinion of the CEN committee discussing both drafts is that the FT procedure (Further Testing) has been described too negatively. It should be possible to reduce particular measurements or evaluation in the FT procedure, too. NORMAPME is happy to hear such an opinion, and hopes that procedures of testing will be simplified.

The other on going issue is related to the evaluation of a horizontal approach to assess the possible release of dangerous substances from construction products in support of requirements from the CPD. Following the assessment of the 1st related draft on the subject, we noticed the reality of the European market is not well mirrored. We estimate that many SMEs manufacturers will not be able to fulfil unnecessary testing that might be required by the standards developed in the Technical Committee. The development of new products will be hampered significantly and cause a decrease of the markets.

Important discussion documents, such as draft standards, can be found under [All documents], the [group forum] is where Mirror Committee members can discuss work in progress.

If you wish to download and read the documents posted here, or participate in the forum discussion, you will need to register (Go to "Update your profile">My Mirror Committee>I would like to register to the following mirror committees. Once we have evaluated your profile, you will be granted acces to the information and discussions in the mirror committee

This Mirror Committee is managed by Lorenzo Accardo (l.accardo@normapme.com). The NORMAPME expert is Ms Csilla Csiha