Overall Situation

From January to August 2025, the EU's Rapid Alert System for non-food consumer products (Safety Gate) issued 17 asbestos risk notifications. The related products were found to contain asbestos fibers exceeding the limit (with the highest content reaching 30%), violating REACH Regulation (Annex XVII Article 6). The carcinogenic risk rating for all is at the highest level.

Data Analysis

1. Notification by Country

Netherlands leads enforcement with 9 cases; Ireland: 6 cases; Iceland and Belgium, one each.

Country of Origin (Continuous rise in risk from China)

2. Asbestos Hazards

Asbestos was widely used in construction, shipbuilding, automotive, and other fields due to its fire resistance, insulation, and corrosion resistance. However, its fine fibers (invisible to the naked eye) can easily form airborne dust, classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a Class 1 carcinogen. Long-term inhalation of asbestos fibers can cause diseases such as asbestosis, lung cancer, and mesothelioma, with latency periods of 20-40 years. Therefore, testing for asbestos in relevant products is crucial to effectively prevent exposure risks and ensure the health and safety of people and the environment, complying with domestic and international regulations (such as China GB, EU REACH, US OSHA standards).

Enforcement Upgrades and New Monitoring Methods

• Deep accountability on e-commerce platforms: Products are forcibly removed (e.g., AliExpress), and Belgium imposes a sales ban on exporters.
• Upgraded Disposal: Iceland requires user recalls, Netherlands/Belgium mandates destruction of problematic products.
• Extended traceability chain: Ireland requires e-commerce platforms to submit supply chain documents (affecting distributors).

Corporate Compliance Emergency Plans

1. Supply Chain Thorough Review

• Prohibited Materials List: Brake pads, gaskets must be tested.
• Retention of Testing Certificates: Suppliers required to provide third-party asbestos testing reports.

2. Legal Risk Avoidance Key Points

• Response Mechanism: Immediate submission of a rectification plan upon receiving a RAPEX notification (to avoid a sales ban).
• Historical Product Traceback: The Swiss antique flower pot case warns that fiber cement products from the 1950s-1990s need technical appraisal.

CIRS Testing, as a professional third-party testing institution, provides comprehensive and precise asbestos testing services. Leveraging advanced testing equipment and mature techniques (such as polarized light microscopy, X-ray diffraction, etc.), we can perform qualitative and quantitative analysis of asbestos content in various materials (including automotive and motorcycle brake pads, paints, cosmetics, industrial products, electronics, etc.), strictly in accordance with domestic and international standards (such as GB/T 33395, GB/T 23263, "Cosmetic Safety Technical Specifications", SN/T 3798, GB/T 37765, ISO 22262) to issue authoritative testing reports. CIRS Testing, with its scientific rigor and efficient service process, helps clients accurately identify asbestos risks, meet regulatory requirements, and ensure safety.

If you need any assistance or have any questions, please get in touch with us via test@cirs-group.com.