Eurofins | Newsflash - March 2019 | Toys & Childcare
Update of toy guidance document for pools
On 28th January 2019, the European Commission published the update of Guidance document No 8 on the application of Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC to pools.
The classification of pools is the following:
|
Article |
Depth |
Covered by the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC |
Covered by EN 71-8 |
|
Pools for play |
≤ 400 mm |
yes |
yes |
|
Pools for play |
>400 mm |
yes |
No, EC-type examination is required |
|
Pools for leisure ( without play elements) |
>400 mm |
No |
No |
Is Bisphenol P a safe alternative?
On January 2018, the substance 2,2-bis(4'-hydroxyphenyl)-4-methylpentane, also known as Bisphenol P, was added in ECHA’s candidate list of substances of very high concern (SVHCs) following the proposal from the Swedish Chemicals Agency (Kemikalieinspektionen – KEMI).
Proposal to Amend Chemicals of High Concern in Children’s Products Rule
Vermont Department of Health has recently proposed to amend Chemicals of High Concern in Children’s products rule including modification of the reportable chemicals list and establishing a process by which a chemical might be banned for sale or distribution.
The proposed amendments add the following twenty chemicals to the list of chemicals of high concern to children:
- Triphenyl phosphate(115-86-6)
- Di(methoxyethyl) phthalate(117-82-8)
- Ethylhexyl diphenyl phosphate(1241-94-7)
- Tris (2,3-dibromopropyl) phosphate(126-72-7)
- Tri-n-butyl phosphate(126-73-8)
- Dipentyl phthalate(131-18-0)
- Tricresyl phosphate(1330-78-5)
- Tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate(13674-84-5)
- 2-ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate(183658-27-7)
- Bis(2-ethylhexyl) tetrabromopthalate(26040-51-7)
- Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)( 335-67-1)
- Bis(chloromethyl)propane-1,3-diyl tetrakis-(2-chloroethyl) bis(phosphate) (38051-10-4)
- Bisphenol F(620-92-8)
- Isopropylated triphenyl phosphate(68937-41-7)
- Lead(7439-92-1)
- Bisphenol S(80-09-1)
- Dicyclohexyl phthalate(84-61-7)
- Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) (84-69-5)
- Decabromodiphenyl ethane(84852-53-9)
- Short-chain chlorinated paraffins(85535-84-8)
Any chemical that is added for a specific function (not a contaminant), which degrades to or releases a listed chemical is also required to report.
Manufacturers of children’s products shall submit the disclosure notice to the Department under 18 V.S.A. § 1775 on or before August 31, 2020 (for products sold between September 1, 2018 and August 31, 2020) and submission shall continue biennially thereafter.
Public comments were closed on February 8, 2019. For more information click here.
Standards Updates
Below a summary table with some recent ASTM standards updates:
|
Reference |
Title |
|
Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Infant Bathers. |
Update of the Children’s Sleepwear Regulations guideline
In February 2019, Health Canada published an update of guideline on Children’s Sleepwear Regulations.
Manitoba ’s Upholstered and Stuffed Articles Regulation Repealed
On 24th January 2019, the Government of Manitoba approved the revocation of the Bedding and Other Upholstered or Stuffed Articles Regulation, 78/2004.
Proposal to amend the Tents Regulations and Toys Regulations
As already announced in our Eurofins News Flash January 2019 edition, Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) has worked on the development of a new National Standard of Canada for tent flammability and labelling (CAN/CGSB-182.1 Flammability and labelling requirements for tents).
Amendment for Consumer Product Safety Standard for Prams and Strollers
On 18th February 2019, the Australian Federal Register of Legislation website registered the last Version of the “Consumer Product Safety Standard for Prams and Strollers- Consumer Protection Notice No 8 of 2007” made under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010.
The main point of this amendment is the addition of a note in Division 2 of the Schedule as follows:
“Note: Strollers include wheeled vehicles that can operate in more than one mode, if one of those modes is designed to transport a child in a seated position (including, but not limited to, convertible tricycle strollers).”
Click here for getting the official publication from Federal Register of Legislation website.
Below you will find a monthly summary of product recalls and alerts in Europe (Source “RAPEX”) and in the US (Source “CPSC”).
Europe
RAPEX (European Commission Rapid Alert System for dangerous non-food products – Alerts reported by EU national authorities).
The following 76 alerts regarding Childcare articles, equipment and toys have been reported, from week 4 until week 7 of 2019.
|
Type of Risk |
Number of alerts |
Notes |
|
Burns, Strangulation, Suffocation |
2 |
Fancy-dress costume: costume highly flammable and the plastic bag of the packaging is too thin. |
|
Burn |
2 |
Batteries can overheat by a short-circuit. It does not comply with European standard EN 62115. |
|
Chemical |
25 |
Phthalates: Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), di-isononyl phthalate (DINP) and di-butyl phthalate (DBP), diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP), di-isodeciyl phthalate (DIDP). |
|
Nail polish in toy containing high levels of phenoxyethanol. |
||
|
Short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs). |
||
|
Toy slime: high level of migration of Boron. |
||
|
Chemical/Environment |
13 |
Solder: high level of lead and cadmium. Not complying with the Commission Directive on the restriction of the use of certain hazardous substances in electrical and electronic equipment (RoHS 2 Directive). |
|
Chemical/Choking |
2 |
Button cell batteries: easily accessible. Not complying with Toy Safety Directive and standard EN 62115. |
|
Choking |
22 |
Small parts and suction cups easily detached from the product. Not complying with EN 71-1. |
|
The fibrous stuffing material of the toy is easily accessible due to the weakness of certain seams. Not complying with EN 71-1. |
||
|
Strangulation |
1 |
The cord attached to the toy is too long. Not complying with EN 71-1. |
|
Entrapment, Injuries |
1 |
High-chair for dolls: A child could insert his fingers in the space between the moving element of high-chair, leading to a risk of entrapment and injuries. Not complying with EN 71-1. |
|
Injuries |
8 |
Play pen: is not sufficiently stable and can fold unexpectedly, not complying with EN 12227. |
|
High chair: It is not sufficiently stable and can easily tip over sideways, not complying with EN 14988. |
||
|
Scooter: it is not sufficiently stable. Not comply with EN 71. |
||
|
Toy pushchair: it has only one locking device consequently the child's fingers may become trapped between moving parts. Not complying with EN 71. |
||
|
Magnetic putty toy: The putty contains a magnet which is a small part and has a high magnetic flux. If a child swallows the small magnet and other metallic objects, they could attract one another causing intestinal blockage or perforation. Not complying with EN 71-1. |
||
|
Toy: sharp points. Not complying with EN 71. |
From 21st January to 20th February 2019, CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) has published the following recalls: 3 recalls regarding Childcare and children’s products
|
Type of Risk |
Number of recalls |
Notes |
|
Entrapment and suffocation |
1 |
Childcare Bed Rails: not comply with the federal mandatory standard for portable bed rails. |
|
Injury |
2 |
Children’s Power wheels caravan: the children’s ride-on Power Wheels can continue to run after the foot pedal is released. |
|
Acrylic Milk Bottles: The plastic straw that comes with the milk bottle can crack or break, posing a laceration hazard. |
