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On June 30, 2025, the Standardization Administration of China (SAC) and the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) jointly announced the release of a new national mandatory standard, GB 31420-2025, which sets forth requirements for toxic, hazardous, and restricted substances in personal protective equipment (PPE). It replaces previous standards GB/T 31420—2015, GB/T 31419—2015, and GB/T 31009—2020, consolidating and expanding the scope of regulated substances across a wider range of protective gear.
This new standard, effective from July 1, 2026, aims to enhance the safety and health protection of workers by establishing stringent limits on various chemical substances found in PPE products.
The standard covers various PPE types, including head protection, eye and face protection, hearing protection, respiratory protection, protective clothing, hand protection, foot protection, and fall protection.
It sets stringent limits for toxic and hazardous substances, including:
Heavy metals (lead, cadmium, nickel release, hexavalent chromium)
PBBs and PBDEs
Phthalates (DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP)
Formaldehyde
Decomposable carcinogenic aromatic amines (the list provided in Annex A)
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
Prohibited/restricted flame retardants
Dimethylformamide (DMFa)
Chlorophenols (2,3,5,6-tetrachlorophenol, pentachlorophenol)
Dimethyl fumarate
Alkylphenol and alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEO)
For materials that come into direct contact with the skin in various PPEs, strict limits are imposed on heavy metals: lead must not exceed 1000 mg/kg, cadmium is restricted to 100 mg/kg, and hexavalent chromium is limited to 3 mg/kg.
Regarding protective clothing, the most stringent limits apply to lead and cadmium in fabrics, plastics, metals, and other accessories containing coatings and paints. Specifically, lead content must not exceed 90 mg/kg, and cadmium is capped at 40 mg/kg.
Furthermore, protective clothing is subject to a 10 mg/kg limit for prohibited or restricted flame retardants. The specific types of these flame retardants are detailed in Annex L of the GB/T 35611-2025 standard.
Additionally, the standards set specific limits for other protective gear: polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in hand protection equipment are limited to 1 mg/kg, while chlorophenols (including 2,3,5,6-tetrachlorophenol and pentachlorophenol) in foot protection equipment must not exceed 0.5 mg/kg.
The testing methods are detailed in Annex B of GB 31420-2025.
