CPSC Releases CHAP on Phthalates and Alternatives

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced the release of a report detailing the potential effects on children’s health of phthalates and phthalate alternatives as used in toys and child care articles.

The CPSC-appointed Chronic Hazard Advisory Panel (CHAP) recommended:

1) lifting the interim bans on DnOP and DIDP and permanently banning DINP.
2) permanently banning four additional phthalates (DIBP, DPenP, DHexP and DCHP) from use in children’s toys and child care articles at levels greater than 0.1%.
3.) imposing an interim ban on DIOP from use in children’s toys and child care articles at levels greater than 0.1%.

The CHAP report concluded that food, beverages, and drugs via direct ingestion, and not children’s toys and their personal care products, constituted the highest phthalate exposures to all subpopulations, with the highest exposure being dependent upon the phthalate and the products that contain it. The report also found that DINP had the maximum potential for exposure for infants, toddlers, and older children, primarily from food but also from mouthing teethers and toys, and from dermal contact with child care articles and home furnishings.

The CPSC has 180 days from the release of the CHAP Report to evaluate the findings and promulgate a rule based on the report.

https://www.cpsc.gov/en/Regulations-Laws--Standards/Statutes/The-Consumer-Product-Safety-Improvement-Act/Phthalates/Chronic-Hazard-Advisory-Panel-CHAP-on-Phthalates/

Sound requirement for Caps Intended for Use With Toy Guns Toy Guns Not/ Intended for Use With Caps

Caps Intended for Use With Toy Guns Toy Guns Not/ Intended for Use With Caps
From 9 December 2013, from the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPR), the existing regulation of CPSIA is replaced by ASTM F963 on the sound testing requirement on the toys guns

caps
intended for use with toys guns in 16 CFR 1500.18(a)(5), 1500.47, and 1500.86(a)(6) were originally
promulgated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).. In September 1973, the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA) and the statute’s implementing regulations were transferred from the FDA to the CPSC.

16 CFR 1500.18(a)(5).
‘if such caps when so used or such toy guns produce impulse-type sound at a peak pressure level at or above 138 decibels. . . .’

16 CFR 1500.86(a)(6)
exempts toy caps that produce peak sound levels of 138 to 158 decibels if: The packaging material contains a warning regarding proper use, the manufacturer notifies CPSC, and the manufacturer participates in a program to develop toy caps that produce peak pressure levels below 138 decibels
(no manufacturers participating in this program, so revoking)

16 CFR 1500.47, provides the test method for determining the sound pressure level produced by toy caps and toy guns.
(the equipment is obsolete)

CPSC Lead in substrates testing method

On 21 Feb 2013, HD XRF (High definition X-ray fluorescence) are approval as one of the testing method on the total lead in substrates.

So by now, total lead in substrates and in coating can be tested as below via ASTM F2853-10e1 methods.

• Total lead in substrate by HDXRF 
• Total lead in coating by HDXRF 

There are some limitation however:

• The electroplated alloys, or excessive curvature, rough surface texture, or specimen thickness less than 2 mm, may require sample preparation techniques
• Different locations of the sample are required to be measured to ensure the accuracy
• Chemical retest is required to further clarify if the HKXRF result fall in the uncertainty.