SUMMARY: The Commission recommends that manufacturers of children’s products, upholstered furniture sold for use in residences, mattresses (and mattress pads), and plastic casings surrounding electronics refrain from intentionally adding non- polymeric, organohalogen flame retardants (‘‘OFRs’’) to their products. Further, the Commission recommends that, before purchasing such products for resale, importers, distributors, and retailers obtain assurances from manufacturers that such products do not contain OFRs. Finally, the Commission recommends that consumers, especially those who are pregnant or with young children, inquire and obtain assurances from retailers that such products do not contain OFRs.
Archives for September 2017
On September 28, 2017, the CPSC published a Guidance Document Regarding Use of Non-Polymeric Organohalogen Flame Retardants in Certain Consumer Goods
September 28, 2017 by
On September 27, 2017 NHTSA Published a Final Rule Amending FMVSS 305 “Electric-powered vehicles: Electrolyte spillage and electric shock protection” (49 CFR 571.305) to Adopt Various Requirements found in GTR No. 13.
September 28, 2017 by
DATES: The standard is effective on September 27, 2017. Compliance must occur by September 27, 2018, but optional early compliance is permitted.
SUMMARY: NHTSA is issuing this final rule to FMVSS No. 305, to adopt various electrical safety requirements found in Global Technical Regulation (GTR) No. 13, ‘‘Hydrogen and fuel cell vehicles,’’ and other sources. NHTSA believes that this final rule updates FMVSS No. 305 using modern and harmonized safety requirements and facilitates the introduction of new technologies, including hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs) and 48-volt mild hybrid technologies.
NHTSA states that the rule is a deregulatory action and that it imposes no costs. It adjusts FMVSS No. 305 to give more flexibility to manufacturers to use modern electrical safety designs to produce electric vehicles and to introduce new technologies to the U.S. market.
To expand FMVSS No. 305’s performance requirements beyond post-crash conditions, NHTSA adopted electrical safety requirements to protect against direct and indirect contact of high voltage sources during everyday operation of electric-powered vehicles. Also, NHTSA adopted an optional method of meeting post-crash electrical safety requirements, consistent with that in GTR No. 13, involving use of physical barriers to prevent direct or indirect contact (by occupants, emergency services personnel and others) with high voltage sources.
On August 30, 2017, the CPSC Published a Final Rule that that Determines that Certain Plastics With Specified Additives Would Not Contain the Specified Phthalates Prohibited in Children’s Toys and Child Care Articles (16 CFR 1308)
September 1, 2017 by
DATES: The rule is effective on September 29, 2017
Substance of the Rule: Section 1308.2(a) specifies the plastics that the Commission has determined do not exceed the phthalates content limits with a high degree of assurance as that term is defined in 16 CFR part 1107
(b) Accessible component parts of children’s toys and child care articles made with the specified plastics, and specified additives, listed in paragraph (a) of this section are not required to be third party tested pursuant to section 14(a)(2) of the CPSA and 16 CFR part 1107.
(c) Accessible component parts of children’s toys and child care articles made with a plastic or additives not listed in paragraph (a) of this section that are plasticized or may contain phthalates are required to be third party tested pursuant to section 14(a)(2) of the CPSA and 16 CFR part 1107.
