Phthalates in Toys and other Product SVOC Content Analysis

Various semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) are used in manufacturing to impart special properties to products.  Phthalate esters are used as plasticizers to make polyvinyl chloride and other plastics soft and flexible and are incorporated into many consumer and building products.  Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been widely used as flame retardants in furniture cushions, textiles, plastics, paints, and electronic appliances.  Because of their low vapor pressures, SVOCs tend to condense on surfaces and only very low concentrations are measured in air.  Thus, environmental chamber techniques used for VOCs are unreliable for determining the emissions of SVOCs from products and materials.  In addition, health risks associated with these chemicals may derive from exposure pathways other than gas-phase inhalation such as direct ingestion, dermal contact and hand-to-mouth transfer.

The uses of some SVOCs are now regulated in the U.S.  In California effective January 2008, companies may not manufacture, process, or distribute a product, or a flame-retarded part of a product, containing more than 0.1% of pentaBDE or octaBDE.  Other states have passed or are considering similar PDBE legislation.  The new federal Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008 became effective February 2009.  The CPSIA requires that children’s toys and certain child care articles do not contain more than 0.1% of three specified phthalate esters (DEHP, DBP, BBP) and that toys that can be placed in a child’s mouth and child care articles do not contain more than 0.1% of three additional phthalates (DINP, DIDP and DnOP).  The law retroactively applies to products held in inventory.  Although the Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a 1-year stay of enforcement of the testing and certification requirements, manufacturers and importers nevertheless must comply with the phthalate restrictions now.

BAA is now ready to help manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers meet their CPSIA obligations (see phtalate guidance and CPSIA guide).  We have the full capability to analyze toys, child care articles, furniture components and other products and materials for their content of the 6 phthalate esters identified in the CPSIA regulation.

• BAA has invested in state-of-the-art technology for cryogenic milling, accelerated solvent extraction, and high sensitivity GC/MS analysis of sample extracts.

• BAA utilizes the latest approved method, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Test Method CPSC-CH-C1001-09, for identification and measurement of phthalates.
   
• Our analyses & reports are in compliance with IEC/ISO quality system requirements.