CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND RETAIL E-SSENTIALS

CONSUMER PRODUCTS AND RETAIL E-SSENTIALS

Your regular update for technical and industry information

Your regular update for technical and industry information

USA: California governor signs legislation to ban PFAS in children’s products

OCTOBER 2021 - SOFTLINES, TOYS AND CHILDREN'S PRODUCTS

The California Governor has signed1 the bill AB 6522 to ban children’s products containing regulated (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) PFAS. Manufacturers shall use the least toxic alternative to replace PFAS. This requirement will apply from 1 July 2023. 

PFAS is a family of synthetic organic compounds containing carbon and fluorine. It is known as “forever chemical” because of its persistence and bio-accumulative in the human body and the environment. PFAS is intentionally added to provide water, oil, or stain repellency finishing. Federal requires3 persons who manufacture or import articles containing certain PFAS to notify Environmental Protection Agency. California already identified carpet and rugs containing PFAS as priority products under its Safer Consumer Products Regulations. More and more regulations are relevant to PFAS presence in consumer products and food packaging. 

The details of bill can be found in Table A.

Table A: PFAS Ban in children’s products

Parameter Details
Scope Children’s products designed for used by infants and children under 12 years old e.g. baby pillow, highchair, toddler mattress, etc.
Regulated PFAS PFAS which is intentionally added to a product to have functional effect or PFAS presence in a product or product component.
Exemption
  • Children’s electronic products
  • Medical devices
  • Internal components of children’s products which are not accessible to children’s skin or mouth during reasonably foreseeable use and abuse.
  • Adult mattresses
Limit Not used (<100 ppm by total organic fluorine)
Date of application 1 July 2023

 

[1]  Press release from the California Governor office

[2]  Bill AB 652

[3]  TÜV SÜD E-ssentials July 2020

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