The Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology, ESMA, has developed a green label for paints and varnishes according to the UAE system to control volatile organic compounds and heavy metals in products of paints and varnishes for buildings.
In a step aimed at providing products with low levels of volatile materials, in schools, hospitals, medical centres and others, the increase in the number of suppliers in four and five-star products over the last two years, has recorded 62 percent.
ESMA’s efforts have been positively reflected in the UAE community and the suppliers have responded to the four- and five-star “Green labels” with a good turnout during the last period, Abdulla Al Maeeni, ESMA Director-General.
A simple comparison between the green labels issued by the ESMA during the months of January and February 2018-2019, shows it issued about 963,000, the most five-star, 842,000 cards, while during the same period of the year the number did not exceed 593,000, Al Maeeni said.
Three years ago, the UAE system for the control of paints and varnishes came into force, when it was adopted by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, issued a decision of the UAE Cabinet No. 6 of 2016.
Paints, varnishes are not allowed to enter the UAE’s markets unless they have been issued with a data sheet that specifies the environmental performance of the product which was placed on its own packaging whether imported or locally manufactured.
Dr. Yousef Al Saadi, Director of Conformity Affairs Department, said that the UAE system requires suppliers of paints, varnishes, to ensure that no lead or heavy metals are used in the installation of packaging materials. They are to ensure that the packaging materials of the product carry the recycling symbol in the case of plastic packaging.
He added the supplier is also prohibited from trading the products concerned in the UAE markets, unless these products have a certificate of conformity from ESMA, according to the Emirates conformity assessment system, ECAS, or a matching certificate recognised by the authority.
