Health Canada Begins Consultation Process Over Proposed Changes to Consumer Products Containing Lead (Contact with Mouth) Regulations

Health Canada has begun a consultation period relating to proposals to amend Consumer Products Containing Lead (Contact with Mouth) Regulations (CPCLCMR, SOR/2010-273). The 75-day consultation period began on December 3, 2016 and will conclude on February 15, 2017.

Health Canada opened this consultation process following the publishing of the proposed amendments on December 3, 2016. The proposed amendments (SOR/2016-171), issued under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA), call for the repeal of CPCLCMR and its replacement with ‘Consumer Products Containing Lead Regulations (CPCLR). In addition, the amendments aim to broaden the scope of the products covered by the new law.

Whereas CPCLCMR defined the scope of the regulation as:
• Products brought into contact with the user’s mouth during normal use
• Products intended for use in play or learning by children under 3 years of age

The new law will apply to:

• Products brought into contact with the user’s mouth during normal use
• Products intended for use in play or learning by children under 14 years of age
• Books or similar printed products intended for children under 14 years of age, unless these are printed on paper or cardboard, and printed and bound in a conventional manner using conventional materials
• Clothing or clothing accessories intended for children under 14 years of age
• Childcare articles whose primary function is to facilitate sleep, relaxation, hygiene, carrying or transportation of children under 4 years of age

These changes will maintain CPCLCMR’s requirement that prescribed products should contain no more than 90 mg/kg of lead in any accessible part of prescribed products - CCPSA sets stringent lead content limits for all regulated products.

Both CPCLCMR and CPCLR allow two exemptions to the rule:
• Kitchen utensils
• Products subject to Glazed Ceramics and Glassware Regulations (SOR/2016-175)
Stakeholders should be aware that, following the conclusion of the consultation period on February 15, 2017, Health Canada will review the comments and formulate a plan for the introduction of the amendments. The new law will become effective six months after it is published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, meaning it could be enforced in the fourth quarter of 2017.

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For further information contact:

Hing Wo Tsang
Global Hardlines Information and Innovation Manager
Tel:(+852) 2774 7420
Email: cts.media@sgs.com
Website: www.sgs.com/cgnr

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This release was published on openPR.