Stationery Product Analysis

It is very important whether the stationery materials used in both schools and offices comply with the relevant quality and safety standards. Children in particular are vulnerable to stationery. For example, crayons or drawing pens containing excessive lead pose a chemical threat to young children who put them in their mouths. In addition, sharp-edged or pointed stationery items are a cause for concern for children to harm themselves. In advanced laboratories, a wide range of testing and analysis services are provided for various stationery products to ensure compliance with relevant standards and legal regulations in terms of safety and quality.

These test and analysis services mainly cover the following product groups:

• Writing instruments (pens, pencils, highlighters, markers and the like)
• Drawing instruments (crayons, paints, sharpeners, rulers, erasers and the like)
• Paper products (paper, cardboard, books, notebooks, calendars and the like)
• Desktop accessories (scissors, staples, hole punch, paper cutter, glue, tape and the like)
• Postal and packaging products (envelopes, plastics and the like)

Stationery that seems harmless actually carries a number of risks. At the beginning of these risks are allergen dyes, azo dyes, carcinogenic dyes, formaldehyde, phthalates, heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

Here are a few standards applied around the world:

• ISO 11540 Writing and marking instruments - Specification for closures to reduce the risk of suffocation (an international standard)
• BS 7272 Security covers for writing and marking instruments (a European standard)
• GB 21027 Request for common security use for student materials (a Chinese standard)

For example, after the carcinogenic effects of azo dyestuffs were determined, not only in stationery and toys, but all use was prohibited. Likewise, the use of allergen dyes and carcinogenic dyes in European Union countries is strictly prohibited.

Heavy metals cause serious health problems in the human body, and it is especially important that stationery supplies are free of heavy metals.

The use of phthalates, which are mainly used as softeners in paints and plastic products, is prohibited in European Union countries. Likewise, formaldehyde, which is used for the protection of paint and printing, is also among the chemicals that are forbidden to use.

Our organization also provides stationery product analysis services with its trained and expert staff and advanced technological equipment, among the numerous test, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies it provides for businesses in various sectors.