Commissioners OK Burden Relief for Toys and Children's Items

Commissioners voted 4-0 to approve a final rule to give burden relief involving phthalates and heavy metals in toys and children's products. The effective date will be 30 days after publication in the Federal Register.

Given that CPSC got only one comment and it was positive (PSL, 1/6/20), the briefing package (bit.ly/2A5LSRF) does not recommend revisions from the proposal (PSL, 9/30/19). Thus, seven manufactured fibers would be deemed not to exceed the solubility levels in ASTM F963 for eight heavy elements and/or the 0.1% concentration limit in 16 CFR 1307 for eight phthalates:

• Polyester (polyethylene terephthalate/PET) would not need testing for the phthalates.

 

• Nylon would not need testing for the F963 elements or the phthalates.

 

• Polyurethane (spandex) would not need testing for the F963 elements or the phthalates.

 

• Viscose rayon would not need testing for the F963 elements or the phthalates.

 

• Natural rubber latex would not need testing for the F963 elements or the phthalates.

 

• Acrylic would not need testing for the F963 elements or the phthalates.

 

• Modacrylic would not need testing for the F963 elements or the phthalates.

The elements are antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, and selenium.

The phthalates are di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), diisononyl phthalate (DINP), diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP), di-n-pentyl phthalate (DPENP); di-n-hexyl phthalate (DHEXP), and dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP).