REACH and RoHS: What to Ask a Chinese Supplier

Compliance questions are usually answered with a generic "yes, compliant" letter. That letter is rarely sufficient. Knowing what to request puts you in a much stronger position.

What to request

• •A REACH statement specific to the substance or article, naming the substance and, where relevant, whether it is registered for your tonnage band and use.
• •SVHC declaration — whether any substance on the candidate list is present above 0.1% weight by weight in the article.
• •RoHS declaration if the article contains electrical or electronic components.
• •SDS in the language and format required in your market, with the classification matching the current regulation.
• •Restriction-specific statements where relevant: PAHs, certain phthalates, heavy metals, nitrosamines and nitrosatable substances.

Questions that reveal real understanding

• •Which restriction list and which version are you declaring against?
• •Is this a registered substance, or are you relying on your supplier's registration?
• •Can you provide the declaration for the specific grade and production site I am buying from?
• •What is your change-notification process if a raw material source changes?

Practical caution

Generic certificates covering "all products" are not meaningful. Ask for declarations tied to the grade and the manufacturing site, dated, and signed by a named function. Keep them on file — enforcement authorities typically ask for the document that was in place at the time of import.

Verify the restriction list version against your own market's current regulation; the list is updated regularly. ## Need the documents or today's price? Send us the grade, quantity and destination port — we return a quotation with COA and MSDS attached. Email manager@fipolymer.com or use the inquiry form on this site.