TOY INDUSTRY UPDATES

Toy Safety Coordination Initiative Recommendations (TSCI)

In February 2008, The Toy Industry Association (TIA) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) released their proposed industry wide Toy Safety Coordination Initiative Recommendations (TSCI). Some of the key components of the new safety proposal include design hazard analysis, manufacturing process audits from an accredited registrar, and testing from an accredited lab and are outlined in the attached document.

The complete TSCI Recommendations have been posted to the ANSI website, and the window for public comment and review will be open until March 24, 2008. Please follow this link to access the TSCI Recommendations and the public comment and review reply form: http://www.ansi.org/publicreview

STR's expert team can help answer questions you may have regarding this proposal and is ready to assist companies comply with this milestone toy industry initiative. Please contact Lauralee Soli at Lauralee.soli@strus.com for more information.

European Union Requires "Magnetic Toys" To Carry A Warning Label

Toys containing magnets look set to carry a mandatory warning label across the EU, under a Commission proposal approved by Member States in the General Product Safety Directive (GPSD) committee. The proposal for a draft Commission decision will cover all "magnetic toys", toys that contain or consist of loose or detachable magnets, or magnetic components of such size and shape that they can be swallowed by children. Click here for more information.

For information on the services offered by STR in relation to testing / assessment of products containing magnets contact Simon Gault at mailto:simon.gault@struk.co.uk

Health Canada Issues Notice Regarding Lead Requirements For Children's Toys

On December 20, 2007, Health Canada issued a notice regarding Canada's legislated safety requirements related to lead content in children's toys. It states that it is the responsibility of manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers to ensure that any toy advertised, imported or sold in Canada meets all applicable safety requirements and regulations. Read more.

New South Wales Permanently Bans Lead-Containing Toys

The government of New South Wales has placed a permanent ban on the sale of toys containing lead. The move was prompted after thousands of toys, particularly those manufactured in China, were recalled in Australia and the United States last year. This permanent ban will be in force until the Commonwealth completes a review and introduces a suitable mandatory safety standard. In September 2007, an interim ban was imposed on the supply of children's toys with accessible materials with a lead migration level greater than 90 mg/kg.

STR is a fully approved and qualified lab to test products for their lead content as part of our comprehensive safety testing services. For help with testing and regulatory compliance needs, contact us at mailto:inquiry@strus.com

Asbestos In Children's Products

On January 25, 2008, a new citizen enforcement group, the Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization, served a 60-Day Notice on several online and brick-and-mortar retailers that sell a toy kit containing fingerprint powder that allegedly exposes its users to asbestos. Asbestos is regulated as a carcinogenic substance under California Proposition 65 in addition to being regulated under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act which prohibits manufacturers and retailers from selling toys and children's products that contain hazardous substances, such as asbestos.

STR is a fully approved and qualified lab to test products for California Proposition 65 compliance as part of our comprehensive safety testing services. For help with testing and regulatory compliance needs, contact us at mailto:inquiry@strus.com

Restriction Of Toxic Elements In Pencils & Colored Pencils

There is a new revision for GB standards relating to stationery articles that was published in June 2007 by the National Standard of the People's Republic of China.

The new revision has removed the total lead content requirement for pencil coating in the 1988 edition by substituting with the maximum limits for 8 soluble elements content. This standard is applicable to surface coating materials of both pencils and colored pencils. Read more.

Draft Amendment prA6 To EN 71-1:2005

The final draft amendment prA6 to EN 71:2005 was published in October 2007 for public comment, and the last date to receive comment was December 19, 2007.

In the draft amendment (EN 71-1:2005/prA6:2007), it has proposed to amend the following test requirements: Clause 4.8 Points and Wires, Clause 4.21 Toys containing a heat source and Clause 5.12 Hemispheric-shaped toys. Click here for more details on the proposed amendment.

New Revisions On Taiwan Toy Safety Standards CNS 4797:2007 & CNS 4797-1:2007

The Bureau of Standards, Metrology & Inspection (BSMI) has recently revised and published two toy safety standards: Safety of Toys (General Requirements) and Safety of Toys (Flammability) in October 2007. Click here for a summary of the major changes in the new revisions.

RoHS UPDATES

RoHS Baseline Assessment And Hazardous Substance Free (HSF)

The world that we live in is ever changing and so is the state of environmental regulations. It is evident that the various restricted substance regulations today and on the drawing boards are signaling organizations to use safer and less toxic substances in their products to protect human health and the environment.

So how does a company pursue compliance? Where do you begin? There are various methods for attaining compliance and reducing or even eliminating the hazardous substances used in products such as consumer goods. STR can help companies with a 5-step approach to regulatory compliance. Click here to find out how.

Updated U.K. RoHS Regulations For 2008

The Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS) in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2008 (SI2008:No 37), came into force on February 1, 2008 and revokes The Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS) in Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2006(d)("the 2006 Regulations").

Click here for the three main changes to the new RoHS Directive according to the U.K's National Weights and Measures Lab (NWML).

CSCC RELEASES ITS 3RD ANNUAL REPORT ON ITS UNGC COMMITMENTS

Cal Safety Compliance Corporation (CSCC) is pleased to announce its third annual report that includes progress updates for the company's commitments to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) principles.

This year's annual report has been expanded to include case studies on multi-stakeholder projects and remediation engagements, interviews with key employees, and statistics on CSCC's employee training and diversity. View press release or view report.

EVENTS & SEMINARS

STR To Exhibit At Chinaplas 2008

Specialized Technology Resources, Inc. will be a participant at the upcoming Chinaplas 2008 Exhibition, taking place on April 17-20 at the Shanghai New International Expo Center.

STR's focus for the show will be on its core testing and consulting services and is a key provider of testing and liaison services for the plastics industry, specializing in UL94, RTI and Insulation Systems programs. Please visit us at Chinaplas 2008, booth W4R25 in Hall W4. Read more.

Shuster Laboratories To Exhibit At The National Restaurant Association, Restaurant, Hotel-Motel Show

Shuster Laboratories will participate at the NRA Show, exhibit booth # 9108, being held May 17-20, 2008 at McCormick Place in Chicago. IL.

NRA's International Foodservice Marketplace is the world's largest foodservice and hospitality event in the industry, where you will find the new products, ideas, information and contacts you need to solve today's restaurant and foodservice industry challenges.

Shuster will showcase the company's comprehensive quality assurance supply chain support services for the food service industry. If you would like to meet with the Shuster staff during the show please contact Katie Griffin at mailto:katie.griffin@shusterlabs.com For more information about the event, please visit http://www.restaurant.org/show/

FOOD AND DRUG INDUSTRY UPDATES

White House Wants To Widen FDA Authority Over Imports

On February 23, 2008 in Washington, DC, the Health and Human Services said that the Bush administration will support legislation on giving the Food and Drug Administration explicit authority over unsafe food or drugs made overseas with the intent of shipping them to the U.S. Read more.

Congress Asks Companies To Do More On Food Safety

In February 2008, executives from companies involved in recent food recalls said that U.S. food suppliers are overhauling their own food safety rules, but lawmakers say the industry must do more to prevent future outbreaks. A series of high-profile food safety scares over the past two years, including spinach tainted with E. coli and peanut butter and pot pies with salmonella, have aggravated concerns among consumers, Congress and federal health regulators. Read more.

FDA Chief Is In Budget Bind

The Food and Drug Administration Commissioner is under fire from an array of critics who say his agency isn't up to the job of regulating more than a fifth of the consumer goods sold in America. The agency needs more money than the Bush administration has proposed and it requires a revamped organization to better oversee drug safety and other issues. Read more.

Food Industry - Give FDA New Recall Power

With grocery stores pulling tons of tainted meat out of their freezers, a food industry spokesman urged Congress to radically strengthen food regulators' powers. The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee for Oversight put food companies in the hot seat, after the largest meat recall in U.S. history. Read more.

Manufacturer Petitions FDA To Block Application Of California Proposition 65

The federal Food and Drug Administration has been petitioned by a health food and dietary supplement manufacturer to block the application of California Proposition 65 to foods and dietary supplements. The manufacturer filed a citizen petition on January 18, 2008, requesting the agency to take all appropriate steps to prevent Proposition 65 from being applied to foods and dietary supplements. The petition asserts that Proposition 65 warnings irreconcilably conflict with the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) and FDA regulations. Read more.

REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS

CPSC Mattress Flammability Standard Correction

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has made corrections to the flammability standard for mattress sets that was published in the Federal Register of March 15, 2006. The corrections rectify typographical errors, clarify technical aspects of running the flammability test required by the standard and clarify that the certification statement on the mattress set label may appear in another language in addition to English. These corrections are technical changes which do not change the substantive obligations of mattress manufacturers and importers. The corrections became effective on February 6, 2008.

STR is a fully approved and qualified lab to test products for flammability standards compliance as part of our comprehensive safety testing services. For help with testing and regulatory compliance needs, contact us at mailto:inquiry@strus.com

International / National Standards For Pen Caps

The Safety of Pen Caps is a concern for many countries. The first pen cap standard was developed by BSI and published as BS7272:1990. It was then withdrawn and superseded in 1998 by BS 7272:1998 which was later renumbered as BS 7272-1:2000. Click here for the summarized similarities and differences amongst these pen cap standards.

LEAD AND CHEMICALS UPDATES

Toxics In Packaging

The Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse (formally CONEG) recently performed a second study of 400 packages (over 800 packaging components) in which a full report will be published some time during 2008. Packages were collected from various sources from October 2007 through March 2008 and tested using an Innov-X Systems X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) Analyzer. The Toxics in Packaging Model Legislation, currently in 19 U.S. states, restricts the use of Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, and Hexavalent Chromium in packaging materials with some exemptions. Read more.

Norwegian Government Moves Forward With Unilateral Ban On DECA-BDE Despite The EU And WTO Opposition

On January 17, 2008, the Norwegian Government has announced a unilateral ban of the brominated flame retardant Deca-BDE, to take effect on April 1, 2008. The ban would cover use of Deca-BDE in all applications, with some exceptions in the transport sector which in itself call into question the environmental and health justification for such ban. Read more.