The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) officially goes into effect on February 10, 2009. The bill, which mandates safe levels of lead in various children's products, could have wide-reaching effects on the promotional products industry. Suppliers and distributors alike will be held responsible for providing and selling products that meet the safety standards laid out in the regulation.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued the following press releases that deal with enforcement, testing, compliance and distribution.
Current CPSC Press Releases Regarding Implementation of the CPSIA:
CPSC Spells Out Enforcement Policy for New Lead Limits in Children’s Products Effective February 10
Starting on February 10, 2009, consumer products intended for children 12 and under cannot have more than 600 parts per million of lead in any accessible part. This new safety requirement is a key component of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act aimed at further reducing children’s exposure to lead.
In an effort to provide clear and reasonable guidance to those impacted by this important law, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is announcing its enforcement policy on the lead limits established by the CPSIA.
Click here or visit http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09120.html to read the full press release and view all pertinent regulations.
CPSC Grants One Year Stay of Testing and Certification Requirements for Certain Products
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, based in Washington, voted unanimously (2-0) to issue a one year stay of enforcement for certain testing and certification requirements for manufacturers and importers of regulated products, including products intended for children 12 years old and younger. These requirements are part of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), which added certification and testing requirements for all products subject to CPSC standards or bans.
Significant to makers of children’s products, the vote by the Commission provides limited relief from the testing and certification requirements which go into effect on February 10, 2009 for new total lead content limits (600 ppm), phthalates limits for certain products (1000 ppm), and mandatory toy standards, among other things. Manufacturers and importers–large and small–of children’s products will not need to test or certify to these new requirements, but will need to meet the lead and phthalates limits, mandatory toy standards and other requirements.
The decision by the Commission gives the staff more time to finalize four proposed rules which could relieve certain materials and products from lead testing and to issue more guidance on when testing is required and how it is to be conducted.
The stay will remain in effect until February 10, 2010, at which time a Commission vote will be taken to terminate the stay. To read the full press release and see what areas and products to which the stay DOES NOT apply, to visit the CPSC Web site at www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html.
CPSC Issues Guidance For Complying With Phthalates Requirements In New Child Safety Law
Starting on February 10, 2009, children’s toys and child-care articles cannot contain more that 0.1 percent of six phthalates (DEHP, DBP, BBP, DINP, DIDP, and DnOP) regardless of when they were manufactured. The CPSC will abide by a court decision issued yesterday ruling that the prohibition on phthalates in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 applies to products in inventory. Phthalates are a group of chemicals (oily, colorless liquids) that are used among other things to make vinyl and other plastics soft and flexible.
A “children’s toy” is defined in the statute as a product intended for a child 12 years of age or younger for use when playing. The Commission has previously stated that it will follow the definition of toy in the mandatory toy standard which exempts such things as bikes, playground equipment, musical instruments and sporting goods (except for their toy counterparts).
The statute also prohibits phthalates over the limit in “child-care articles,” which include products that a child three and younger would use for sleeping, feeding, sucking or teething. [For] example, a pacifier/teether would be an item that would help a child with sucking or teething, a sippy cup would facilitate feeding; and a crib mattress would facilitate sleeping.
Click here to read the full PDF version of the CPSC press release.
Guidance on the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) for Small Businesses, Resellers, Crafters and Charities
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) is a sweeping new law that impacts a broad spectrum of our economy. From manufacturers of toys to the kids that play with them, everyone is affected in some way—even those who make and donate products to hospitals and charities.
There are new rules to be understood and adopted for everyone from the largest global manufacturer to the crafter working in the family workshop to the mom‐and‐pop shop on the corner. Indeed, all children’s products including toys, books, child-care articles and clothing are covered in different ways by this law, and there are different rules for different products.
Click here to read the full PDF version of the CPSC press release.
- Places:
- Washington