Albany County to Enforce ‘Toxic Free Toys Act’ on Nov. 1

October 2, 2017 | The Toy Association is alerting members that sell toys in Albany County, New York that the Department of Health will begin enforcing the “Toxic Free Toys Act” (Local Law No. 1) on November 1, 2017. The law regulates certain chemicals in toys and children’s products sold in Albany County.

The law was amended to align with existing federal laws regulating toys following the settlement of a lawsuit filed in 2016 by The Safe to Play Coalition – an alliance representing hundreds of small U.S. manufacturers and sellers of toys and children’s products. The lawsuit cited the many federal requirements, exclusions, and test methods that are already in place to ensure that all toys sold in the U.S. are safe. FAQs about the law can be found on Albany County’s website.

As previously reported, the Safe to Play Coalition also has litigation pending against a similar law in Suffolk County, New York. The county’s Federal District Court has ordered a stay of enforcement of Suffolk County’s “Toxic Free Toys Act of 2015” as the county seeks to align the law with federal requirements.

The Toy Association is a supporter of the Safe to Play Coalition. Members will be kept apprised of any developments; questions may be directed to Jennifer Gibbons, vice president of state government affairs at The Toy Association.