The Chemistry Department at ATS, Inc. tests various consumer products for the presence of lead, heavy metals, phthalates, formaldehyde, and other restricted organic compounds. These compounds and heavy metals are restricted in children’s products. A children’s product is defined as an item designed or intended primarily for children 12 years of age or younger. Toys, clothes, furniture, books, jewelry, blankets, games, CDs/DVDs, strollers, and footwear may all be considered children’s products. All these need to be tested to verify that the metal levels (total and soluble) and organic compounds are within the acceptable limits for all consumer products. As consumer products are shipped and sourced worldwide, it has become mandatory that they comply with the current safety requirements.

Congress has recently enacted legislation that limits hazardous substances with respect to toy safety requirements and requires third-party testing be performed to verify compliance. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) is a new law that will impact manufacturers of toys, distributers, importers (domestic and foreign), retailers, handmade toy and apparel makers, crafters, even those who make and donate products to hospitals and charities.

Beginning February 10, 2009, children’s toys and child care articles cannot contain more that 600 ppm of lead in coatings and substrates, and less than 0.1% of six phthalates each (DEHP, DBP, BBP, DINP, DIDP, and DnOP) regardless of when they were manufactured. Additionally the requirements have become more restrictive as to the amounts of hazardous heavy metals that can be present in a consumer product that will be allowed in the future.