Insight Bulletins: Toys and Children's Products
U.S. – Nevada Approves Regulations Restricting PFAS and OFRs in Certain Consumer Products
On May 27, 2021, Nevada Governor Sisolak signed amendments to Assembly Bill, AB97, restricting the presence of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and organohalogen flame retardants (OFRs) in a variety of consumer products. The Nevada bill seeks to reduce the exposure to both these classes of chemicals by... More…
EU – New Requirements on Aniline Approved in Toy Directive
The European Commission has issued Commission Directive (EU) 2021/903 to approve the amendment regarding specific limit values for aniline in certain toys to Toy Directive 2009/48/EC. New requirements on aniline are added in Appendix C to Annex II, as follows... More…
U.S. – Vermont Approves Bill S20 to Restrict Sale of PFAS Chemicals
On May 18, 2021, Vermont Governor Phil Scott signed bill S. 20 into law, which impacts chemicals in a wide range of products and amends the list of chemicals of high concern to children (CHCCs). The bill (S 20) restricts the sale of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in More…
U.S. – CPSC Approves Final Rule for Infant Sleep Products
On June 2, 2021, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), approved a new federal regulation: 16 CFR 1236 Safety Standard for Infant Sleep Products, as part of the rulemaking process required by the Section 104(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) More…
EU – Latest List of Harmonised Standards for Toys Published
On May 31, 2021, the EU Commission published Decision (EU) 2021/867 to adopt the following three standards as harmonised standards in support of the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC. The following versions of the standards will become effective immediately. More…
EU – Updates to European Toy Safety Requirements for Aluminium and Formaldehyde in Effect
In November 2019, the European Commission published two directives, (EU) 2019/1922 and 2019/1929 (refer to Insight Vol. 1119), to update the European Toys Safety requirements. These updates came into effect respectively on May 20 and May 21, 2021. The first of these relates to... More…
U.S. – CPSC Adopts ASTM F2613-21 for Children’s Folding Chairs and Stools in Direct Final Rule
As part of the rulemaking process required by Section 104(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has approved, by direct final rule, the revised ASTM F2613-21 to be incorporated in the federal regulation... More…
U.S. – April 2021 California Proposition 65 – 60-Day Notices Analysis
In April 2021, there were a total of 156 60-day notices for alleged violation of Prop 65, down from the 300 notices served in March 2021. A total of 62 of the notices were for phthalates, accounting for 40% of all notices. Of the rest, 30% were More…
Canada – Amendments to the Surface Coatings Regulations and Others Proposed
On April 24, 2021, Health Canada published a notice proposing Regulations Amending Certain Regulations Made Under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (Surface Coating Materials) to better define the requirements and scope of the Surface Coatings Materials Regulations, SOR/2016-193. Besides the Surface Coatings Materials Regulations, the notice More…
Canada – New Carriages and Strollers Regulations Proposed
Carriages and strollers are wheeled conveyance devices used primarily for the transportation of infants and children. The Canadian Carriages and Strollers Regulations first came into effect in 1985 under the Hazardous Products Act. In 2011, they came into force under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act and More…
U.S. – March 2021 California Proposition 65 – 60-Day Notices Analysis
In March 2021, there were a total of 300 60-day notices for violation of Prop 65, up from the 296 notices served in February 2021. Majority of the notices were for lead and phthalates, accounting for 34% and 40% of the total notices, respectively More…
UK – BSI Publishes Guidance Document BSI Flex 5555 Version 2.1, April 2021 Community Face Covering – Specification
The British Standards Institution (BSI) has published a third guidance document for community face coverings: BSI Flex 5555 Version 2.1, April 2021 Community Face Coverings — Specification. It is provided free of charge and is available to download via... More…
U.S. – CPSC Adopts ASTM F404-20 for High Chairs in Direct Final Rule
As part of the rulemaking process required by Section 104(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has approved, by Direct Final Rule, the new ASTM F404-20 to be incorporated in... More…
U.S. – February 2021 California Proposition 65 – 60-Day Notices Analysis
The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, commonly referred to as Proposition 65 (Prop 65), is enforced by the California Attorney General’s office or any district attorney or certain city attorneys or by any individual acting in the public interest. More…
U.S. – Oregon Publishes Phase 3 Final Rules of Toxic Free Kids Act
On March 1, 2021, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has published the final rule implementing Phase 3 requirements of Oregon’s 2015 Toxic Free Kids Act (TKFA). The Toxic-Free Kids Act requires manufactures of children’s products sold in Oregon to report and ultimately, for certain More…
U.S. – January 2021 California Proposition 65 – 60-Day Notices Analysis
The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, commonly referred to as Proposition 65 (Prop 65), is enforced by the California Attorney General’s office or any district attorney or certain city attorneys or by any individual acting in the public interest. More…
UK – BSI Publishes Guidance Document BSI Flex 5555 Version 2, March 2021 Community Face Covering – Specification
The British Standards Institution (BSI) has published a second guidance document for community face coverings: BSI Flex 5555 v2.0:2021-03 Community face coverings — Specification. It is provided free of charge and is available to download via the BSI website... More…
U.S. – The Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse Approves Changes to Model Toxics in Packaging Legislation
In February 2021, the Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse (TPCH) approved significant revisions to the Model Toxics in Packaging Legislation including; restriction of sale of packaging and packaging materials containing phthalates greater than 100 parts per million or 0.01% by weight... More…
U.S. – ASTM International Publishes F3502 Safety Specifications for Barrier Face Coverings
ASTM International (ASTM) has approved new standard F3502 Safety Specifications for Barrier Face Coverings (BCF). The first of its kind, this standard is intended to cover general consumer face coverings and explicitly excludes face masks (medical masks) for use in healthcare settings regulated by... More…
U.S. – CPSC Adopts ASTM F2088-20 for Infant Swings in Direct Final Rule
As part of the rulemaking process required by Section 104(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has approved the new ASTM F2088-20 to be incorporated in the federal regulation 16 CFR 1223 – Safety Standard for Infant Swings More…
U.S. – December 2020 California Proposition 65 – 60-Day Notices Analysis
In December 2020, there were a total of 293 60-day notices for violation of Prop 65, down from the 314 notices served in November 2020. Nearly half the notices were for phthalates, accounting for 41%. Of the rest, 32% were More…
EU/UK – All Four Documents Related to Security of Attachments for the Safety of Children’s Clothing Have Now Been Published
CEN (the European standardisation body) has now published the four new documents – three test methods and one specification – for the safety of children’s clothing that address the security of attached components (refer to Insight Vol. 1212 for previous announcement). More…
EU/UK – New Version of European Toy Standard EN 71-4 Published
A revised version of the European Toy Standard EN 71-4:2020 (Experimental sets for chemistry and related activities) has recently been published by CEN, and National Standards Bodies will publish or endorse this new standard by June 2021. More…
U.S. – November 2020 California Proposition 65 – 60-Day Notices Analysis
In November 2020, there were a total of 314 60-day notices for alleged violation of Prop 65, compared to 333 notices served in October 2020. Majority of the notices were for phthalates, accounting for 51% of the total notices. More…
U.S. – October 2020 California Proposition 65 – 60-Day Notices Analysis
The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, commonly referred to as Proposition 65 (Prop 65), is enforced by the California Attorney General’s office or any district attorney or certain city attorneys or by any individual acting in the public interest More…
EU REACH – ECHA Announces Addition of 2 SVHCs to Candidate List
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has announced the addition of 2 new Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) to the Candidate List. The substances have identified uses in products, such as inks or toners, and in the production of plastics and tyres. More…
U.S. – OEHHA Proposed Amendments to Prop 65 Short-form Warnings
On January 8, 2021, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) proposed amending Article 6 Clear and Reasonable Warnings. The safe harbor warning methods and content in Article 6 are deemed by OEHHA to be clear and reasonable for More…
EU/UK – New Documents Published Related to Security of Attachments for the Safety of Children’s Clothing
CEN (the European standardisation body) has recently approved four new documents – three test methods and one specification – for the safety of children’s clothing that address the security of attached components. One document regarding the security of attachment of buttons was published as More…
Australia – Mandatory Requirements on Button Batteries and Products Containing Button Batteries Approved
The Australia Government has approved the Consumer Goods (Button/Coin Batteries) Safety and Information Standard and the Consumer Goods (Products Containing Button/Coin Batteries) Safety and Information Standard. All affected products must comply with the Standards from 22 June 2022. More…
U.S. – September 2020 California Proposition 65 – 60-Day Notices Analysis
The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, commonly referred to as Proposition 65 (Prop 65), is enforced by the California Attorney General’s office or any district attorney or certain city attorneys or by any individual acting in the public interest. More…
EU – Amendment to Allergenic Fragrance Requirements under Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC Approved
The European Commission has published Directives (EU) 2020/2088 and 2020/2089 to amend Annex II to the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC, regarding allergenic fragrances in toys. Member States shall apply the amendments from 5 July 2022 More…
U.S. – CPSC Proposes 16 CFR 1241 Safety Standard for Crib Mattresses
As part of the rulemaking process required by Section 104(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is proposing a new federal regulation: 16 CFR 1241 Safety Standard for Crib Mattresses. More…
EU – Restricted Azo Dyes Test Methods Harmonised in Annex XVII of REACH
The European Union issued an amendment to REACH in the official journal on 16th December 2020. Commission Regulation (EU) 2020/2096 of 15 December 2020 amends Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the More…
EU – New EN 71-2:2020 Flammability Safety of Toys Published
The primary changes are related to toy disguise costumes. There are now requirements for toy disguise costumes to be tested before and after washing, even if the manufacturer’s instructions state not to wash. In addition, the test method allows the testing of More…
U.S. – July 2020 California Proposition 65 – 60-Day Notices Analysis
The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, commonly referred to as Proposition 65 (Prop 65), is enforced by the California Attorney General’s office or any district attorney or certain city attorneys or by any individual acting in the public interest More…
U.S. – August 2020 California Proposition 65 – 60-Day Notices Analysis
The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, commonly referred to as Proposition 65 (Prop 65), is enforced by the California Attorney General’s office or any district attorney or certain city attorneys or by any individual acting in the public interest More…
U.S. – June 2020 California Proposition 65 – 60-Day Notices Analysis
The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, commonly referred to as Proposition 65 (Prop 65), is enforced by the California Attorney General’s office or any district attorney or certain city attorneys or by any individual acting in the public interest More…
China – GB 38995-2020 for Feeding Bottles and Teats Approved
The standard will apply to infant feeding bottles, teats and drinking accessories made of plastic, glass, metal, ceramic, silicone rubber, and rubber. However, it will not apply to feeding bottles and teats for medical use, and pacifiers. More…
U.S. – CPSC Staff Guidance on COVID-19 Related Products Published
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) staff has published guidance for COVID-19 related products such as face coverings, gowns, gloves, and disinfectant & cleaning products. Manufacturers should note that this guidance only covers the More…
India –Toy (Quality Control) Order 2020 Approved
The Ministry of Commerce and Industry of India approved the Toy (Quality Control) Order 2020. It shall enter into force on 1 January 2021. Following are the highlights of the order: More…
U.S. – FTC Finalizes Amendment to the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act (16 CFR 303)
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has amended the Rules & Regulations Under the Textile Fiber Products Identification Act to incorporate the latest ISO 2076 standard: ISO 2076:2013(E), “Textiles—Man-made fibres—Generic names.” This incorporation by reference will... More…
United Arab Emirates – Child Care Articles Control Scheme Published
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has published the Cabinet Decision No. 34 of 2019 on UAE Control Scheme for Child Care Articles. This Decision applies to the products listed in the table below. This Decision is already effective. More…
U.S. – Vermont Amends the Children’s Products Reporting Rule
The Vermont Department of Health’s Chemicals of High Concern in Children’s Products Reporting Rule requires manufacturers of children’s products to disclose the presence of any intentionally added chemicals of concern above the practical quantification limit (PQL) or above 100ppm, when present as a contaminant. More…
Australia – Safety Standard for Toys Containing Magnets Approved
Australia has published the Consumer Goods (Toys Containing Magnets) Safety Standard 2020 to replace Consumer Protection Notice No. 5 of 2010 (CPN No. 5 of 2010). The new standard has already come into force. Suppliers may choose to comply with either CPN No. 5 of 2010 or More…
U.S. – Hong Kong’s U.S. Exports to be Labeled “Made in China”
On July 14, 2020, U.S. President Trump issued Executive Order 13936 on Hong Kong Normalization, in accordance with the suspension of the Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992, requiring imported goods produced in Hong Kong to indicate “China” as their origin. More…
U.S. – CPSC Delays adoption of ASTM F2050-19 for Hand-Held Infant Carriers in Direct Final Rule
As part of the rulemaking process required by Section 104(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) approved the new ASTM F2050-19 to be incorporated in the federal regulation... More…
U.S. – Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse Proposes Updated Model Toxics in Packaging Legislation
The Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse (TPCH) was established by the Coalition of Northeastern Governors (CONEG) in 1992 to assist with the adoption of the CONEG-developed Model Toxics in Packaging Legislation, which aims to reduce the presence of heavy metals and other harmful substances in More…
U.S. – FTC Proposes 16 CFR 323 Made in USA Labeling
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is tasked with protecting consumers from deceptive acts and practices under FTC Act. Section 5(a) of the FTC Act authorizes the FTC is to ensure that a ‘Made in USA’ claim, like any other claim, be truthful, non-deceptive and substantiated More…
U.S. – CPSC Approves 16 CFR 1239 Safety Standard for Gates and Enclosures
As part of the rulemaking process required by Section 104(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA), the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has approved a new federal regulation: 16 CFR 1239 Safety Standard for Gates and Enclosures More…
EU REACH – Explanatory Guide on REACH Annex XVII Entry 72 Published
The European Commission has published an explanatory guide to clarify the scope of articles intended to be covered and list the analytical methods for CMR (carcinogenic, mutagenic or reprotoxic) substances under entry 72 to Annex XVII of REACH. More…