RoHS and Halogen Compliance Testing for Adhesive Label Materials

RoHS and Halogen Compliance Testing for Adhesive Label Materials

Background & Client Challenge

A professional label printing company was supporting a customer who required independent verification of the environmental compliance of its label products. While supplier declarations were available, the customer requested third-party laboratory testing to independently confirm compliance rather than relying solely on supplier-provided documentation.

To meet this requirement, the label printing company submitted six white adhesive label materials for laboratory evaluation on behalf of its customer. Testing focused on the functional adhesive label stock used for printing applications; the paper backing layer was excluded from the assessment. The testing objectives were to:

• Verify RoHS compliance with EU Directive 2015/863, including restrictions on specified hazardous substances.
• Determine halogen content, including fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine, to support the customer's specific material requirements.
• Generate reliable third-party analytical data to support supply chain transparency, customer approval, and material qualification.

Testing Scope & Methodology

Alfa Chemistry performed comprehensive restricted substance and halogen analysis using internationally recognized analytical approaches.

Analytical Results & Findings

RoHS Compliance Results

* ND = Not Detected (< Method Detection Limit)

All six adhesive label materials successfully passed RoHS compliance evaluation.

The analytical results demonstrated that all regulated substances were either not detected or remained significantly below the applicable RoHS limits.

Halogen Testing Results

* ND = Not Detected (< Method Detection Limit)

• Fluorine, bromine, and iodine were not detected in any tested samples.
• Chlorine was detected in three samples, with concentrations ranging from 80–200 mg/kg.
• The remaining three samples showed no detectable halogen content above the reporting limits.

These results provided the client with a complete understanding of the halogen composition of their adhesive label materials and enabled informed decisions regarding customer-specific halogen requirements.

Practical Value & Strategic Impact

Partnering with our accredited testing facility provided the label manufacturer with immediate business benefits:

• Instant Customer Trust: Delivered authoritative, third-party chemical analysis that satisfied the buyer's compliance requirements.
• Risk Mitigation: Replaced unverified supplier self-declarations with verifiable test data directly derived from the finished adhesive layer.
• Global Market Readiness: Validated compliance against key EU environmental directives, facilitating seamless international supply chain integration.