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Trade and Industry Department The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Brand Hong Kong - Asia world city
MY COLOUR

Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk

Ref : EIC 111/2/20

19 August 2010

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 372/2010

US : CPSC's Requirements for Accreditation of Third Party Conformity Assessment Bodies for Testing Children's Clothing Textiles

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published in the Federal Register (FR) notice of 18 August 2010 a notice of requirements that provides the criteria and process for CPSC's acceptance of accreditation of third party conformity assessment bodies for testing pursuant to CPSC regulations under the US Flammable Fabrics Act (FFA) relating to children's clothing textiles, which are designed or intended primarily for children 12 years of age or younger. These accreditation requirements came into effect on 18 August 2010. Details of the requirements for accreditation are set out in the FR notice which is available at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-20497.pdf. Interested parties may submit comments on the accreditation requirements to the CPSC by 17 September 2010.

  1. Traders have been informed via Commercial Information Circular No. 657/2009 dated 29 December 2009 of the CPSC's stay of enforcement, until further notice, of testing and certification requirements of a number of products, including children's clothing textiles. With the publication of the accreditation requirements on 18 August 2010, the stay of enforcement in respect of children's clothing textiles since February 2009 has been lifted with immediate effect. 

DETAILS

  1. Pursuant to the US Consumer Product Safety Act, each manufacturer (including the importer) or private labeller of children's clothing textiles must have such products that are manufactured more than 90 days after the publication date of this FR notice of requirements, tested by a third party conformity assessment body accredited to do so, and must issue a certificate of compliance with the applicable regulations based on that testing. 
     

  2. This notice provides the criteria and process for CPSC's acceptance of accreditation of third party conformity assessment bodies for testing pursuant to Title 16, Code of Federal Regulations, part 1610 (16 CFR part 1610), Standard for the Flammability of Clothing Textiles, which sets a minimum standard for flammability of clothing textiles including those for children' use under the FFA.
     

  3. Some clothing textiles are exempt from part 1610 testing. Manufacturers do not need to submit exempt clothing textiles designed or intended primarily for children 12 years of age or younger to a third party conformity assessment body to confirm that the exemption applies. For clothing textiles designed or intended primarily for children 12 years of age or younger that are subject to 16 CFR part 1610, manufacturers may submit a product for third party testing at either the pre-or post-garment stage of production.
     

  4. Third party conformity assessment bodies that wish to be accredited to test children’s clothing textiles for conformity with the stipulated test methods must be accredited by an accrediting body that is a signatory to the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation-Mutual Recognition Arrangement (ILAC–MRA) and the accreditation must be registered with, and accepted by, the CPSC. The CPSC has established an electronic accreditation registration and listing system that can be accessed via its website at http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/labaccred.html.

ENQUIRIES

  1. For enquiries about the content of this circular, please contact Miss S Y TANG at telephone number 2398 5405. 

Yours faithfully,




(Miss Bonny CHAO)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry