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Lead is a toxic heavy metal that can be found in products like batteries, paints, coatings, metal alloys, and other materials that are often bought by consumers. Excessive exposure to lead can result in lead poisoning—a serious condition that damages the nervous system. Symptoms of lead poisoning can include developmental delays in children, kidney and brain damage, headaches, infertility, skin tingling, and brain damage. This risk is why the CPSC has instilled strict guidelines in respect to the testing of lead in certain products.

ACT LAB is an accredited 3rd party lab that can help you test your products for safety and quality before going to production. If you’re interested in learning more about our lead testing services, contact us today.

Testing Services

  • Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), Section 101 – Children’s Products Containing Lead

  • ASTM Standard F 2617 – Identification and Quantification of Chromium, Bromine, Cadmium, Mercury, and Lead in Polymeric materials Using Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry

  • ASTM F963 – Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Toy Safety; all sections except 4.3.6.3: Cleanliness of Liquids, Pastes, Putties, Gels, and Powders, and 4.20.1: Pacifiers with Rubber Nipples/Nitrosamine Test; Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008, Section 101: Children’s Products Containing Lead; Lead Paint Rule

  • CPSC 16 CFR 1303 – CPSC-CH-E1003-09.1 – Determining Lead (Pb) in Paint and Other Similar Surface Coatings
  • CPSC-CH-E1002-8.3 – Standard Operating Procedure for Determining Total Lead (Pb) in Non-Metal Children’s Products (XRF portion only)
  • CPSC-CH-E1003 – Determining Lead (Pb) in Paint and Other Similar Surface Coatings
  • ASTM F2617 – Standard Test Method for Identification and Quantification of Chromium, Bromine, Cadmium, Mercury, and Lead in Polymeric Material Using Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectrometry

What products should be tested for lead? 

Lead can be found in a variety of consumer products. Testing your product for lead can help keep both your company and your consumers safe.

If your company makes any of the following products, consider contacting us to learn more about lead testing:

  • Children’s Products
  • Jewelry
  • Paint and coatings
  • Arts, crafts, and science kits
  • Luggage
  • Accessories
  • Printing inks

International and Local Regulations 

Depending on where you are planning to distribute your products, you may be subject to other kinds of testing.

Europe has set out their own guidelines defining lead levels in different products. Requirements can be found here.

If you are distributing products in the United States, you may be subject to state requirements for lead testing. States including Illinois and California have their own requirements for lead testing.

Children’s Products

There are two distinct requirements concerning lead in children’s products. One requirement concerns the total lead content of the children’s product, while the other requirement deals specifically with the levels of lead contained in the paint or surface coating of a children’s product. All children’s products must undergo third-party testing to ensure that products do not contain a concentration of lead greater than 0.009 percent in paint or any similar surface coatings. Higher levels of lead in children’s products can be hazardous and cause future health problems. We provide intensive lead testing on a wide variety of products to mitigate health hazards associated with high levels of lead.

About ACT-LAB

ACT-LAB is an ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory that conducts consumer product safety and compliance testing for an active world. We can help ensure that your products both meet industry standards and are inspected to ensure the utmost quality.

To learn more about our tests contact us today.

Read more about our accreditations here.

toy safety testing for childrens toys