At the last meeting of the Committee for Technical Aids and Consumer Products of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (ATAV) on 21.11.2007, the Federal Office for Risk Analysis (BfR) reported on the significant risk of cancer from hand-held plastic and rubber parts containing PAH. This was preceded by discussions wether product tests for awarding the GS mark also needed to test the content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), which have been classified as carcinogenic.

In response to the assessment issued by the BfR, the ATAV has now resolved 

• that the Central Body of the Laender for Safety (ZLS) will make PAH testing obligatory
  for the GS mark
• to further adapt existing test rules and limits, and
• that the federal government should, at the same time, strive to implement a Europe-wide solution to ensure harmonised requirements and uniform market control.

The test rules are scheduled to come into effect on 1.1.2008 and will become binding for product tests by all GS organisations on 1.4.2008, following a transition period of three months.

For some time now, the VDE Institute has been offering the determination PAH levels as part of its responsibility towards its clients and end users.