CIRCULAR

PROMULGATING NATIONAL TECHNICAL REGULATION ON NAPKIN AND TOILET TISSUE PAPER

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 95/2012/ND-CP dated November 12, 2012 defining the functions, tasks, powers and organizational structure of the Ministry of Industry and Trade;

Pursuant to the Law on Technical Regulations and Standards dated June 29, 2006;

Pursuant to the Law on Product and Goods Quality dated November 21, 2007;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 127/2007/ND-CP dated August 01, 2007 on elaboration of some Articles of the Law on Technical Regulations and Standards;

Pursuant to the Government’s Decree No. 132/2008/ND-CP dated December 31, 2008 on elaboration of some Articles of the Law on Products and Goods Quality;

At the request of the Director of the Department of Science and Technology,

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Article 1. National technical regulation on napkin and toilet tissue paper

“National technical regulation on napkin and toilet tissue paper” is promulgated together with this Circular. Code: QCVN 09: 2015/BCT.

Article 2. Effect

This Circular comes into force from January 01, 2017.

Article 3. Responsibility for implementation

1. Relevant organizations and individuals are responsible for the implementation of this Circular.

2. Difficulties should be promptly reported to the Ministry of Industry and Trade (via the Department of Science and Technology) for consideration./.

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QCVN 09:2015/BCT

NATIONAL TECHNICAL REGULATION ON NAPKIN AND TOILET TISSUE PAPER

Foreword

QCVN 09:2015/BCT is drafted by the National Regulation Drafting Committee for napkin and toilet tissue paper, appraised by the Ministry of Science and Technology and promulgated together with the Circular No. 36/2015/TT-BCT dated October 28, 2015 by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

NATIONAL TECHNICAL REGULATION FOR NAPKIN AND TOILET TISSUE PAPER

1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.1 Scope

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1.1.2. Napkin and tissue paper in contact with food for the purposes of packaging, storage and preservation; napkin, toilet tissue paper and tissue paper that are domestically produced and processed for export purposes are not regulated by this document.

1.2. Regulated entities

This document applies to producers, processors, importers and distributors of napkin, toilet tissue paper and tissue paper sold in Vietnam market; other relevant organizations and individuals.

1.3 Definitions

For the purposes of this document, the terms below shall be construed as follows:

1.3.1 “tissue paper” means a type of paper that has been crinkled, comprising one or more plies of light-weight paper. Tissue paper and large roll tissue paper used for tissue paper and toilet tissue paper processing are hereinafter referred to as tissue paper.

1.3.2 “napkin” means a product made from tissue paper with different sizes and used for cleaning and absorption purposes. Napkins may be embossed, in white or other colors or have decorative print designs.

1.3.3. “toilet tissue paper” means a product made from tissue paper in the form of a roll or in the form of a stack or a block of sheets or in different colors or in decorative print designs. Toilet tissue paper is absorbent and intended for sanitary use in a toilet.

2. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

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2.1.1. Pulp

Pulp used for production of napkin and toilet tissue paper includes virgin pulp, recycled pulp, and mixture of virgin and recycled pulp.

Pulp used for production of napkin and toilet tissue paper is produced from office paper in accordance with TCVN 5946: 2007 - Waste paper.

The pulp that is produced from the following types of paper must not be used:

- Used paper and board intended to come into contact with oils, greases, fats, chemicals, foodstuffs;

- Used paper and board containing brominated flame retardants (Polybrominated diphenyl ethers - PBDE, Polybrominated biphenyl - PBB, phthalate compounds);

- Partially burned paper and board;

- Paper and board originated from medical wastes.

2.1.2. Chemicals

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2.2. Product requirements

2.2.1. Mechanical and physical criteria

Napkin, toilet tissue paper and tissue paper must satisfy mechanical and physical criteria provided in Table 1.

Table 1 - Mechanical and physical criteria

No.

Name of criteria

Limit

Testing method

Napkin and tissue paper
(used for napkin processing)

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One pile

Two piles

Three piles

Four piles

One pile

Two piles

Three piles

1

Tensile strength, N/m, not less than:

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TCVN 8309-4: 2009 (ISO 12625-4: 2005)

- Machine direction

100.0

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180.0

200.0

90.0

100.0

150.0

- Cross direction

40.0

45.0

60.0

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40.0

45.0

50.0

2

Wet/dry tensile strength ratio, %

5 - 15

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-

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3

Water-absorption capacity, g/g, not less than

7.0

7.5

8.0

8.0

7.5

TCVN 8309-8: 2009 (ISO 12625-8: 2005)

2.2.3. Chemical criteria

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Table 2 - Chemical criteria

No.

Name of criteria

Limit

Testing method

1

Moisture, %, not greater than

8.0

TCVN 1867: 2010 (ISO 187: 2009)

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pH of aqueous extracts

6.5-7.5

TCVN 7066-1: 2008 (ISO 6588-1: 2005)

3

Color fastness of paper (fluorescent whitened paper), level, not less than

4

TCVN 10089: 2013 (EN 648:2006)

4

Color fastness of paper (dyed paper and print design included)

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TCVN 10087: 2013 (EN 646: 2006)

5

Formaldehyde content, mg/dm², not greater than

1.0

TCVN 8308: 2010 (EN 1541:2001)

6

Lead (Fb) content, mg/dm², not greater than

0.003

TCVN 10093: 2013 (EN 12498: 2005)

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Cadmium (Cd) content, mg/dm², not greater than

0.002

TCVN 10093: 2013 (EN 12498: 2005)

8

Mercury (Hg) content, mg/dm², not greater than

0.002

TCVN 10092: 2013 (EN 12497: 2005)

2.2.3. Microbiological criteria

Napkin, toilet tissue paper and tissue paper must satisfy microbiological criteria provided in Table 3.

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No.

Name of criteria

Limit

Napkin and tissue paper
(used for napkin processing)

Toilet tissue paper and tissue paper
(used for toilet tissue paper processing)

Testing method

1

Total aerobic bacteria, CFU/g, not greater than

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10³

Appendix A.4

2

Total mold count, CFU/g, not greater than

102

10²

Appendix A.4

2.3. Labeling requirements

2.3.1. Each container must have a label. Information on the label must be distinct and resistant to erasing, and comply with regulations of the Government’s Decree dated August 30, 2006 on goods labels.

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- Name and address of the manufacturer;

- Name and address of the importer (regarding imported product);

- Trademark;

- Code of the applied standard issued by the producer;

- Conformity mark (CR mark);

- Weight of one pile;

- Type of pulp used;

- Number of piles;

- Date of manufacture - Expiry date.

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3.1. Certification and declaration of conformity

3.1.1. Declarations of conformity of napkin, toilet tissue paper and tissue paper sold in Vietnam market must be submitted in accordance with regulations of this document. They must bear the conformity mark (CR mark) and be subject to inspection of the goods inspecting authority.

3.1.2. Napkin, toilet tissue paper and tissue paper produced and processed at factories shall have their conformity assessed and certified according to method 5 provided in Article 5 of the Circular No. 28/2012/TT-BKHCN dated December 12, 2012 of the Ministry of Science and Technology on declaration of standard conformity and technical-regulation conformity and methods for conformity assessment (hereinafter referred to as “the Circular No. 28”). Napkin, toilet tissue paper and tissue paper whose conformity has been certified according to method 5 must be granted a certificate of conformity.

The certificate of conformity according to method 5 shall be effective within three (3) years from the date of issue.

3.1.3. Napkin, toilet tissue paper and tissue paper that are ineligible to be have their conformity assessed according to method 5 as prescribed in section 3.1.2 of this Article (including shipments and domestically produced and processed ones whose conformity has not yet been assessed according to method 5) must have their conformity certified according to method 7 provided in Article 5 of the Circular No. 28. Napkin, toilet tissue paper and tissue paper whose conformity has been certified according to method 7 must be granted a certificate of conformity. The Certificate of Conformity is not required for shipments.

The certificate of conformity according to method 7 shall only valid for the shipments whose conformity is assessed and certified.

3.1.4. Methods and procedures for submission of declarations of conformity are specified in Section II Chapter II of Circular No. 48/2011/TT-BCT dated December 30, 2011 of the Minister of Industry and Trade on management of quality of category 2 commodities under the management of the Ministry of Industry and Trade (hereinafter referred to as “the Circular No. 48”).

3.2. Conformity assessment

3.2.1. The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall designate a conformity assessment authority responsible for assessing conformity of napkin, toilet paper tissue and tissue paper. Procedures for applying for conformity assessment are specified in Section II Chapter II of the Circular No. 48.

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3.3. Quality inspection

3.1.1. Napkin, toilet tissue paper and tissue paper that are imported, produced, processed and sold in the market must be subject to inspection of quality according to Chapter III of the Circular No. 48 and applicable regulations on goods quality.  In addition to that, napkin, toilet tissue paper and tissue paper must be subject to periodic and unscheduled inspection of quality in accordance with other relevant regulations of law.

3.3.2. The testing of quality criteria applied to napkin, toilet tissue paper and tissue paper which serves state inspection of goods quality must be done at testing laboratories designated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

4. RESPONSIBILITIES OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS

4.1. Importers, producers and processors of napkin, toilet paper tissue and tissue paper must submit declarations of conformity in accordance with regulations of this document.

4.2. Importers, producers and processors shall submit declarations of conformity to the competent authority in accordance with regulations of the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the declared contents.

4.3. Distributors of napkin, toilet paper tissue and tissue paper must ensure that they undergo quality inspection, bear conformity mark and are labeled in accordance with regulations of this document.

4.4. The conformity assessment authority designated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade must comply with the requirements specified in this document.

5. IMPLEMENTATION

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5.2. According to management requirements, the Department of Science and Technology shall request the Ministry of Industry and Trade to make amendments to this document.

5.3. In the cases where any of the standards and regulations referred to in this document is amended or replaced, the newest one shall apply.