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TIA readies lead testing protocol

By Staff -- Gifts and Dec, 3/10/2009 2:26:00 PM

NEW YORK—The Toy Industry Association will soon submit for consideration to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission a recommended testing protocol to “efficiently” verify lead paint limits on toys and children’s products defined in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).

TIA convened “a task group of laboratory experts” to assist and speed the effort at recommending a new lead testing protocol for paint and similar surface coatings that will satisfy CPSIA requirements. The protocol is expected to be submitted to the CPSC for consideration later this month.

“The toy industry is committed to demonstrating that our products in the marketplace continue to uphold the highest possible safety requirements,” said Carter Keithley, TIA president. “These experts are helping to create a clear, effective and efficient test protocol that companies can use to determine their compliance with the CPSIA.”

“We hope this model of private and public sector cooperation will serve as a foundation for additional testing protocols that need to be developed before the current CPSC stay of enforcement expires in February 2010,” added Joan Lawrence, TIA vice president for safety standards and regulatory affairs.

The trade association’s move looks to rectify the quandary caused by the Feb. 10, 2009, enforcement date for the CPSIA’s lead-specific provisions having gone into effect without standardized testing procedures being in place to allow manufacturers to meet the regulations’ stipulations. As a result, the government postponed the deadline until Feb. 10, 2010 in order to allow time for the development of what TIA calls “clear and reasonable guidance.”

TIA’s announcement comes one month after launching its Electronic Certification System (ECS), a web-based platform that provides a workflow to help domestic manufacturers and importers of toys to the U.S. meet the General Certificates of Compliance requirements of the CPSIA.

Launch of the ECS was the first phase of TIA’s Toy Safety Certification Program, a system that will provide “reasonable” verification that toys meet applicable mandatory U.S. toy safety standards.

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This article is confusing as it seems to lump together lead-in-paint
and total lead in product. As I understand it, the regulations regarding
lead in paint or surface coatings is already in effect last December, and
the one-year stay didn't apply to that. It was a stay of the need to test
and certify regarding total lead in product but clearly stated the
December lead in paint law wasn't affected. Yet your article states "The
trade association’s move looks to rectify the quandary caused by the
Feb. 10, 2009, enforcement date for the CPSIA’s lead-specific
provisions having gone into effect without standardized testing
procedures being in place to allow manufacturers to meet the
regulations’ stipulations. As a result, the government postponed the
deadline until Feb. 10, 2010 in order to allow time for the development
of what TIA calls “clear and reasonable guidance.” You seem to be
saying here that lead-in-paint or surface coatings was part of the stay
to 2010, which I believe is misleading.

Marilyn Chalais - 2009-03-11 11:55:00 EDT

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