# The Pencils and Graphic Instruments (Safety) Regulations 1998, Regulation 4: Requirements relating to coatings of paint on pencils, pens and brushes


(1) Subject to paragraph (3), no person shall supply a pencil, pen or brush which fails to satisfy the requirements of paragraph (2).
(2) The requirements of this paragraph are that a pencil, pen or brush shall not have any coating of paint which–
(a) contains soluble arsenic, cadmium, hexavalent chromium or mercury, or any soluble compound of arsenic, cadmium, hexavalent chromium or mercury, so that the proportion (by weight) of the element calculated as such exceeds 100mg/kg of that coating;
(b) contains soluble antimony or lead, or any soluble compound of antimony or lead, so that the proportion (by weight) of the element calculated as such exceeds 250mg/kg of that coating; or
(c) contains soluble barium, or any soluble compound of barium, so that the proportion (by weight) of the element calculated as such exceeds 1000mg/kg of that coating.
(3) Paragraph (1) shall not prohibit the supply of any pencil, pen or brush which fails to satisfy the requirements of paragraph (2) if, although it has a coating of paint which contains an element or compound referred to in paragraph (2), the element or compound contained in the coating is not capable of being dissolved by following the sample removal/preparation procedure in BS EN 71–3 appropriate to the coating in question.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2406/regulation/4 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/pencils-and-graphic-instruments-safety-regulations-1998/regulation-4
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.