Minnesota Proposes Regulation to Report Priority Chemicals in Children’s Products

The US State of Minnesota has introduced a proposal requiring the disclosure of priority chemicals (PCs) in children’s products.

Currently, Minnesota has no regulatory power to make manufacturers and distributors disclose PCs in children’s products. SF 716, and its companion bill HF 727, were introduced in February 2017 to amend the ‘Toxic Free Kids Act’ by making it a legal requirement that PCs in children’s products must be disclosed.

The bill is similar to corresponding regulations in the states of Oregon, Vermont and Washington. Similarities include:

• Reporting product categories at the brick level of the GS1 Global Product Classification (GPC) standard
• Reporting is required if the PC is a contaminant and at a concentration of more than 100 ppm
• Reporting is required if the PC is intentionally added and present at or above the practical quantification limit (PQL)

The proposal requires chemicals designated as PCs before July 1, 2011, to be reported by a date between July 2018 to July 2021, dependent upon a system based on the annual aggregate gross sales of the manufacturer or distributor. In other cases, the first report for PCs in children’s products will be within one year of the chemical being designated as a PC.

Minnesota’s ‘Toxic Free Kids Act’ (Chapter 37, HF 2123, 2009) was signed into law in May 2009. It requires the Department of Health (MDH) to publish two lists of chemicals:

• Chemicals of High Concern (CHCs)
• Priority Chemicals (PCs)

Currently, the MDH lists nine chemicals as PCs. These are:

• Bisphenol A (BPA, CAS 80-05-7), Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP, CAS 85-68-7)
• Cadmium (Cd, 7440-43-9)
• Dibutyl phthalate (DBP, CAS 84-74-2), di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP, CAS 117-81-7)
• Decabromodiphenyl ether (Deca-BDE, CAS 1163-19-5)
• Formaldehyde (CAS 50-00-0)
• Hexabromocylododecane (HBCD/HBCDD, CAS 3194-55-6)
• Lead (Pb, CAS 7449-921)

Chemicals are listed as PCs if they are designated as CHCs and they also meet the criteria in section 116.9403 of 2010 Minnesota Statutes. The MDH now lists more than 1,700 chemicals as CHC.

If the proposal is adopted, it will become effective one day after enactment, with the first reports required within one year.

SGS Toys & Juvenile Products Services
Throughout their global network of laboratories, SGS offer a wide range of services, including analytical testing and consultancy for reporting chemicals in children’s products for the US and international markets. Learn more about SGS’s Toys & Juvenile Products Services. (www.sgs.com/en/consumer-goods-retail/toys-and-juvenile-products)

SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full Minnesota Proposes Regulatory Action for Priority Chemicals in Children’s Products SafeGuardS. (www.sgs.com/en/news/2017/03/safeguards-05217-minnesota-proposes-regulatory-action-for-priority-chemicals-in-children-products)

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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.