GB18586-2026
Indoor decorating and refurbishing materials—Limitations of harmful substances from carpets , carpet underlays, and polyvinyl chloride flooring
室内装饰装修材料 地毯、地毯衬垫和聚氯乙烯地板中有害物质限量
GB 18586-2026 is an upcoming mandatory Chinese national standard for Indoor decorating and refurbishing materials—Limitations of harmful substances from carpets , carpet underlays, and polyvinyl chloride flooring. It appears in the Electronics compliance cluster with a environmental protection focus and has an implementation date of Oct 1, 2027.
Applicability depends on product scope, certification route, competent authority notices and transition rules. Requst for the translation or verify source before using this record in a compliance decision.
Compliance overview
Scope and applicability
This standard applies to carpets, carpet underlays, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) flooring used in indoor decorating and refurbishing materials. It is mandatory for all manufacturers and importers of these specific flooring products entering the Chinese market. The standard does not apply to other types of floor coverings or adhesives used separately during installation.
Technical requirements
GB 18586-2026 specifies the maximum limits for various harmful substances emitted or contained in the covered products. For carpets and carpet underlays, the standard sets strict release limits for Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC), formaldehyde, and specific volatile monomers like styrene and 4-phenylcyclohexene. Manufacturers must ensure their products meet these emission limits to be compliant. For PVC flooring, the requirements are expanded to include content limits for heavy metals (lead, cadmium, hexavalent chromium, mercury), phthalates, vinyl chloride monomers, and formamide. Additionally, it regulates the release rates of TVOC and formaldehyde, as well as the content of flame retardants like polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) when applicable. Compared to the previous versions (GB 18587-2001 and GB 18586-2001), this update removes the classification of environmental and general products, establishing a unified mandatory limit. Suppliers must transition to these new unified requirements before the implementation date.
Testing methods
The standard outlines specific testing methodologies using an environmental test chamber to measure area-specific emission rates. For VOCs and formaldehyde, it references methods like ISO 16000-6 and ISO 16000-3. Chemical content analysis for heavy metals and phthalates in PVC flooring follows the GB/T 39560 series and GB/T 22048 standards respectively. Testing must be conducted under strictly controlled temperature, humidity, and air exchange rates.
FAQs
What products are regulated under GB 18586-2026?
The standard regulates carpets, carpet underlays, and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) flooring used for indoor decoration.
Are there any updates from the previous version of GB 18586-2026?
Yes, it replaces GB 18587-2001 and GB 18586-2001. It removes the B-grade requirements and introduces unified limits, while adding new parameters for phthalates, heavy metals, and flame retardants in PVC flooring.
What is the transition period for existing products?
Products manufactured or imported before the implementation date have a 12-month grace period. They must comply with the new standard starting from the 13th month after implementation.
The summary above provides a high-level overview of GB 18586-2026. To ensure complete compliance for your products entering the Chinese market, a precise and professional translation of the full technical specifications is essential. Purchase our high-quality English translation of GB 18586-2026 today to access all detailed parameters, tables, and testing procedures.
Applicability hints
- Type
- Product
- CCS
- W 56;Y 28
- ICS
- 59.080.60, 83.140
- Competent department
- Ministry of Industry and Information Technology
- Technical committee
- National Technical Committee on Arts and Crafts of Standardization Administration of China
Relationships
Replaces:GB 18587-2001 (Current) , GB 18586-2001 (Current)