G/TBT/N/EU/326  
 
27 November 2015  
(15-6275)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION 
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Notifying Member: EUROPEAN UNION 
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):  
2. Agency responsible: European Commission 
Name and address (including telephon e and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above : 
European Commission  
EU-TBT Enquiry Point 
Fax: +(32) 2 299 80 43 E-mail: grow-eu-tbt@ec.europa.eu   
Website: http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/tbt/   
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1  [ ], 5.6.2 [X], 5.7.1 [ ], other:    
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applic able, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable): Cellulose insulation 
mixtures and articles containing inorganic ammonium salts 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Draft Commission 
Regulation amending Annex XVII to Regula tion (EC) No 1907/2 006 of the European 
Parliament and of the Council concerning the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and 
Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) as regards inorganic ammonium salts (4 pages + Annex 2 pages, in English) 
6. Description of content: This draft Regulation relates to a new entry (65) of Annex XVII to 
Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006.  
The new entry would restrict the placing on the market and use of cellulose insulation 
mixtures and articles containing inorganic ammonium salts. A limit value (3 ppm by 
volume) would be introduced to regulate the maximum emission of ammonia from the 
cellulose insulation under certain conditions. Additionally, compliance with the maximum 
loading rate used in the test done prior to marketing is required when cellulose insulation 
mixtures are used, in order to ensure that the ammonia emission limit is not exceeded. 
The maximum loading rate should be communicated by the supplier of the cellulose 
insulation mixture to recipients or end users. An exemption would be made for cellulose 
insulation mixtures containing inorganic ammonium salts that are only used for the production of cellulose insulation articles, since the resulting articles themselves need to comply with the ammonia emissi on limit prior to their placing on the market and use. 
The application of the restriction is deferred for two years to allow industry sufficient time 
to comply with the obligations described abov e. However, in the territory of a Member 
State that already has in place national measures restricting ammonium salts in cellulose 
insulation that have been authorised by the Commission pursuant to the REACH safeguard 
procedure, the restriction would apply immediately. G/TBT/N/EU/326 
 
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  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable: Inorganic ammonium salts used as additives in cellulose insulation mixtures 
and articles can lead to emission of ammonia under certain conditions. Emission of 
ammonia above the specified limit of 3 ppm by volume poses a risk to human health that 
needs to be addressed.  
The proposed restriction is expected to reduce emissions of ammonia from cellulose 
insulation containing inorganic ammonium salts and no major costs to the manufacturers 
are expected. 
8. Relevant documents:  
 Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the Euro pean Parliament and of the Council on 
the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH Regulation): http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-
content/EN/TXT/?qid=1423064258789&uri=CELEX:32006R1907  
 The opinions of the Committees for Risk Assessment (RAC) and Socio-economic 
Analysis (SEAC): http://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/522a9f94-058a-4bef-
9818-f265a1d2d64d  
Further background information is available at: http://echa.europa.eu/previous-
consultations-on-restriction-proposals/-/substance-rev/1895/term  
9. Proposed date of adoption: First quarter of 2016 
Proposed date of entry into force: 20 days from publication in the Official Journal of the 
EU (the restriction will begin to apply two years after the date of entry into force except as 
indicated in point 6 above)   
10. Final date for comments: 60 days from notification 
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:  
European Commission 
EU-TBT Enquiry Point Fax: + (32) 2 299 80 43 
E-mail: grow-eu-tbt@ec.europa.eu   
The text is available on the Website: http://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/tbt/   
https://members. wto.org/crnattachments/2015/TBT/EEC/15_4714_00_e.pdf   
https://members. wto.org/crnattachments/2015/TBT/EEC/15_4714_01_e.pdf