LIBRARY NOTE Product Safety Letter will not have a December 29, 2008 issue due to its schedule of 50 issues per year. The next issue, Vol. 38, No. 1, will be January 5, 2009.
The staff of Product Safety Letter wishes you and yours joyous holidays and a happy and prosperous 2009.
CPSC SEEKS FEEDBACK ON COMPONENTS AND 3RD-PARTY TESTING Comment to CPSC by January 30 on product components as affected by the third-party testing requirements in section 102 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).
CUSTOM BROKERS COULD AID CPSC WITH IMPORTERS CPSC staff reacted with interest December 16 to the idea of using customs brokers as “force multipliers” for spreading to importers information and understanding about the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).
KIDS’ RISKS TARGETED FIRST IN POOL ENFORCEMENT CPSC will focus enforcement of the Virginia Graeme Baker (VGB) Pool and Spa Safety Act first on facilities such as “wading pools, pools designed specifically for young children and in-ground spas” as those pose most risk to children.
DON’T TAKE OLDER FEMALES OUT OF FUEL CAN TESTS SAYS CPSC CPSC staff voiced opposition to a proposed change to ASTM’s standard on portable fuel containers that would lower the number of female and older people used in tests of child-resistant closures.
CPSC AND TARGET LAUNCH IN-STORE RECALL SYSTEM CPSC and Target December 18 announced a recall notification system by which the retailer’s customers will be directed to in-store electronic lists of recalls.
COUNCIL CALLS FOR CUMULATIVE PHTHALATES STUDY The National Research Council December 18 recommended that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) study how combined exposures to phthalates cause cumulative adverse human health effects.
BETTER NANOTECH SAFETY PLAN NEEDED FINDS COUNCIL The U.S. needs a better approach to studying the potential health and safety effects of nanotechnology, the National Research Council asserted December 10.
CUSTOMS PROMOTES SEIZURES OF TOYS AND LIGHTS U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) December 17 said that so far in 2008 they had seized shipments of toys worth nearly $535,000 and with lead levels exceeding U.S. standards.
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT PASSES TOY PROPOSAL The European Parliament December 18 voted 481 to 73 (with 40 abstentions) to adopt the EU’s toy safety proposal. The changes (PSL, 11/10/08, p. 4) to the toy safety directive (88/378/EEC) would become effective 20 days after publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
EU AND TOY GROUPS AGREE TO SAFETY PACT DG-Sanco December 18 signed a pact with EuroCommerce, European Retail Roundtable, European Promotional Products Association and Toy Traders of Europe under which those groups will target improved toy safety.
ECHA CLOSES REACH-IT SYSTEM FOR DATA MIGRATION The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) said that its online REACH-IT system will be closed until January 5 but that after that date it will accept documents only through the system.
MULLAN GIVES TIPS ON CERTIFICATION AND TESTING Customs brokers visiting CPSC December 16 (see related story page 1) prompted Compliance Director Gib Mullan to outline a tactic for deciding if products must comply with the certification and testing provisions of section 102 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).
MATTEL TO PAY $12 MILLION TO 39 STATES Mattel December 15 agreed to pay $12 million among 39 states to settle allegations related to toys with lead paint.
CAL/EPA PROPOSES CHEMICAL SAFETY PLAN The California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) December 16 urged six steps toward handling chemicals, including ensuring safer products.
N.Y. STORES AGREE TO MAKE SUPPLIERS PROVIDE CERTS The New York Attorney General December 15 said that five Westchester County retailers agreed to adopt supplier control programs to settle allegations they sold children’s jewelry with excessive levels of lead.
NEW JERSEY FINDS RECALLED ITEMS IN STORES The New Jersey Attorney General office December 16 said that four of 39 stores its inspectors visited recently were selling two recalled toys.
