Eurofins | Newsflash - May 2018 | Toys and Childcare
Europe
Recommended restriction on flame retardants
On 5th April 2018, the ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) published a Screening report about the use of Flame retardants in articles.
The flame retardants under study are:
| Substances names (IUPAC) | EC Numbers | CAS Numbers |
| tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) | 204-118-5 | 115-96-8 |
| tris(2-chloro-1-methylethyl) phosphate (TCPP) | 237-158-7 | 13674-84-5 |
| Reaction mass of tris(2-chloropropyl) phosphate and tris(2-chloro-1-methylethyl) phosphate and Phosphoric acid, bis(2-chloro-1-methylethyl) 2-chloropropyl ester and Phosphoric acid, 2-chloro-1-methylethyl bis(2-chloropropyl) ester (TCPP) | (-) | (-) |
| tris[2-chloro-1-(chloromethyl)ethyl] phosphate (TDCP) | 237-159-2 | 13674-87-8 |
Since the screening assessment identified a risk for children from exposure to TCEP, TCPP and TDCP in flexible polyurethane (PUR) foams in childcare articles and residential upholstered furniture, ECHA recommends an Annex XV restriction dossier is prepared.
Click here for getting the Screening report – “An assessment of whether the use of TCEP, TCPP and TDCP in articles should be restricted”
US
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Draft guidelines for age grading of toys On 27th March, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published in the Federal register a notice about the availability of a draft document to determine recommended age groups for all toys. CPSC seeks comments regarding this Draft Guidelines which have been modified in comparison with the last available version of theguidance which is from 2002. |
This guidance is directed to toy sector (CPSC staff, industry stakeholders, third party testing laboratories, manufacturers, etc.). The consultation period is open until 11 June 2018.
Click here for getting the notice published in the Federal register.
Click here for getting the draft- CPSC Guidelines for determining age appropriateness of toys
Click here for getting the draft-CPSC Toy Guidelines: Research document
US - New York
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Proposal to ban bisphenol in childcare products The State of New York has proposed “An Act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to prohibiting the sale of child care products containing bisphenol”; Any child care product such as pacifiers, baby bottles, baby bottle liners and cups, cup lids, straws and sippy cups intended for use by children three years of age or younger containing bisphenol AF (BPAF), bisphenol Z (BPZ), bisphenol S (BPS), bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol AP (BPAP) and bisphenol B (BPB) shall be prohibited. |
US - Massachusetts
New requirements for flame retardants
Massachusetts Joint Committee on Public Health has reported Bill S.1175 favorably (“An Act to protect children and families from harmful flame retardants”). This act would ban the manufacture or sale of bedding, carpeting, residential upholstered furniture, window treatment and products “marketed for use by children 12 years of age or under” that contain more than 1,000 ppm of flame retardants, by weight. Following the flame retardants list:
| Chemical name | CAS number |
| Tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl)phosphate (TDCPP) | 13674–87–8 |
| Tris(2-chloroethyl)phosphate (TCEP) | 115–1496–8 |
| Antimony trioxide | 1309–64–4 |
| Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) | 25637–99–4 |
| Bis(2-Ethylhexyl)-3,4,5,6- tetrabromophthalate (TBPH) | 26040–51–7 |
| 2-EthylhexYl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (TBB) | 183658– 27–7 |
| Chlorinated paraffins | 85535–84–8 |
| Tris (1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP) | 13674–84–5 |
| PentaBDE | 32534-81-9 |
| OctaBDE | 32536-52-0 |
| Any other chemical flame retardants specified by the department pursuant to subsection (C) of SB1175 |
Click here for getting the Bill S.1175 from the 190th General Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
Hong Kong
New standards for toys and children’s products
On 6th April 2018, the Government of Hong Kong published Toys and Children’s Products Safety Ordinance (amendment of Schedules 1 and 2) Notice 2018 in the Gazette.
This amendment updates some standards for toys and children’s products under the Toys and Children’s Products Safety Ordinance (Cap 424). A summary table with the updated standards can be found below:
| Repealed standard | Replaced by | |
| Electric toys - Safety | IEC 62115 Edition 1.2 | IEC 62115:2017 Edition 2.0 |
| Safety of toys - N-Nitrosamines and N-nitrosatable substances | BS EN 71-12:2013 | BS EN 71-12:2016 |
| Toy Safety | ASTM F963-11 | ASTM F963-17 |
| Babies dummies / Children’s paint | ASTM F963-11 | ASTM F963-17 |
| Children’s high chairs and multi-purpose high chairs for domestic use | ASTM F404-16a | ASTM F404-17 |
| Children’s paint | AS/NZS ISO 8124.3:2012 | AS/NZS 8124.3:2012 (incorporating Amendment 1:2016) |
Click here for getting the official publication in the Gazette.
