Restrictions on Nickel under REACH Annex XVII, Entry 27 of Annex XVII to the REACH Regulation imposes specific restrictions on the use of nickel (CAS: 7440-02-0, EC: 231-111-4) and its compounds. These measures address concerns regarding nickel's potential to cause skin allergies and ensure compliance throughout the supply chain. The specific restrictions are as follows:

1.Shall not be used in:

(a) Piercing post assemblies inserted into pierced ears and other pierced parts of the human body during wound healing resulting from piercing, unless the nickel release rate is less than 0.2 µg/cm²/week.

(b) Products intended to come into direct and prolonged contact with the skin, such as:

——Earrings;

——Necklaces, bracelets, chains, anklets, finger rings;

——Watch cases, watch straps and tight clasps;

——Rivet buttons, tighteners, rivets, zippers and metal badges. when used in garmentsif the nickel release rate from these parts exceeds 0.5 µg/cm²/week.

(c) Products listed in point (b) that have a non-nickel coating unless the coating is sufficient to ensure that the nickel release rate from those parts of the product coming into direct and prolonged contact with the skin does not exceed 0.5 µg/cm²/week after two years of normal use.

2.The articles referred to in point 1 shall not be placed on the market unless they conform to the requirements set out in those paragraphs.

3.Standards adopted by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) shall be used as the test methods for checking conformity with the requirements set out in paragraphs 1 and 2.

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