Introduction
Since 17 January 2005, an amendment to the UK’s COSHH regulations (implementing EU Directive 2003/53/EC) has restricted the marketing/supply and use of cement and cement-containing preparations, where they contain when hydrated, more than 0.0002 % (2 ppm) chromium (VI) by dry weight of cement. Up to this point, BCA Member Companies have been self-verifying the chromium (VI) content of their chromium (VI)-reduced cements in accordance with a set of principles that are now formalised in a Kitemark Verification Scheme developed by BSI Product Services. This Scheme is based on draft proposals in normative Annex A of prEN 196-10 'Evaluation of the compliance of cement with the regulatory limit in Directive 2003/53/EC on water-soluble hexavalent chromium content'. The test method used is described in the same draft European Standard (see Fact Sheet 10.6 in this series).
Status and req