CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND RETAIL E-SSENTIALS

USA: STURDY act signed into law

JANUARY 2023 - HARDLINES, TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS

On 23 December 2022, US Congress passed the STURDY (Stop Tip-Overs of Risky Dressers on Youth) Act¹ as part of the $1.7 trillion Fiscal 2023 Omnibus spending bill. As STURDY has been signed into law by President Biden, it requires the CPSC to adopt STURDY — along with an updated version of the ASTM F2057² voluntary safety standard for clothing storage units — as the new mandatory safety standard as long as it meets all the performance requirements that are specified in the STURDY Act.

With the passage of STURDY, clothing storage furniture sold in the U.S. will have to pass three tests in order to be deemed compliant: one with all drawers filled with 8.5 pounds per cubic foot; one simulating the impact on stability when the unit is placed on carpeting; and a third simulating the dynamic force of a toddler grabbing on to the highest drawer pull or knob. In order to meet legal compliance for sale in the US, units must remain upright during all three pass/fail tests. 

STURDY will supersede the recently released final rule adopted by CPSC. Details on the previously released final rule for clothing storage units can be found here.

ASTM has 60 days to publish the revisions, which would officially update F2057 to meet the requirements of STURDY. After that, the CPSC has 90 days to review the updated voluntary standard and decide if it will adopt it in full or in part as the new mandatory stability rule for clothing storage units. Once promulgated by the CPSC, the updated rule will take effect in 120 days.

The new law goes into effect 24 May 2023.

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[1] STURDY (Stop Tip-Overs of Risky Dressers on Youth) Act

[2] ASTM F2057