Consumer Safety Commission Clarifies on Lead in Children’s Products

-- Home Textiles Today, 11/23/2009 12:00:00 AM

Washington —

The Home Fashion Products Association has sent an alert noting the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has issued a policy outlining its current guidance on testing and certification of children’s products for compliance with lead content limits.

A copy of the statement of policy can be found on the “what’s new” section of the CPSIA website at http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html#bytopic

The policy affects products designed or intended primarily for a child age 12 or younger. Such products are prohibited from containing more than 300 parts per million (ppm) of lead in any accessible part, and companies may not distribute or sell children’s products that exceed the 300 ppm lead content requirement, according to HFPA counsel Meeks, Sheppard, Leo & Pillsbury.

Although the CPSC has postponed the requirement to begin testing and certification for most children’s products to the 300 ppm lead content limit until February 2010, third party testing and certification is required on the 90 ppm limit on lead paint and other surface coatings and for the 300 ppm limit on lead content in children’s metal jewelry.

CPSC will revisit the issue of enforcement in February.