Toys & Childcare | Monthly bulletin | November 2019

Europe

Publication of harmonised standards list for toys

On 16^th October 2019, the European Commission published:

Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/1728 of 15 October 2019 on harmonised standards for toys drafted in support of Directive 2009/48/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council.

Which includes the official list of titles and references of published and withdrawn harmonized standards under Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC and repeals Decision (EU) 2019/1254.

The main update of this decision is:

• The harmonization of the new version of the standard EN 71-3:2019. The previous version, EN 71-3:2013+A3:2018, will be in effect until 15^th April 2020

Below, the references of current harmonised standards listed in Annex I to this Decision:

And the references of harmonised standards listed in Annex II to this Decision (withdrawn standards):

Click here for getting the official publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Update of toy guidance document for Soother holders

On 26^th September 2019, the European Commission published the update of Guidance document No 19 on Soother holders.

The aim of this guide is to help distinguish between soother holders that are toys and those that are not. It provides a lot of examples with pictures to see the differences between a toy and childcare product in order to be able to have good criteria for classification.

It must always be kept in mind that, regardless of whether a soother holder is classified as a toy or not, it is a product for very young children that has to be safe.  The highest risks of soother holders lay in their mechanical and physical properties; thus the most important standards to consider for these products are:

• EN 12586 Child use and care articles. Soother holder. Safety requirements and test methods
• EN 71-1 Safety of toys - Part 1: Mechanical and physical properties

Update of harmonised standards list under General Product Safety 

On 10^th October 2019, the European Commission published:

Commission implementing decision (EU) 2019/1698 of 9 October 2019 on European standards for products drafted in support of Directive 2001/95/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on general product safety.

Which includes the official list of titles and references of published and withdrawn harmonized standards under General Product Safety Directive (GPSD) 2001/95/EC.

In this decision, Annex I includes the list of current harmonised standards under GPSD and Annex II includes the list of withdrawn standards.

Within this list of withdrawn standards, some of them (non-exhaustive):

• EN 15649 series for floating leisure articles for use on and in the water
  • However, it is important to highlight that EN 71-1 on toy safety still contains a reference to EN 15649
• EN 957 series (some parts) for Stationary training equipment (other parts still remain in the list of current harmonized standards)

Click here for getting the official publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Intention to restrict substances in disposable baby diapers submitted

On 9^th October 2019, France submitted to the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) the restriction intentions about disposable baby diapers containing chemical/chemical groups, such as PAHs, Formaldehyde, dioxins, furans, PCBs,...

For more information, please click here.

US

CPSC Proposes to exempt certain unfinished manufactured fibers from ASTM F963 elements and Phthalates Tests

On 9^th October 2019, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published a proposed rule which determines that certain unfinished manufactured fibers would not contain the ASTM F963 elements or specified phthalates exceeding the limits for children's toys and child care articles under CPSC's regulations.

This proposed rule defines unfinished manufactured fiber as one that has no chemical additives added to impart color or some desirable performance property like flame retardancy beyond those required to manufacture the fiber.

16 CFR 1253.2(b) specifies that the following unfinished manufactured fibers do not exceed the ASTM F963 elements solubility limits with a high degree of assurance:

1. Nylon
2. Polyurethane (Spandex)
3. Viscose Rayon
4. Acrylic and Modacrylic
5. Natural Rubber Latex

And the 16 CFR 1253.2(c) specifies that the following unfinished manufactured fibers do not exceed the phthalates content limits under 16 CFR 1307 with a high degree of assurance:

1. Polyester (polyethylene terephthalate, PET)
2. Nylon
3. Polyurethane (Spandex)
4. Viscose Rayon
5. Acrylic and Modacrylic
6. Natural Rubber Latex

Based on these proposed determinations, accessible component parts of children's toys and child care articles made with above unfinished manufactured fibers are not required to be third party tested for compliance with the requirements of the ASTM F963 elements or phthalates in 16 CFR 1307.

Comments can be submitted by December 23, 2019. Please click here for more information.

CPSC Publishes Amendment to Requirements for Consumer Registration of Durable Infant or Toddler Products

On 24^th September 2019, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published a final rule on Federal Register which made some amendments for Registration requirements of durable Infant or toddler products.

As specified in this final rule, the Commission mainly revised the following information:

• Update the definition of “durable infant or toddler product” to include the full statutory definition;
• Clarify listed product categories using the product name in the applicable mandatory standard;
• Clarify that the scope of each listed product category is further defined in the applicable mandatory standard;
• Clarify the scope of the infant carriers and bassinets and cradles product categories; and
• Use the term “baby changing products” to be consistent with the Commission's mandatory standard.

The rule came into effect on 24^th October 2019 with exception for contoured changing pads until 24^th September 2020. For more details please click here.

Taiwan

Mandatory inspection standard of children’s raincoat

Recently, the Bureau of Standards, Metrology and Inspection (BSMI) published an announcement indicating the adoption of the recent version of standard CNS 15503 “General requirements for safety of children’s products”, as the inspection standard for children’s raincoat (for heights between 70 cm and 150 cm. Waterproof textiles are excluded).

Read more >>

Product Recalls / Alerts

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 69 alerts regarding Childcare articles, equipment and toys have been reported, from week 39 until week 42 of 2019.

US

From 21^st September to 20^th October 2019, CPSC (Consumer Product Safety Commission) has published the following recalls: 1 recalls regarding Childcare and children’s products.