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EU bans the use of dimethyl fumarate (DMF) in products |
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Effective 01 May 2009, based on the European Commission Decision 2009/251/EC, the European Union (EU) member states prohibit the importation and sale of consumer products containing dimethyl fumarate (DMF). Similarly, those products with DMF that are already sold in the market shall be withdrawn from distributors/retailers and recalled from consumers to prevent risks to health and safety posed by these products.
DMF is a biocide most often contained in little pouches fixed inside the furniture or added to the footwear boxes to prevent moulds that may damage leather couches/sofas and shoes during storage or transport in a humid climate. However, it has been found that it poses adverse health effects to consumers who were in contact with these products. Based on clinical studies, when DMF penetrates consumers’ skin, it can cause painful skin contact dermatitis, including itching, irritation, redness, burns, and in some cases, acute respiratory troubles due to the high and acutely sensitizing potency of DMF.
The EC decision to temporarily ban the use of DMF is an emergency measure, until a more permanent regulatory solution can be established. Several EU Member States, such as Belgium, France and Spain, have adopted specific regulatory measures to address the serious health risks from the biocide DMF.
As the Enquiry Point for the World Trade Organization – Technical Barriers to Trade (WTO –TBT) of the country, the Department of Trade and Industry’s Bureau of Product Standards (DTI-BPS) is committed to provide its stakeholders with relevant and up-to-date information on trade-related regulations.
A copy of the EC decision may be downloaded from the EC website: http://ec.europa.eu/consumers/safety/news/index_en.htm. For more information, call the EU Delegation of the EC to the Philippines at 859.5100 or send email messages through
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