Staff of the Consumer Product Safety Commission has submitted compliance data to the Commission as it considers the 100 parts per million lead content limit in children's products that is set to take effect August 14, 2011, unless the Commission determines that this limit is not technologically feasible for a particular product or product category. Among other things, staff states that from October 1, 2009 to the present, CPSC found 812 violations of the lead content limit in children’s products.

The Commissioners of the Consumer Product Safety Commission are scheduled to consider a Phthalates Enforcement Policy on July 6, 2011. During the meeting, they will also consider a draft notice that would establish the requirements for third party labs to be accredited to test toys pursuant to the ASTM toy standards, which would mean that toys manufactured 90 days after publication would have to be third-party tested and certified as complying. (See ITT's Online Archives or 06/30/11, 11063038, for BP summary on CPSC's consideration of the lab notice for toys.)

The Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a reminder that June 28, 2011 marked the day that the new crib standards took effect. Therefore, on and after June 28, all importers, distributors, manufacturers, and retailers must offer only cribs that meet the CPSC's new full-size and non-full-size crib standards. According to CPSC, the new standard: (1) stops the manufacture and sale of dangerous, traditional drop-side cribs; (2) strengthens mattress supports and crib slats; (3) requires crib hardware to be more durable; and (4) makes safety testing more rigorous. (See ITT's Online Archives or 12/28/10 news, 10122813, for BP summary of the final rule on new crib standards.)

The Consumer Product Safety Commission published notice of the following voluntary recalls on June 29-30, 2011:

The Commissioners of the Consumer Product Safety Commission have voted unanimously (5-0) to publish, with one amendment, a draft “15(j)” final rule¹ for drawstrings in children’s upper outerwear.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission published notice of the following voluntary recalls on June 28, 2011:

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has posted statements by all five Commissioners on the Commission's recent (3-2) vote to deny a request by certain small retailers to extend the June 28, 2011 compliance date of CPSC's new crib standards. Commissioners Nord and Northup express confusion over the majority's decision to extend the compliance date for certain groups such as child care centers, places of public accommodation, and crib rental companies, but not for the retailers. Chairman Tenenbaum stated that extending the date would be unfair to the many retailers who sold their non-compliant cribs at reduced costs in order to clear their inventory in preparation for the rule.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has posted a provisionally-accepted settlement agreement containing a civil penalty of $450,000 to settle staff allegations that Viking Range Corporation knowingly failed to immediately report to CPSC, as required by statute, a hazardous defect with its refrigerator door hinges.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a final rule that creates a new “Substantial Product Hazard List” and names as the first product on the list, any hand-supported hair dryer without UL-compliant integral immersion protection. Effective July 28, 2011, these non-compliant hair dryers must be immediately reported to CPSC, are subject to recall, and will be refused admission into the U.S. A similar rule for drawstrings in children’s upper outerwear is expected.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a Federal Register notice announcing the fifth meeting of the Chronic Hazard Advisory Panel (CHAP) on phthalates on July 25-26, 2011. The CHAP is studying the effects on children's health of all phthalates and phthalate alternatives as used in children's toys and child care articles. Its findings will be used to inform a future CPSC rulemaking on the topic, including whether to continue the interim bans on three phthalates in certain children's products, whether additional phthalates or phthalate alternatives should be prohibited, etc. The meeting will be webcast here. (See ITT's Online Archives or 06/17/11 news, 11061728, for BP summary of CPSC's previous announcement of the meeting.)