Government Regulation
November 30, 2018
China Introduces Standards for Athletic Surfaces
China Introduces Mandatory Standard for Synthetic Sports Surfaces Used in Schools
China’s new mandatory standard for synthetic surfaces used in sports areas for primary and secondary schools came into effect on November 1, 2018. 
- (1888PressRelease) November 30, 2018 – China has introduced a mandatory standard for synthetic surfaces used in school sports venues. Since November 1, 2018, the standard – GB 36246-2018 – has been compulsory for all synthetic sports surfaces used in primary and secondary schools.
Initially published in May 2018, GB 36246-2018 ‘Sports areas with synthetic surfaces for primary and middle schools’ replaces the recommended but voluntary standard GB/T 19851.11-2005 ‘Sports equipment and playground for middle school and primary school Part 11: Synthetic surfaced athletic ground’.
The standard applies to new, renovated and expanded outdoor sports venues containing synthetic surfaces for competition, training, teaching and other activities in primary and secondary schools. It defines specific requirements and includes requirements related to design, installation, physical and mechanical properties, aging resistance, hazardous substances, and odor in synthetic materials, finished products and raw materials. It also covers sampling requirements, rules for inspection and standard methods.
Limits for hazardous substances include:
• DBP, BBP and DEHP: ≤1.0 g/kg (sum of 3 phthalates)
• DNOP, DINP and DIDP: ≤1.0 g/kg (sum of 3 phthalates)
• 18 Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs):
o ≤ 50 mg/kg (sum of 18 PAHs)
o ≤ 20 mg/kg for the top 5 mm of the surface material (sum of 18 PAHs)
• Benzo [a] pyrene: ≤ 1.0 mg/kg
• Short chain chlorinated paraffins (C10-C13): ≤ 1.5 g/kg
• 3,3′-Dichloro-4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane (MOCA): ≤1.0 g/kg
• Free toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and free hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI): ≤ 0.2 g/kg (sum of TDI and HDI)
• Free diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI): ≤ 1.0 g/kg
• Soluble lead: ≤ 50 mg/kg
• Soluble cadmium: ≤ 10 mg/kg
• Soluble chromium: ≤ 10 mg/kg
• Soluble mercury: ≤ 2 mg/kgThe limits for hazardous substance emissions are:
• Total volatile organic compounds (TVOC): ≤ 5.0 mg/m²h
• Formaldehyde: ≤ 0.4 mg/m²h
• Benzene: ≤ 0.1 mg/m²h
• Toluene, xylene and ethylbenzene: ≤ 1.0 mg/m²h (sum of 3 solvents)
• Carbon disulfide: ≤ 7.0 mg/m²hFinally, the odor level must be below or equal to 3.
SGS Sport & Leisure Services
SGS’s global network of testing facilities and comprehensive customized services will help manufacturers of sporting and leisure equipment development safe and compliant products. Their range of services include testing for regulatory compliance, performance evaluation, product certification, technical assistance and training. Learn more about SGS’s Sport & Leisure Services. [www.sgs.com/en/consumer-goods-retail/hardgoods/sport-and-leisure]SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full China Publishes Mandatory Standard for Synthetic Surfaces in School Sports Venues SafeGuardS. [www.sgs.com/en/news/2018/11/safeguards-15018-china-publishes-mandatory-standard-for-synthetic-surfaces-in-school-sports-venues]
Subscribe here, www.sgs.com/subscribesg, to receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.
For further information contact:
Geng Lu
Senior Technical Manager
Tel: 86(021) 6115 2240
Email: crs.media ( @ ) sgs dot com
Website: www.sgs.com/hardlinesAbout SGS
SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 95,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,400 offices and laboratories around the world. - https://www.1888pressrelease.com/china-introduces-mandatory-standard-for-synthetic-sports-sur-pr-648000.html
November 30, 2018
China Introduces Standards for Athletic Surfaces
China Introduces Mandatory Standard for Synthetic Sports Surfaces Used in Schools
China’s new mandatory standard for synthetic surfaces used in sports areas for primary and secondary schools came into effect on November 1, 2018. - (1888PressRelease) November 30, 2018 – China has introduced a mandatory standard for synthetic surfaces used in school sports venues. Since November 1, 2018, the standard – GB 36246-2018 – has been compulsory for all synthetic sports surfaces used in primary and secondary schools.
Initially published in May 2018, GB 36246-2018 ‘Sports areas with synthetic surfaces for primary and middle schools’ replaces the recommended but voluntary standard GB/T 19851.11-2005 ‘Sports equipment and playground for middle school and primary school Part 11: Synthetic surfaced athletic ground’.
The standard applies to new, renovated and expanded outdoor sports venues containing synthetic surfaces for competition, training, teaching and other activities in primary and secondary schools. It defines specific requirements and includes requirements related to design, installation, physical and mechanical properties, aging resistance, hazardous substances, and odor in synthetic materials, finished products and raw materials. It also covers sampling requirements, rules for inspection and standard methods.
Limits for hazardous substances include:
• DBP, BBP and DEHP: ≤1.0 g/kg (sum of 3 phthalates)
• DNOP, DINP and DIDP: ≤1.0 g/kg (sum of 3 phthalates)
• 18 Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs):
o ≤ 50 mg/kg (sum of 18 PAHs)
o ≤ 20 mg/kg for the top 5 mm of the surface material (sum of 18 PAHs)
• Benzo [a] pyrene: ≤ 1.0 mg/kg
• Short chain chlorinated paraffins (C10-C13): ≤ 1.5 g/kg
• 3,3′-Dichloro-4,4′-diaminodiphenylmethane (MOCA): ≤1.0 g/kg
• Free toluene diisocyanate (TDI) and free hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI): ≤ 0.2 g/kg (sum of TDI and HDI)
• Free diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI): ≤ 1.0 g/kg
• Soluble lead: ≤ 50 mg/kg
• Soluble cadmium: ≤ 10 mg/kg
• Soluble chromium: ≤ 10 mg/kg
• Soluble mercury: ≤ 2 mg/kgThe limits for hazardous substance emissions are:
• Total volatile organic compounds (TVOC): ≤ 5.0 mg/m²h
• Formaldehyde: ≤ 0.4 mg/m²h
• Benzene: ≤ 0.1 mg/m²h
• Toluene, xylene and ethylbenzene: ≤ 1.0 mg/m²h (sum of 3 solvents)
• Carbon disulfide: ≤ 7.0 mg/m²hFinally, the odor level must be below or equal to 3.
SGS Sport & Leisure Services
SGS’s global network of testing facilities and comprehensive customized services will help manufacturers of sporting and leisure equipment development safe and compliant products. Their range of services include testing for regulatory compliance, performance evaluation, product certification, technical assistance and training. Learn more about SGS’s Sport & Leisure Services. [www.sgs.com/en/consumer-goods-retail/hardgoods/sport-and-leisure]SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full China Publishes Mandatory Standard for Synthetic Surfaces in School Sports Venues SafeGuardS. [www.sgs.com/en/news/2018/11/safeguards-15018-china-publishes-mandatory-standard-for-synthetic-surfaces-in-school-sports-venues]
Subscribe here, www.sgs.com/subscribesg, to receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.
For further information contact:
Geng Lu
Senior Technical Manager
Tel: 86(021) 6115 2240
Email: crs.media ( @ ) sgs dot com
Website: www.sgs.com/hardlinesAbout SGS
SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 95,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,400 offices and laboratories around the world. - https://www.1888pressrelease.com/china-introduces-mandatory-standard-for-synthetic-sports-sur-pr-648000.html
November 28, 2018
DowDuPont Not Impacted Much by Tariffs
DowDuPont largely unaffected by U.S.-China trade war, CFO says
DowDuPont (DWDP -1.5%) has experienced little impact from China’s tariffs on U.S. petrochemicals because the company can supply China and Asia through its non-U.S. operations, according to CFO Howard Ungerleider.
Through “our Canadian assets, our Argentinian assets, our large footprint in Europe, and our position in Saudi Arabia and our joint venture in Kuwait, we have the ability to source products from lots of different places around the world,” the CFO told the Citi Basic Materials Conference in New York. “Our footprint gives us the ability to move the product wheel around the world to make sure that we minimize any impact.”
Ungerleider said ~40% of Dow’s total sales are in the North America, 30% are in Europe, 20% in Asia and 10% in Latin America.
Dow expects its tariff-related costs to reach $50M-$100M from this year into next, or 1% or less of the company’s ~$10B in earnings, the CFO said.
https://seekingalpha.com/news/3412833-dowdupont-largely-unaffected-u-s-china-trade-war-cfo-says#email_link
November 28, 2018
DowDuPont Not Impacted Much by Tariffs
DowDuPont largely unaffected by U.S.-China trade war, CFO says
DowDuPont (DWDP -1.5%) has experienced little impact from China’s tariffs on U.S. petrochemicals because the company can supply China and Asia through its non-U.S. operations, according to CFO Howard Ungerleider.
Through “our Canadian assets, our Argentinian assets, our large footprint in Europe, and our position in Saudi Arabia and our joint venture in Kuwait, we have the ability to source products from lots of different places around the world,” the CFO told the Citi Basic Materials Conference in New York. “Our footprint gives us the ability to move the product wheel around the world to make sure that we minimize any impact.”
Ungerleider said ~40% of Dow’s total sales are in the North America, 30% are in Europe, 20% in Asia and 10% in Latin America.
Dow expects its tariff-related costs to reach $50M-$100M from this year into next, or 1% or less of the company’s ~$10B in earnings, the CFO said.
https://seekingalpha.com/news/3412833-dowdupont-largely-unaffected-u-s-china-trade-war-cfo-says#email_link
November 16, 2018
Future Taxes Here Now
Chicago PlayStation Users Furious They Must Now Pay A 9% “Amusement Tax”
When they powered up their Playstations on Nov. 9, Gamers in the Windy City were furious to learn that they will now need to fork over a 9% levy to the city every time they pay for any of a suit of online services as Chicago steps up enforcement of its supremely unpopular Amusement Tax, which was expanded in 2015 to cover video games, streaming services and other digital-entertainment mediums. While some companies have resisted what they have decried as an overreach by city tax collectors, who are desperately trying to plug a massive budget hole while supporting some of the most under-funded public pensions in the country, Sony has become the latest video gaming company to acquiesce to the city’s demands. Meanwhile, Nintendo and Microsoft (which owns Xbox) have been collecting the levies since 2015.
According to the Chicago Tribune, the city’s amusement tax once only applied to concerts and sporting event tickets, but several streaming companies like Netflix and Hulu have bowed to the city’s demands since the levy was first expanded. Apple, on the other hand, filed a lawsuit against the city back in August alleging that the tax on its streaming service was “illegal and discriminatory”. The company isn’t paying the tax while the case works its way through a Cook County court.
Previously, a group of streaming companies including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Spotify, XBox Live and Hulu sued Chicago back in 2015 alleging that the tax was in violation of federal law. However, the judge ruled in the city’s favor in May. After an appeal, the case is awaiting a ruling from an appellate court.
Bill McCaffrey, a spokesman for the city’s Law Department, told the Tribune that the city “uniformly enforces the amusement tax,” and neglected to address the outcry.
“If a business is not collecting the tax where we believe it applies, the city takes the necessary steps and works with the company to ensure compliance with the law,” he said.
The tax will now apply PlayStation subscription services, like PlayStation Now, PlayStation Plus, and PlayStation Music. Regular game purchases from the PlayStation store are untouched by the tax.
As the city grows increasingly desperate, there’s still room for the problem to get worse. As ratings agencies have demonstrated, the city’s pension funding projections consistently err on the unrealistically optimistic. According to a Moody’s report, the true magnitude of the unfunded liabilities facing the city is closer to $130 billion.
What other reason could there be for discouraging one of the safest forms of entertainment in a city where the murder rate is spiking?
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-11-15/playstation-users-cash-strapped-chicago-must-now-pay-9-amusement-tax
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