June 2018

On April 10, 2018, the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) issued notice to approve a No Significant Risk Level (NSRL) for glyphosate, which was listed in 2017 under Proposition 65 as being known to the state of California to cause cancer (See test).

The chemical details and issued NSRL are provided below:

The NSRL is effective July 1, 2018.

In the US, when hazards are identified in consumer products, they will be recalled and published in the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Recent Recalls on the CPSC website, which is updated daily. The US recalls from October 1, 2017 to April 30, 2018 are summarized below:

*Other Hazards include Allergy Hazard, Chemical Hazard, Crash Hazard, Electric Shock Hazard, Entanglement Hazard, Entrapment Hazard, Explosion Hazard, Failure to Meet Child Resistant Closure Requirement, Impact Hazard, Strangulation Hazard, Suffocation Hazard, Tip-over Hazard and Violation to Federal Flammability Standard with a frequency of less than 10.

^Other Categories include Candles & Burning Items and Accessories, Cosmetics / Bodycare, Food Contact Material, Footwear, Homeware (Non-food Contact), Juvenile Products, Lighting Equipment and Tools and Hardware with a frequency of less than 10.

For the complete Recall List Click Here

On May 2, 2018, SOR/2018-82 Children’s Jewellery Regulations were approved and published in the Canada Gazette. This update aims to reduce adverse health effects resulting from exposure to lead and cadmium among young children because of their natural habit to place objects into their mouth (See test).

The key updates to the regulations change the lead and cadmium content requirements as summarized below:

The updated regulations (SOR/2018-82) will enter into force on November 2, 2018. Meanwhile, the current regulations (SOR/2016-168) will be repealed.

On May 2, 2018, SOR/2018-83 Consumer Products Containing Lead Regulations were approved and published in the Canada Gazette. The updates aim to reduce health risks from exposure to lead, especially in young children (See test).

The approved updated regulations (SOR/2018-83) will replace the current version (SOR/2010-273The Consumer Products Containing Lead (Contact with Mouth) Regulation). The total lead content limit remains unchanged (90 mg/kg), however, revisions have been made to expand the scope and update the test method (See test):

• Apart from products that are brought into mouth, the scope of the regulations is expanded to include following products:

  • Any clothing or clothing accessory that is intended for use by a child under 14 years of age

  • A product that is intended for use in learning or play by a child under 14 years of age (age requirement is increased from 3 to 14 years of age)

  • A book or similar printed product that is intended for a child under 14 years of age, except if it is:

    • Printed on paper or cardboard, and

    • Printed and bound in a conventional manner using conventional materials

  • A product whose primary purpose is to facilitate the relaxation, sleep, hygiene, carrying or transportation of a child under 4 years of age

• Removes the standard EN 71-3:1994/A1:2000/AC:2002 Safety of Toys - Part 3: Migration of Certain Elements from the verification method of 90 mg/kg lead release for exemption and requires good laboratory practice testing for demonstration.

The updated regulations (SOR/2018-82) will enter into force on November 2, 2018. Meanwhile, the current regulations (SOR/2010-273) will be repealed.

On April 19, 2018, Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/589 was published to add Methanol to the Annex XVII List of Restriction under Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 (REACH). The effective date of the regulation was May 9, 2018.

In the regulation, usage of methanol is restricted and enforcement began on May 9, 2018 (See test).

On April 19, 2018, Commission Regulation (EU) 2018/588 was published to add 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) to the Annex XVII List of Restriction under Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 (REACH). The effective date of the regulation was May 9, 2018.

In the regulation, usage of NMP is restricted and enforcement will begin on May 9, 2020 (See test).

The Turkey Minister of Customs and Trade has published a draft Communique on the Amendment of Communique on Conformity Inspection of Some Consumer Products, Official Gazette No. 29701. The draft communique was amended to include restrictions on certain consumer products and introduced reference standards for conformity assessment.

The key proposed changes of the Communique No. 29701 are summarized below:

1. The following consumer products shall be prohibited from being placed in the market:

   1. Novelty lighters

   2. Food imitation products or detachable parts thereof, which may lead to drowning, poisoning, or puncturing or blockage in the digestive system when consumed, sucked or swallowed by consumers and especially by children

   3. Decorative products growing in liquid, which market in stationery, toy shop and school canteens

   4. Balloons filled with volatile gas other than helium gas

2. The following standards shall be added to the Annex for showing conformity:

On March 26, 2018, the Hong Kong Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government published in the Gazette the Toys and Children’s Products Safety Ordinance (Amendment of Schedules 1 and 2) Notice 2018. The notice amends the Toys and Children’s Products Safety Ordinance (Cap. 424) to update certain adopted safety standards.

The specified standards for toys and various products have been updated to new versions. The key changes are summarized below:

The updated standards will be effective on August 1, 2018.

On March 11, 2018, the Ministry of Health announced to prohibit importation, production, processing, preparation, storage, possession, distribution and sale of toy slime. The prohibition aims to protect children from the potential health risk associated with slime.

Toy slime is commonly made up of boric acid powder and glue (polyvinylacetate or polyvinyl alcohol). These ingredients should be avoided from touching or inhaling by children since they are harmful to the respiratory system. Therefore, the decision of prohibition comes from the potential health risks caused by the abuse of slime.

In March, 2018, Malaysia published a draft amendment of Regulation 27A, Food Regulation 1985. The draft amendment includes new labeling requirements for feeding bottles and teats.

The key changes are summarized below:

Generally according to the guideline, PAHs in consumer products including toys may be found in the following sources:

• Provides definitions:

  • A feed bottle refers to a container used specifically for storing milk or other liquid for consumption by infants and children, which consists of a bottle, lid, teat, and teat cover. It shall also include containers of other forms made intentionally to be used in the same manner as that of a feeding bottle.

  • Teat refers to a substitute nipple that when attached to a container holding a fluid permits a baby to obtain the fluid from the container by sucking

• The feeding bottle shall be labeled with:

  • Scale mark

  • The words “PENGGUNAAN BOTOL SUSU BOLEH MENJEJAS PENYUSUAN SUSU IBU”

    in the size and format stated in the requirements

  • Shelf life

  • The words “PENGGUNAAN PUTING SUSU BOLEH MENJEJAS PENYUSUAN SUSU IBU”

    in the size and format stated in the requirements

  • On its label any picture, graphic or text, which suggests similarity of the product with a mother’s breast

  • On its label any picture or graphic of infants or parts of infants or any other persons

  • Any descriptive matter attached to or supplied with it for the promotion or advertisement of another product

• The teats shall be labeled with:

• Feeding bottles or teats to be sold separately from feeding bottle shall not contain: