ZDHC announcement from Lanxess
13/04/2018
ZDHC published a manufacturers’ restricted substance list (MRSL) for leather in December 2015. A data exchange platform it has developed, the ZDHC Gateway, is now fully operational for leather chemicals, which means supply chain partners can use it to share information securely about chemicals and formulations.
On making the announcement, Lanxess said that the principle of replacing hazardous chemicals with less hazardous ones wherever technically possible has always been a guideline for research and development in its leather business unit. As a consequence, hazardous substances identified by ZDHC had already been removed from the Lanxess portfolio by December 2015. “Only very few products in which traces of listed substances were introduced via the raw materials used required subsequent replacement,” it said.
With the ZDHC Gateway now in operation, it said it will now upload onto the system all compliant products, around 500 in total, allowing its supply chain partners “unrestricted access” to the information.
At the time of the announcement, Dr Thomas Brackemeyer, head of the organic leather chemicals business at Lanxess, said: “As the chemical industry supports this initiative and has invested a substantial amount of effort and money in creating a solid basis for decision-making, we expect brand manufacturers to stand by their commitment and enforce the use of MRSL-compliant products in their supply chain.”
The company announced at the same time that it has also achieved certification at level three, the highest level possible, for a system developed by BLC Leather Technology in response to the need for verification of chemicals. Called Chem-MAP, the system and is aimed at chemical manufacturing companies, the materials manufacturers, brand and retailers.
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