The US Consumer Product Safety Commission
(CPSC) has issued a final rule that will exempt certain unfinished fibers in
toys and childcare articles from third party testing.
Published on June 1, 2020, the final rule
creates a completely new 16 CFR Part 1253 ‘Children’s Toys and Child Care
Articles: Determinations Regarding the ASTM F963 elements and Phthalates for
Unfinished manufactured Fibers’. This follows a determination that several
unfinished manufactured fibers do not exceed regulatory limits per ASTM F963
soluble elements or phthalates in toys and childcare articles.
‘Unfinished manufactured fiber’ is defined
as:
“A fiber that has no chemical additives
beyond those required to manufacture the fiber.”
This means it is free from chemical
additives that would impact color, provide flame retardancy, etc.
For manufacturers, this means these fibers
will no longer require third party testing for compliance with:
1.
Eight
soluble elements in ASTM F963 (16 CFR 1250)
2.
Eight
phthalates in toys and childcare articles per 16 CFR 1307:
o Benzyl butyl phthalate – BBP
o Dibutyl phthalate – DBP
o Dicyclohexyl phthalate – DCHP
o Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate – DEHP
o Di-n-hexyl phthalate – DHEXP (DnHP)
o Diisobutyl phthalate – DIBP
o Diisononyl phthalate – DINP
o Di-n-pentyl phthalate – DPENP
Unfinished manufactured fibers include:
– ASTM F963
soluble elements:
o Acrylic and modacrylic
o Natural rubber latex
o Nylon
o Polyurethane (spandex)
o Viscose rayon
– Phthalates
(per 16 CFR 1307)
o Acrylic and modacrylic
o Natural rubber latex
o Nylon
o Polyurethane (spandex)
o Viscose rayon
o Polyester (polyethylene terephthalate, PET)
CPSC published the final rule in the
Federal Register on June 1, 2020, and it will come into effect on July 1, 2020.
SGS Toy & Juvenile Product Services
SGS offers a wide range of services to ensure that products comply with
relevant standards for childcare articles and children’s equipment. They
provide consulting, training, product development, testing, audit and
inspection services to ensure that products comply with strict regulations
worldwide, demonstrating the safety and quality of juvenile products being
brought to the market. Learn more about SGS’s Toy & Juvenile Product Services.
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