IASC Updates Members On Changes In Lead Laws

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• October 06 2009
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IASC recently issued a letter to its members outlining the newest revisions to the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act on lead and phthalates testing in an effort to keep manufacturers knowledgeable on how such laws can affect business. To see all news and updates on the CPSIA and lead laws testing, visit our Lead Laws Resource Page. The following is a brief portion of the letter, with bulleted highlights:

“We are marking the second year of the CPSIA. This Act was intended to give powers to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and to issue phase dates for reductions in lead standards for children products. The CPSIA has reduced lead from 600 parts per million currently required to 300 parts, and is trying to reduce the amount to 100 parts. What this means exactly is the acceptable thresholds for compliance in regards to lead content in substrate (like a deck or truck for example), lead in surface coatings (paint and ink), and phthalates. Phthalates are chemicals used to soften plastics and generally found in injection molded plastic products that contain polyethylene or polypropylene.

The CPSC is involved in an effort to adapt consumer product safety to the changing manufacturing situation. However, by this effort, the CPSC has unduly burdened business by shifting focus from risk toward legal compliance. As a result manufacturing businesses that make and sell safe products are forced into expensive third party testing thereby increasing their costs, or closing their doors. Manufacturers of children’s products will and are spending their resources in duplicative testing in order to comply with the Act.

Highlights from the Letter:

• The CPSIA is issuing phase dates for reduction of lead in children’s products.
• Currently at 300 parts per million, to be reduced to 100 ppm.
• Skateboards marketed to people 13 and older are not required to test to these standards yet and must be marked for adults.
• California Prop 65 is unclear as to compliance to the standards which are now tightening.
• IASC, NSGA, AAFA and other associations are working together to inject common sense applications of the safety rules and regs as they take  effect and are asking for a stay.
• IASC has preemptively secured discounts with testing companies for its members with Bureau Veritas and Intertek”

Find additonal information about IASC by visiting www.skateboardiasc.org