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Trade and Industry Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
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Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

Ref : EIC 230/2/11

29 December 2001

Dear Sirs,

 

Commercial Information Circular No. 202/01

European Union (EU)* :Restrictions on the Marketing and
Use of Certain Dangerous Substances - Creosote

In response to new scientific data, the European Commission (EC) has adopted a Directive to tighten the existing control on the marketing and use of a dangerous substance-creosote. Member States are required to transpose the Directive into their national legislation by 31 December 2002 and put into effect the provisions of the Directive by 30 June 2003 at the latest.

DETAILS

  1. Commission Directive 2001/90/EC of 26 October 2001 (at Annex (pdf format)) sets out the revised restrictions for creosote, a mixture of substances obtained from the distillation of coal tar for wood preservation. Under the Directive, the use of creosote in the treatment of wood is prohibited. Furthermore, wood so treated is prohibited to be placed on the market.
     
  2. By way of derogation, certain uses of creosote and wood so treated are allowed, such as use of creosote for wood treatment in industrial installations or by professionals under specified conditions; creosote treated wood for professional and industrial use such as on railways, in electric power transmission and telecommunications, etc.; and second-hand sale and use of creosote treated wood existed before the Directive applies. However, the derogations allowed for creosote treated wood do not apply to certain uses, such as in toys, parks, gardens, and outdoor recreational facilities where there is a risk of frequent skin contact, and in the manufacture of garden furniture such as picnic tables, etc.

ENQUIRIES

  1. For enquiries about the contents of this Circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5684.

Yours faithfully,

 

(Miss Helen YUNG)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry

* : The EU Member States are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.



Note : While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same.