I’ve received a notification for three of my jewellery products, that they need REACH testing (metals testing) certificates or they will be removed from sale.
All of my products at Amazon Handmade are metal - either sterling silver or pure copper, and therefore I expect it is only a matter of time before my entire shop is shut down.
Small handmade sellers working with pure metals cannot possibly REACH test every single metal item they make and sell and therefore I presume this is Amazon Handmade saying that small crafts people who work with metal, are no longer welcome to sell at Amazon Handmade.
From REACH:
" Inspections for the eighth major Forum enforcement project have started. The project will check whether companies selling hazardous substances, mixtures, biocidal products and articles online in Member States and EEA countries comply with REACH, CLP and the Biocidal Products Regulation.
Helsinki, 20 January 2020 – The eighth major Forum enforcement project (REF-8) concentrating on the online sale of substances, mixtures and products has entered its operational phase and will run until 31 December 2020. 29 countries will participate in the project.
The project will target products for the general public and professionals, available in private companies’ webshops and in marketplace platforms, such as Amazon and eBay.
Inspectors will check if buyers are informed about the existence of hazardous substances before the purchase is completed and if particular aspects of the regulations are fulfilled. This can be checked by controlling the advertisement of a chemical product or by purchasing products and subsequently analysing them."
As usual Amazon are being very heavy handed by demanding a REACH certificate for products made from pure copper and 925 sterling silver, neither of which have ever been considered a chemical hazard.