What is it?

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act or CPSIA establishes lead and phthalate limits in children’s products, toys, and child care articles for any product that is used by children 12 and under. The CPSIA addresses, among other things, lead, phthalates, toy safety, durable infant or toddler products, third-party testing and certification, tracking labels, imports, ATVs, civil and criminal penalties and SaferProducts.gov, a publically-searchable database of reports of harm.

The CPSIA defines the term “children’s product” and generally requires that children’s products:

  1. Comply with all applicable children’s product safety rules;
  2. Be tested for compliance by a CPSC-accepted accredited laboratory, unless subject to an exception;
  3. Have a written Children’s Product Certificate that provides evidence of the product’s compliance;
  4. Have permanent tracking information affixed to the product and its packaging where practicable.

Learn more about the CPSIA here.

What do I need to do?

You must let Independent Printing & Packaging know if the product we are producing is designed to be used primarily by children 12 years of age or younger. If you are printing a product to be used by a child 12 years of age or younger, you are required to place “permanent, distinguishing marks” on the products and packaging. The following information is required on the product:

  1. Manufacturer or private labeler name;
  2. Location and date of production of the product;
  3. Detailed information on the manufacturing process, such as a batch or run number, or other identifying characteristics;
  4. Any other information to facilitate ascertaining the specific source of the product.

All tracking label information should be visible and legible. Ultimately, the consumer needs to have the proper information available if they want to contact the manufacturer for questions they might have about the product.

Please contact your Account Service Representative for additional information at 800.236.2439.