Dubai: A set of new public health and safety requirements and specifications related to textile products were issued by the Dubai Central Laboratory (DCL) at Dubai Municipality.
Amin Ahmad Amin, Head of Consumer Product Laboratory, said new set of requirements ensures that materials are free of substances that can be transmitted to the human body, as that poses a health risk, that include cumulative skin diseases and sores.
To ensure that the requirements are followed, Amin said that DCL has facilities to check the stability of colours and tints used in textile items and as to whether the textile will be damaged by sweating or exposure to light or washing, as that also comes under the risks to human health and environment.
Other tests that textiles will undergo at DCL include checking the type of cloth, examining pH-value that may cause skin allergies, presence of allergenic formaldehyde compounds and tests to measure concentration of heavy toxic elements,remains of pesticides and harmful hazardous amines.
Amin said that DCL would provide the facilities to conduct tests, technical consultation.
Hawa Abdullah Bastaki, Director of Dubai Central Laboratory, said “DCL issues the new requirements and specification as a step to achieve the strategic vision of Dubai to become a Green City. This comes after carrying out analysis of UAE’s environmental conditions and after thorough study of best international practices”
Many federal and local bodies — Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Dubai Police , and The Armed Force, to name a few — have expressed their interest and concern in the new initiative, Hawa said. She explained that those organisations have started cooperating with DCL to make their uniform’s textile material suppliers abide by the new set of specification.
Hawa urged all government and private entities to cooperate with DCL to take advantage of its expertise, technical compatibility and consultations to fix specifications, for verifications as well as test and inspection.
