Commercial Information Circulars

24-hour hotline : 23 922 922

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

Ref : EIC 111/2/20, EIC 111/2/21

28 July 2010

Dear Sirs,

Commercial Information Circular No. 341/2010

US : CPSC's Notice requesting for Comment and Information on the Technological Feasibility of meeting the 100 ppm Lead Content Limit for Children's Products 

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued in the Federal Register (FR) notice of 27 July 2010 a notice requesting for comment and information on the technological feasibility of meeting the 100 parts per million (ppm) lead content limit for children's products. Interested parties may submit comments and information in response to this notice to the CPSC by 27 September 2010.

DETAILS

2. Section 101(a) of the US Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) provides that, for products designed or intended primarily for children of 12 years old and younger, the total lead content limit by weight in any part of a children's product is limited to 300 ppm as of 14 August 2009, and the limit will further be reduced to 100 ppm with effect from 14 August 2011, unless the CPSC determines that it is not technologically feasible to have this lower limit for a product or product category after notice and a hearing and after analyzing the public health protections associated with substantially reducing lead in children's products. If the CPSC determines that the 100 ppm lead content limit is not technically feasible for a product or product category, the CPSC shall, by regulation, establish the lowest amount below 300 ppm that it determines technically feasible. 
   
   

3. In this connection, the CPSC is requesting for information and test data of products and materials, on industrial strategies or devices that have enabled the manufacturer to comply with the lead content limit, on the impact of the use of materials that are compliant with the 100 ppm lead content limit. Specifically for products currently do not meet the 100 ppm lead content limit but do meet the 300 ppm lead content limit, the CPSC also requests for information on the date by which the products and materials could meet the 100 ppm lead content limit and the information and data on the lowest lead content limit that is technically feasible. The details on the information requested by the CPSC are listed in the FR notice which is available at:
   http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/pdf/2010-18361.pdf.
   

ENQUIRIES

4. For enquiries concerning this circular, please contact the undersigned at telephone number 2398 5682.

Yours faithfully,

(Miss Carmen CHAN)

for Director-General of Trade and Industry