Luvata launches Eco-Alloys

Luvata has launched its new recycled brass Eco-Alloys that meet the tightest possible purity standards, exceeding the existing industry standards on recycled brass, and also exceeding legislation that will come into play in 2011. Luvata’s new Eco-Alloys use copper selectively drawn from high-purity sources to ensure the metal does not contain any potentially harmful allows. The new Eco-Alloys meet the OEKO-TEX standard 100, which defines maximum trace levels of lead and cadmium in all textile accessories and components, and the ASTM F963 standard, which defines the maximum permitted levels of impurities in toys. The Eco-Alloys also satisfy the requirements of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act 2008, which governs the maximum permitted amount of lead in toys, two years before it comes into force in August 2011. The Luvata Eco-Alloys conform to the most stringent requirements of all of these standards, some of which require a maximum impurity level of less than a tenth of the current internationally accepted standards for recycled metals such as ASTM B36 (US), EU 1652 (Europe) and JIS H 3100 (Japan and the Far East). Rolf Reitz, SCS segment manager, Luvata Rolled Products Division, Europe said: “We believe we are the first metals manufacturer in the world to be producing recycled brass alloys to this level of purity, which is far in excess of any current international standards. Our customers wanted to stay ahead of legislation so that they could have full confidence in the safety requirements of their products. We have helped them to make this step forward and to start getting the best from the higher purity Eco-Alloys.“