Summary

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (Commission, or CPSC) published 16 CFR 1308 a proposal to determine that certain plastics with specified additives would not contain the specified phthalates prohibited in children’s toys and child care articles. Based on these assumptions the specified plastics with specified additives would not require third party testing for compliance with the mandatory phthalates prohibition on children’s toys and child care articles. The public consultation will end on October 31, 2016.

Background

On the 14th of August 14 the President of the United States issued the CPSIA (Consumer Product Safe Improvement Act) in which it has a permanent prohibition of BBP. DBP, and DEHP in children’s toys and child care articles and an interim prohibition of DNOP, DINP, and DIDP in toys that can put in a child’s mouth and child care articles. The requirement was effective 6 months after the date of enactment of the act.

In July 2014 the CPSC proposed a new rule to amend the requirement on the use of specified phthalates in children’s toys and child care articles. According to the proposal the interim prohibition on DINP in the Consumer Product Safe Improvement Act (CPSIA) will become permanent prohibition and the scope of DINP prohibited will be expanded. The interim prohibition on DNOP and DIDP in toys that can put in a child’s mouth and child care article will be cancelled. Diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP), di-n-pentyl phthalate (DPENP), di-n-hexyl phthalate (DHEXP), and dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP) will be added into the list of permanently prohibited phthalates in children’s toys and child care article .

Detailed information is shown below:

scope	phthalate	Requirement
Current rule	Toys and child care articles	Permanent prohibition： DEHP、DBP and BBP	0.1%
Toys that can put in a child’s mouth and child care articles	Restricted on an interim basis, to be lifted： DINP、DIDP and DNOP	0.1%
16 CFR 1308	Toys and child care articles	Restricted on an interim basis, to be lifted： DEHP、DBP、BBP、DINP、DIBP、DPENP、DHEXP and DCHP	0.1%
Toys that can put in a child’s mouth and child care articles	Restricted on an interim basis, to be lifted：   DIDP and DNOP	/

Amendment

In this proposed rule, the requirement for 8 kinds phthalates is consistent with the previous amendment this ensures that certain plastics with specified additives would not contain the specified phthalates prohibited in children’s toys and child care articles exceeding the specified limit. Thus the CPSC proposal regarding 4 kinds of certain plastics (PP,PE, HIPS and ABS) with specified additives would not require third party testing.

scope	phthalate	Requirement	Third party  testing
Current rule	Toys and child  care articles	Permanent  prohibition：DEHP、DBP   and  BBP	0.1%	mandatory
Toys that can  be put in a child’s  mouth and child care  articles	Interim  prohibition： DINP、DIDP and DNOP	0.1%	mandatory
The proposed  rule	Toys and child  care articles	DEHP、DBP、BBP、DINP、DIBP、 DPENP、DHEXP and  DCHP	0.1%	regarding 4  kinds of certain  plastics  (PP,PE,  HIPS  and ABS)

Note:

• DEHP：Diethylhexyl phthalate
• DBP：Dibutyl phthalate
• BBP：Butyl benzyl phthalate
• DNOP：Di-n-octyl Phthalate
• DIDP：Diisodecyl Phthalate
• DINP：Diisononyl Phthalate
• DIBP：diisobutyl phthalate
• DPENP(DPP)：di-n-pentyl phthalate
• DHEXP(DNHP)：di-n-hexyl phthalate
• DCHP： dicyclohexyl phthalate

Due to the increasingly strict requirement of toy safety standards in the EU and USA, and the multinational toy trading barriers, CTI suggests:

1. Pay close attention to technical regulations of toys, thoroughly comprehend the applicable area and product range, formulate the corresponding solutions;
2. Improve the quality control, strictly control the quality of raw materials, do not blindly use inferior material or lower the requirements of production process in order to reduce cost.
3. Improve the company’s own testing ability, and conduct the testing in a third party inspection agency to improve the quality of the finished product to avoid risks of reporting or recall;
4. Seek new materials, develop new technology, and use non-toxic environment-friendly raw materials.