ACT October 2017 Newsletter

ACT Lab Exhibiting at Taichung Bike Week Oct 17-20:

ACT will exhibit at this sprawling show in the Splendor Hotel, Floor 11F, Booth # 1159. Please stop by or schedule an appointment to discuss how we can help with your company’s product development and compliance testing needs. To schedule a meeting, send an email to karen@act-lab.com.

VISIT ACT:
Splendor Hotel, Floor 11F, Booth 1159

CPSC Vote Eliminates Third Party Testing Requirement for Children’s Toys and Child Care Articles with Certain Plastics:

Phthalates are considered banned toxics substances under various U.S. State, Federal, and International laws, particularly for use in child care articles and toys. Recently, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has relieved companies that manufacture toys or child care articles of obligations for third-party phthalate testing in some particular plastics, but the decision does not remove a company’s obligation to test or insure that their products do not contain banned or restricted substances. Request Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) from your suppliers to determine if your products are being manufactured using any of the following:

polypropylene (PP)
polyethylene (PE)
high-impact polystyrene (HIPS)
acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)
general-purpose polystyrene (GPPS)
medium-impact polystyrene (MIPS)
super-high-impact polystyrene (SHIPS)

For more details, please review additional CPSC information:

Personal Protective Equipment Directive Changing in April 2018:

Following a two-year transition period, new European Union regulations for personal protective equipment (PPE) will begin approximately six months from now, on April 21, 2018. PPE, commonly used in occupational settings, also includes clothing, helmets, and eye protection for sports and recreational activities. The reasons for the new directive are to reflect current technologies and enhance consumer safety.

One of the most impactful changes to the regulations is that all supply chain entities, including importers and distributors, must comply with upgraded testing specifications and classification changes, where formerly only manufacturers bore this burden. If your company sells or distributes products to any EU countries, now is a good time to make sure you’re in compliance with the new PPE Directive. More information is available at the following links:

Download: GUIDANCE DOCUMENT ON THE PPE TRANSITION
Visit: Council Directive of the European Union Regarding PPE

California Proposition 65: The Label Changes are Coming!

At the recent Interbike trade show in Las Vegas last month, a popular topic of discussion was the new California Prop 65 warning label regulations, which phase in by August 30, 2018, and affect almost all companies and industries whose products are sold in the state of California. This article from Bicycle Retailer and Industry News summarizes upcoming changes and companies that happen to be exempted from them in the cycling industry. Follow this link California’s Office of Environmental Health to a detailed guide on Prop 65 labeling.

AFFILIATION LINKS