Additional costs associated with options to limit hazardous aromatic amines in certain clothing, textiles and leather articles

Overview

Dear Industry Stakeholder,

Recently the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) conducted a survey, and commissioned testing of certain clothing, textiles and leather articles for the presence of 22 hazardous aromatic amines. The articles surveyed and tested were of a type likely to be worn in direct contact with the skin for a prolonged period of time. Testing showed a number of articles of clothing and a pillow slip with unacceptably high levels of aromatic amines. As a result, a number of Australian suppliers initiated voluntary recalls of clothing and bedding.

The ACCC has been considering how the hazards associated with aromatic amines in certain clothing, textiles and leather articles might be managed in the future. On 24 April 2014, the Commonwealth Minister responsible for consumer protection (The Hon. Bruce Billson MP) agreed that the ACCC should commence the process to develop options to address the issue of hazardous dyes in clothing, textiles and leather articles. The options currently under consideration include both regulation and non-regulation.

The Office of Best Practice Regulation has advised the ACCC that a regulation impact statement (RIS) must be prepared if regulation is being considered. An important input to the RIS process is establishing the additional costs faced by groups of stakeholders due to any form of regulation.

We are therefore asking business to tell us about the additional costs business may incur if any of the options currently under consideration are implemented. The additional costs we want to know about are those costs above what business already faces now.

Your comments and responses to the questions in the attached paper are important as they will assist in developing future policy on this matter.

This is not the only opportunity you will have to comment. Information on industry costing will feed into the RIS. Once a draft RIS has been prepared it will be sent to all stakeholders (i.e. not only businesses) for comment.

You are invited to provide comments and responses to the questions in the attached call for information paper by close of business Thursday 12 June 2014.

Responses before 12 June would be welcomed and will assist in the timely development of a draft RIS for consultation. Submissions should be sent to ProductSafetyChemicals@accc.gov.au

If you have any questions please contact either:

• Simon Bell on 02 6243 1232 or simon.bell@accc.gov.au
• Peter Wallner on 02 6243 4972 or peter.wallner@accc.gov.au