A compostable balloon SKU carries two compliance questions. The first is whether the material degrades under the conditions the destination market accepts. The second is whether the material contains restricted substances that could leach into the compost stream. The two questions are separate, and a manufacturer has to answer both.
This briefing documents the RoHS test we hold for the biodegradable balloon line, explains what the RoHS Directive (EU) 2015/863 restricts, and explains how the RoHS file combines with the biodegradation and toy safety reports in a B2B compliance package. The test reports we hold are listed in Section 6. Numeric specifications and MOQ thresholds in this briefing are confirmed at quotation stage.
For Importers
What RoHS restricts, why a balloon SKU falls inside the scope, and how the report we hold answers the restricted substance question for the tested sample.
For Procurement Teams
The RoHS report details, how it combines with the EN71 and biodegradation reports, and how SKU-level coverage is confirmed at quotation stage.
1. Why Chemical Safety Is a Separate Question from Compostability
Biodegradation is a physical process. The polymer matrix fragments and is consumed by microorganisms over a defined period under defined conditions. Chemical safety is a separate analysis. It measures whether the material contains restricted substances that could leach into the compost, the soil, or a body fluid during use.
A material can be genuinely biodegradable and still contain a restricted substance. A pigment, a stabilizer, or a plasticizer used in a film formulation may introduce a regulated element into the material, and that element stays in the degradation byproduct even if the polymer itself breaks down cleanly. That is why a compostability report and a chemical safety report are separate items in a sourcing file, and why a buyer should not treat one as a substitute for the other.
For an importer, the consequence is that the chemical safety question has to be answered with a test report on the material. A self-declaration from a supplier is not the same document. A test report from an accredited laboratory is the item that a customs broker or a retail compliance team can put into a file.
2. The RoHS Report We Hold: SHAHG2207652301
The RoHS test report we hold for the biodegradable balloon line is SGS report number SHAHG2207652301, issued on 27 June 2022 by SGS-CSTC Standards Technical Services (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
SGS is an inspection, verification, and testing organization with an ISO 17025 accredited laboratory network. The report we hold is the one the SGS Shanghai laboratory issued for the sample submitted. Coverage of a specific SKU by this report is confirmed at quotation stage.
3. What RoHS Directive (EU) 2015/863 Restricts
The Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive was originally adopted in 2002 as Directive 2002/95/EC, restricting six substance categories. Delegated Directive (EU) 2015/863 added four phthalate esters to the restricted list. The current list under (EU) 2015/863 has ten entries.
A balloon SKU falls inside the scope because of the materials in the film build and the print. Metallized coatings, printing inks, and polymer additives have historically included substances from the restricted list in commodity production. The RoHS test screens the material for the ten restricted substance categories and reports the concentration against the limit set in the directive.
| Restricted Substance | Limit | MDL | Result for the Tested Sample |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cadmium (Cd) | 100 mg/kg | 2 mg/kg | ND (below method detection limit) |
| Lead (Pb) | 1000 mg/kg | 2 mg/kg | ND |
| Mercury (Hg) | 1000 mg/kg | 2 mg/kg | ND |
| Hexavalent Chromium (Cr VI) | 1000 mg/kg | 8 mg/kg | ND |
| Sum of PBBs | 1000 mg/kg | 5 mg/kg (per congener) | ND |
| Sum of PBDEs | 1000 mg/kg | 5 mg/kg (per congener) | ND |
| Di-butyl Phthalate (DBP) | 1000 mg/kg | 50 mg/kg | ND |
| Benzyl Butyl Phthalate (BBP) | 1000 mg/kg | 50 mg/kg | ND |
| Di-2-Ethyl Hexyl Phthalate (DEHP) | 1000 mg/kg | 50 mg/kg | ND |
| Diisobutyl Phthalate (DIBP) | 1000 mg/kg | 50 mg/kg | ND |
MDL = Method Detection Limit. ND = Not Detected, meaning below the MDL. The limit values are quoted from RoHS Directive (EU) 2015/863 as stated in the SGS report. Test method: with reference to IEC 62321 series, analyzed by ICP-OES, UV-Vis, and GC-MS.
4. How the RoHS File Combines with the Other Reports
A B2B compliance package for a biodegradable balloon SKU has three report items. Each one answers a different question, and they are separate items in the file.
RoHS
Answers the restricted substance question. SGS report number SHAHG2207652301, covered in Section 3.
EN71
Answers the toy safety question for a toy-classified SKU. SGS report number SHTY130500007975-01, covering EN71 Parts 1, 2, and 3 for the foil balloon sample. See the EN71 safe foil balloons guide.
Biodegradation
Answers the end-of-life question. ISO 14855-1:2012, SGS report number SHMR220700361301, for the PLA degrading balloon sample under controlled industrial composting conditions.
In the SGS report, "ND" means the concentration of the substance in the tested sample was below the method detection limit stated in the report. It is not the same as a zero measurement and it does not mean the substance is absent from every production run. It means the tested sample recorded no detection above the MDL for that substance. The MDL value for each substance is stated in the report and reproduced in the table in Section 3.
5. Why the RoHS Report Matters to an Import File
A customs broker or a retail compliance team that reviews a balloon import file asks for the chemical safety report. The reason is that border screening protocols in several markets flag consumer product shipments for chemical safety documentation review when the product description or origin triggers a risk profile. A shipment without the report goes into an extended review, which adds storage cost and delay.
Retail chains also ask for the report before listing a product. A distributor that cannot produce the report from the source factory cannot complete the listing process, regardless of the unit price. The report is a listing prerequisite in several retail channels, not a negotiable item.
For the shipping documentation side of a balloon import, see the balloon manufacturer shipping FAQ.
6. Test Reports We Hold
- EN71 — SGS report number SHTY130500007975-01. Coverage: foil balloon sample, EN71 Parts 1, 2, and 3. Coverage of a specific SKU is confirmed at quotation stage.
- RoHS (EU) 2015/863 — SGS report number SHAHG2207652301. Coverage: tested DEGRADING BALLOON sample. Coverage of a specific SKU is confirmed at quotation stage.
- Biodegradation (ISO 14855-1:2012) — SGS report number SHMR220700361301. Coverage: PLA degrading balloon sample under controlled industrial composting conditions. Test material average biodegradation 77.8% within a 45-day test period.
- PEBA member — Pro Environment Balloon Alliance member.
If a destination market requires a standard outside this list, tell us at the quotation stage and we will confirm whether it can be arranged for the program.
7. Chemical Safety FAQ
8. Related Reading
Requesting a RoHS report copy or a chemical safety package for a balloon program?
Email xia@foilballoon.cnResponse within one business day · Sample service available
About FAIR — Kunshan Fair Craft Products Co., Ltd.
FAIR is a balloon manufacturer based in Kunshan, China, producing foil balloons, custom shaped foil balloons, PLA-based biodegradable foil balloons, and custom printed balloon products for global brands, event companies, retail chains, and wholesale novelty distributors. For inquiries: xia@foilballoon.cn