The European Commission, with Decision EC/2009/251 of 17 March 2009 published in the Official Journal of the EU L 4 of 20/03/2009, requires member States to guarantee that products containing the biocide "dimethylfumarate" (DMF) will not be placed or made available on the Community market. Such a substance is normally inserted in small packs bearing the wording “silica gel”, and placed inside furniture or footwear. The DMF evaporates and penetrates leather, so preventing moulds. As some tests have proved that this product can cause acute irritations and dermatitis, as well as respiratory troubles to consumers, on 29 January 2009, the EU member States voted a project of Decision to be approved by the European Commission, aimed to assure that consumer products, and particularly footwear and leather products (e.g. armchairs), containing such a substance will not be placed on the EU market.
(continues ... in Italian)








