1. CPSC approves to implement eFiling for certificates of compliance
On December 18, 2024, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has approved a Final Rule to implement electronic filing (eFiling) of Certificate information for regulated, imported consumer products and to revise requirements for Certificates of Compliance. The Commission vote was 3-0-2, with all five Commissioners voting to approve the rule; and a majority voting to approve the rule with an amendment extending the general implementation date from 12 months to 18 months. Under the new rule, requirements impacting most imported consumer products and those produced domestically will take effect 18 months from publication in the Federal Register. A 24-month effective date will apply to consumer products imported into a Foreign Trade Zone1 (FTZ) and subsequently entered for consumption or warehousing.
2. EPA publishes a final rule to gradually ban trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene
On December 9, 2024, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published the final rule under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to ban all uses of trichloroethylene (TCE) within one year, including TCE manufacture and processing for most commercial and all consumer products. At the same time, EPA is finalizing a 10-year phase out for the use of and perchloroethylene (PCE) in dry cleaning to eliminate the risk to people who work or spend considerable time at dry cleaning facilities.
3. FDA proposes to require standardized testing methods for detecting and identifying asbestos in talc-containing cosmetic products
On December 26, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a proposed rule to establish and require standardized testing methods to detect and identify asbestos in talc-containing cosmetic products. This proposed rule, if finalized, will help protect consumers who use talc-containing cosmetic products from harmful exposure to asbestos. This proposal is part of the agencyās work to fulfill the requirements of section 3505 of the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 (MoCRA). The proposed rule would require to test for asbestos using an analytical approach that includes both Polarized Light Microscopy (PLM) (with dispersion staining) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM)/Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS)/Selected Area Electron Diffraction (SAED) to detect and identify the presence of asbestos.
4. FDAĀ announces a final guidance for industry entitled āRegistration and Listing of Cosmetic Product Facilities and Products.ā
On December 12, 2024, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a final guidance for industry entitled āRegistration and Listing of Cosmetic Product Facilities and Products.āThe guidance will assist persons submitting cosmetic product facility registrations and product listing submissions to FDA under the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act of 2022 (MoCRA). This guidance includes three new draft frequently asked questions and answers about cosmetic product facility registrations and product listing submissions, in Appendix B, for comment purposes only. Aside from the three new draft frequently asked questions and answers, this guidance finalizes the draft Appendix B published in an otherwise final guidance on December 19, 2023. This guidance also includes minor changes to the final guidance for clarity.
5. OEHHA officially revises the short-form warning label under California Proposition 65
On December 9, 2024, The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has amended Title 27, California Code of Regulations sections 25601, 25602, 25603, and 25607.2, and added new sections 25607.50 through 25607.53. The Office of Administrative Law (OAL) approved the rulemaking on November 26, 2024. The effective date for the regulation is January 1, 2025. This regulatory action will make the Proposition 65 short-form warning more informative to consumers by adding at least one chemical name and providing additional warning options for businesses to select from. The regulations provide businesses that currently rely on the existing short-form warnings three years to transition to the new short-form content, make explicit that short-form warnings may be used to provide safe harbor warnings for food products, provide a 60-day transition period, during the three-year implementation period for retailers to update online short-form warnings after notice from a manufacturer, and provide new tailored safe harbor warnings for passenger or off-highway motor vehicle parts and recreational marine vessel parts.
6. CEN releases aĀ new version toy safety standard EN 71-3:2019+A2:2024
On December 4, 2024, the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) released a new toy safety standard EN 71-3:2019+A2:2024 āSafety of toys – Part 3: Migration of certain elementsā. This standard is expected to be harmonized under Directive 2009/48/EC, the so-called Toy Safety Directive (TSD), upon official acceptance by the European Commission (EC) and by publication in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU). Other standards of conflict will be withdrawn by June 30, 2025 at the latest.
7. CEN releases the test methods for phenol and bisphenol A in toy materials
On December18, 2024, the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) released two toy safety test standards: EN 71-18:2024 āSafety of toys – Part 18: Phenol in aqueous (content) and polymeric (migration) toy materialsā and EN 71-19:2024 āSafety of toys – Part 19: Migration of bisphenol A from toy materialsā. This two standards are applicable to toys intended for use by children under 36 months or other toys intended to be placed in the mouth. EN 71-18:2024 and EN 71-19:2024 are planned to be given the status of national standards in CEN member countries, and any conflicting standards will be withdrawn by June 30, 2025 at the latest.
8. Ā EU updates toy guidance documents
The EU updated guidance document No 13 on craft kits on November 18, 2024 and guidance document No 20 on decorative products and products for collectors on November 21, 2024.
https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/63076
https://ec.europa.eu/docsroom/documents/63075
9. ECHA announces addition of six substances to SVHC Candidate List in January 2025
The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has taken significant steps to strengthen chemical safety regulations. During its December meeting, the Member State Committee (MSC) identified Octamethyltrisiloxane as a Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC). Additionally, four other substances were approved for inclusion in the Candidate List via written procedure, and one substance will be added automatically without MSC involvement.
Six substances of very high concern will be added in January 2025 to the Candidate List:
- Octamethyltrisiloxane (EC 203-497-4, CAS 107-51-7)
- O,O,O-triphenyl phosphorothioate (EC 209-909-9, CAS 597-82-0)
- Reaction mass of: triphenylthiophosphate and tertiary butylated phenyl derivatives (EC 421-820-9, CAS 192268-65-8)
- Perfluamine (EC 206-420-2, CAS 338-83-0)
- Tris(4-nonylphenyl, branched and linear) phosphite
- 6-[(C10-C13)-alkyl-(branched, unsaturated)-2,5-dioxopyrrolidin-1-yl] hexanoic acid (EC 701-118-1, CAS 2156592-54-8)
https://echa.europa.eu/-/highlights-from-december-member-state-committee-meeting
10. EU Regulation (EU) 2024/3190:Ā A complete ban on bisphenol A in food contact materials
On December 31, 2024, the Official Journal of the European Union published Regulation (EU) 2024/3190, amending Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 for plastic food contact materials and articles and repealing Regulation (EU) 2018/213. This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. This regulation applies to adhesives, rubbers, ion-exchange resins, plastics, printing inks, silicones, varnishes and coatings. The main prohibitive requirements include:
- The use of BPA and its salts in the manufacture of food contact materials and articles is prohibited;
- Food contact materials and articles that have been manufactured using another bisphenol or bisphenol derivative shall not contain any residual BPA;
- The use of hazardous bisphenols other than BPA or hazardous bisphenol derivatives in the manufacture of food contact materials and articles is prohibited.
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/3190/oj/eng
11. EU abandon the initiative to restrict MCCP and TBBP-A under the RoHS Directive
On December 10, 2024, the EU announced the abandonment of the initiative to add medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs) and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBP-A) restrictions to the RoHS Directive, meaning that companies producing electrical and electronic products do not need to adjust their compliance with MCCPs and TBBP-A for the time being. However, the EU also emphasized that feedback collected in the past is still available for future reference. However, the EU also emphasized that feedback collected in the past is still available for reference in the future.
12. 35% of the SDS are found to be non-compliant in EU enforcement action
On December 3, 2024, inspectors in 28 EU-EEA countries checked over 2500 safety data sheets to enforce the new requirements introduced in 2023. ECHAās Enforcement Forum found that 35 % of the checked safety data sheets (SDS) were non-compliant. Compliance has improved compared to earlier enforcement projects, but more efforts are needed to further enhance the quality of information to better protect workers, professional users and the environment from risks posed by hazardous chemicals.
https://www.echa.europa.eu/-/compliance-of-safety-data-sheets-still-room-for-improvement
13. EU proposes to revise CMR lists under REACH Regulation
On December 5, 2024, the European Union released a revised draft act of the REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006, proposing to revise as regards carcinogens, germ cell mutagens or reproductive toxicants (CMR) subject to restrictions. The draft act aims to protect consumers by adding newly classified CMR substances to the lists of CMR substances restricted for consumer use under REACH Regulation. This draft act is open for feedback from December 5, 2024 to January 2, 2025.
14. UK releases a guidance document on the implementation of GPSR in Northern Ireland
On December 3, 2024, the UK released a guidance relates to the European Union (EU) Regulation on General Product Safety 2023/988 (GPSR). This Regulation applies directly in respect of Northern Ireland (NI) from 13 December 2024. GPSR sets out the requirement that consumer products must be safe, the responsibilities of relevant Market Surveillance Authorities (MSAs), and requirements for the sharing of product safety information. This guidance provides an overview of the Regulation primarily for MSAs operating in NI.
15. UK revises the lists of prohibited and restricted ingredients in cosmetic
On December 17, 2024, UK published the Cosmetic Products (Restriction of Chemical Substances) (No. 2) Regulations 2024, amending UK Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 to prohibit or restrict the use of certain substances in cosmetic products. The Regulation come into force on 31st January 2025. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2024/1334/made
16. Canada publishes Regulations amending the Formaldehyde Emissions from Composite Wood Products Regulations
On December 9, 2024, Canada published the SOR/2024-256 to revise the SOR/2021-148 āFormaldehyde Emissions from Composite Wood Products Regulationsā in the Canada Gazette. These Regulations come into force on the 90th day after the day on which they are published in the Canada Gazette.
The Amendments:
- Provide clarity for regulated parties and reduce the risk of misapplication of the regulations by removing the accreditation requirement for laboratories conducting routine quality control formaldehyde emissions testing;
- Revise record-keeping requirements for all entities along the composite wood products supply chain to reduce unintended burden;
- Maintain the regulationsā close alignment with TSCA Title VI in order to minimize international trade barriers; and
Make minor amendments to provide clarification on issues brought forward by stakeholders.
https://canadagazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2024/2024-12-18/html/sor-dors256-eng.html
17. Ā Australia adds 3 new persistent organic pollutants
On December 2, 2024, Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water issued Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Amendment (2024 Measures No. 2) Instrument 2024, adding three persistent organic pollutants (POPs), namely polychlorinated biphenyls, hexachlorobenzene, and polychlorinated terphenyls in Schedule 7 of Industrial Chemicals Environmental Management (Register) Instrument 2022. The new requirements will be implemented from July 1, 2025.
https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2024L01577/asmade/text
18. The State Administration for Market RegulationĀ approves and releases 243 recommended national standards, including “Sulphuric acid for industrial use”
On December 31, 2024, Chinaās State Administration for Market Regulation (National Standardization Administration) published Announcement (No. 32 of 2024) approving release of 243 recommended national standards, including “Sulphuric acid for industrial use”. Among these, GB/T 29292-2024 “FootwearāGuidelines for the management and control of key chemicals in footwear and footwear components” will take effect on July 1, 2025, and GB/T 3920-2024 “TextilesāTests for colour fastnessāColour fastness to rubbing” will take effect on January 1, 2027.
https://std.sacinfo.org.cn/gnoc/queryInfo?id=D70C7776CA26345187444B57A6EEA86C
Recall
EU rapid alert system for dangerous non-food products (Rapex):
https://ec.europa.eu/safety-gate-alerts/screen/search?resetSearch=true
Canada Recallļ¼
https://recalls-rappels.canada.ca/en/search/site
Australian Recallļ¼
https://www.productsafety.gov.au/recalls
US CPSC Recallļ¼
Recall caseļ¼
| Product category | Sample images | Notification submitted by | Reason for recall |
| Mermaid travel soothers |  | US | The recalled toyās gold-colored soft star can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children. |
| Baby Slumber Suits |  | US | The recalled slumber suits violate federal flammability regulations for childrenās sleepwear, posing a risk of burn injuries to children. |
| Strollers |  | US | The strollerās brakes can fail to engage or unexpectedly disengage, posing fall and injury hazards to children. |
| Microfiber Crib Safety Bumpers |  | US | The recalled crib bumpers violate the federal crib bumper ban, posing a suffocation hazard to infants. Padded crib bumpers are banned by the federal Safe Sleep for Babies Act. |
| Battery Packs |  | US/Canada | The battery pack in the chargers can overheat, posing a fire hazard. |
| Smart Electric Space Heaters |  | US/Canada | The smart electric space heaters can overheat, posing fire and burn hazards. Testing determined the smart electric space heaters do not comply with the voluntary industry safety standard, UL 1278, posing an overheating and fire risk from wireless control features |
| Portable Lamps |  | US | An electronic malfunction can cause the lampās lightbulb to fail and the lithium battery to overheat, posing a fire hazard. |
| Bed Assist Rail adult bed rails |  | US | When the recalled bed rails are attached to an adultās bed, users can become entrapped within the bed rail or between the bed rail and the side of the mattress. This poses a serious entrapment hazard and risk of death by asphyxiation. |
| Strollers |  | US | The parking brake on the recalled strollers can disengage, posing an injury hazard. |
| KickScooters |  | US | The front fork of the recalled KickScooters can break, posing fall and injury hazards to the rider. |
| Youth Bike Helmets |  | US | The recalled helmets do not comply with the retention system requirements of the mandatory federal safety regulations for bicycle helmets. The helmets can fail to protect the wearer in the event of a crash, posing a risk of head injury. |
| Plush toy A11/00141/24 |  | Croatia | The fibrous stuffing material of the toy is easily accessible due to the weakness of the seams. A small child may put the filling material in the mouth and choke. The product does not comply with the requirements of the Toy Safety Directive, nor with European standard EN 71-1. |
| Jumping toy A12/03082/24 |  | Poland | The plastic material of the product has an excessive concentration of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) (measured value up to 11.6% by weight). This phthalate may harm the health of children, causing possible damage to their reproductive system. The product does not comply with the REACH Regulation. |
| Plastic doll set A12/03069/24 |  | Cyprus | The plastic material of the product (the head of the doll, arms and legs of the doll, the pony) has an excessive concentration of bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) (measured value: up to 38.84 % by weight). This phthalate may harm the health by causing possible damage to the reproductive system. The product does not comply with the REACH Regulation. |
| Balloons A12/03119/24 |  | Germany | The balloons release an excessive amount of nitrosatable substances (NDMA and NDEA) (measured value up to 25.4 mg/kg). These nitrosamines may cause cancer through ingestion or dermal exposure. A child could be exposed to it when touching or putting the product in the mouth. The product does not comply with the requirements of the Toy Safety Directive nor with the European standard EN 71-12. |
| Balloons A12/03072/24 |  | Sweden | The latex of the balloons releases an excessive amount of nitrosamines (measured total value: up to 1.9 mg/kg). Nitrosamines may cause cancer through ingestion or dermal exposure. A child could be exposed to them when touching or putting the product in the mouth. The product does not comply with the requirements of the Toy Safety Directive nor with the European standard EN 71-12. |
| Swing A12/03068/24 |  | Croatia | The swing can easily break and release small parts (tie rod, stickers). A small child may put them in the mouth and choke. Moreover, a small child’s head or neck can get trapped in holes/openings of the swing. This creates a risk of strangulation. The product does not comply with the requirements of the Toy Safety Directive nor with the European standard EN 71-1. |
| Toy torch A11/00139/24 |  | Ireland | Due to a short circuit, the product can overheat, causing the bottom of the product to melt. As a consequence, users can touch hot parts and suffer burns. The product does not comply with the requirements of the Toy Safety Directive |
| Ice cooling cubes A12/03086/24 |  | Poland | Due to its characteristic appearance, colour, form and shape, the product may be mistaken as foodstuff. The product contains small parts. Children may put it in the mouth and choke. The product does not comply with the requirements of the Food Imitating Directive. |
| Wire stripper A12/03090/24 |  | Finland | The product has an excessive concentration of lead (measured value: 0.18% by weight). Lead is harmful to human health, accumulates in the body and may affect breast-fed or unborn children. The product does not comply with the REACH Regulation. |
| Bolt cutters A12/03078/24 |  | Finland | The plastic material of the handle has an excessive amount of bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) (measured values: 24% and 3.4% by weight, respectively). These phthalates may harm the health of users, possibly causing damage to the reproductive system. The product does not comply with the REACH Regulation. |
| String lights A12/03079/24 |  | Sweden | The plastic material of the cord has an excessive concentration of diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) and short chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) (measured values up to 6.9% and 0.93% by weight, respectively). DIBP poses a risk to human health and the environment. SCCPs persist in the environment, are toxic to aquatic organisms at low concentrations and bio-accumulate in wildlife and humans, posing a risk to human health and the environment. Moreover, the solders in the product have an excessive concentration of lead (measured value up to 40.2% by weight). Lead poses a risk to the environment. The product does not comply with RoHS Directive nor with POP Regulation. |
| Bluetooth speaker A12/03144/24 |  | Sweden | The solders in the product have an excessive concentration of lead (measured values up to 40% by weight). Lead poses a risk to the environme The product does not comply with RoHS Directive |
| Sleep mask A12/03089/24 |  | Sweden | The solders in the product have excessive concentrations of lead and cadmium (measured values up to: 76.7% and 0.32% by weight, respectively). Lead poses a risk to the environment. Cadmium bio-accumulates and poses a risk to the environment. The plastic material of the cable has excessive concentrations of bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), lead and SCCP (measured values up to: 4.3 %, 1.0%, 0.39% and 3.6% by weight, respectively). DEHP and DBP pose a risk to human health and the environment. SCCPs persist in the environment, are toxic to aquatic organisms at low concentrations and bio-accumulate in wildlife and humans, posing a risk to human health and the environment. Prolonged exposure to them through the skin may cause cancer. The product does not comply with RoHS Directive nor with POP Regulation. |
| Bicycle handles A12/03107/24 |  | Sweden | The plastic of the product has an excessive concentration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), notably Benz[a]antracene (BaA) (measured values 1.6 mg/kg by weight). These PAHs may cause cancer. The product does not comply with the REACH Regulation. |
| Yoga ball A12/03080/24 |  | Sweden | The plastic material of the product has an excessive concentration of diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) and dibutyl phthalate (DBP) (measured values up to 33.95 % and 1.79 % by weight, respectively). These phthalates may harm the health by causing possible damage to the reproductive system. The product does not comply with the REACH Regulation. |
| Luggage A12/03075/24 |  | Finland | The plastic material next to the zipper of the luggage has an excessive amount of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) (measured values up to 4.0% and 5.3% by weight, respectively). These phthalates may harm the health by causing possible damage to their reproductive system. The product does not comply with the REACH Regulation. |
| Perfume A12/03099/24 |  | Hungary | According to the list of ingredients the product contains 2-(4-tert- butylbenzyl) propionaldehyde (BMHCA), which is prohibited in cosmetic products. BMHCA may harm the reproductive system, may harm the health of the unborn child and may cause skin sensitisation. The product does not comply with the Cosmetic Products Regulation. |
| Jewellery set A12/03176/24 |  | Germany | The product has an excessive concentration of cadmium (measured value: 40 % by weight). Cadmium is harmful to human health because it accumulates in the body, can damage the kidneys and bones and it may cause cancer. The product does not comply with the REACH Regulation. |
| Earrings A12/03162/24 |  | Germany | The product has an excessive concentration of cadmium (measured value up to 88% by weight). Cadmium is harmful to human health because it accumulates in the body, can damage the kidneys and bones and it may cause cancer. The product does not comply with REACH Regulation. |
| Brooches set A12/03174/24 |  | Germany | The product has an excessive concentration of cadmium (measured value: up to 88 % by weight). Cadmium is harmful to human health because it accumulates in the body, can damage the kidneys and bones and it may cause cancer. The product also has an excessive concentration of lead (measured value: 70 % by weight). Lead is harmful to human health, accumulates in the body, can cause developmental neurotoxicity and may affect breast-fed or unborn children. The product does not comply with the REACH Regulation. |
| Jewellery set INFO/00127/24 |  | Germany | The product has an excessive concentration of cadmium (measured value: 84% by weight). Cadmium is harmful to human health because it accumulates in the body, can damage the kidneys and bones and it may cause cancer. The product does not comply with the REACH Regulation. |
| Bracelet A12/03189/24 |  | Germany | The product has an excessive concentration of cadmium (measured value: 87% by weight). Cadmium is harmful to human health because it accumulates in the body, can damage the kidneys and bones and it may cause cancer. The product does not comply with the REACH Regulation. |
| Children’s fancy dress A12/03193/24 |  | France | The product has long functional cords in the neck area. These cords can become trapped during various activities of a child, leading to strangulation. The product does not comply with the requirements of the Toy Safety Directive nor with the European standard EN 14682. |
| Soother A12/03158/24 |  | Austria | The ring on the shield can easily detach from it, releasing small parts. A small child may put it in the mouth and choke. The product does comply with the requirements of the General Product Safety Directive nor with the European standard EN 1400. |
| Soother holder A12/03191/24 |  | France | The soother holder is too long, which may lead to strangulation of a child. Moreover, the chain can easily break, resulting in small parts. Small children may put them in the mouth and choke. The product does not comply with the requirements of the General Product Safety Directive nor with the European standard EN 12586. |
| Children’s high chair A12/03152/24 |  | Lithuania | The product breaks easily by falling on the floor. It can therefore cause injuries to the child and bystanders. Moreover, the fall can generate small parts. A small child can put them in the mouth and choke. The product does not comply with the requirements of the General Product Safety Directive nor with the European standard EN 14988. |
