Important Updates from the CPSC

April 9, 2018 | The Toy Association is alerting members of several pertinent deadlines and activities at the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC):

  • CPSC has published an update to its Age Grade Guidelines for Toys, which now includes the results of a study done in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health.  Members who wish to provide feedback on the guidelines are encouraged to submit them to The Toy Association’s Joan Lawrence, senior vice president of standards and regulatory affairs. Comments are due to the CPSC on June 11.
  • CPSC will conduct a public hearing May 16 to receive information about potential safety issues and hazards associated with internet-connected consumer products. The information gathered at the hearing will be used to inform the Commission’s future risk management work in relation to the potential for unsafe products (not in the privacy or hacking aspects of internet-connected items). Requests to present at the hearing are due May 2; those who don’t participate in-person can submit written comments through June 15. The Toy Association’s Marketing to Children committee has not yet determined if the Association will present at the hearing or submit written comments; member companies that would like to join the Marketing to Children committee are invited to contact Autumn Moore, manager of standards and regulatory affairs.
  • The agency will hold its annual budget priorities hearing on April 11, during which affected stakeholders can present their ideas for CPSC spending and resource allocation during fiscal years 2019 and 2020. The Toy Association has submitted comments on the budget, listing import surveillance efforts; combatting intellectual property infringing goods; continued reduction of third-party testing burdens; and information/education partnerships and programs, as the top toy industry priorities for the CPSC to consider.

Regular email updates on federal, state, and international government affairs are provided weekly to The Toy Association’s Federal Government Affairs, State Government Affairs, and Safety Standards and Technical Affairs Committees. More information about these and other Toy Association committees, including how to join, can be found online.