CPSC Officially Releases Notice of Proposed Regulation "Toys Containing Button/Coin Batteries"
On July 10, 2024, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a proposal for "Toys with Button/Coin Batteries Requirements. CPSC staff recommended that the Commission issue a draft notice on the proposed regulation (NPR) to establish a new mandatory standard for "toys with button/coin cells" to ensure that these toys meet the highest feasible safety requirements.
committee voted unanimously to approve the publication in the Federal Register of a notice related to "Toy Requirements with Button/Coin Batteries", which will add the following test requirements:
battery cover
threaded fasteners
continuous use
abuse testing (stress relief, battery replacement, impact, extrusion, torsion, tension, pressure and compliance verification testing)
updated identification and labeling requirements
worth noting that the NPR additions are more stringent than the requirements of the ASTM F963-23 standard. This can be seen as an extension of the requirements of the Lisbon Act and UL 4200A-23 standard for toy products to further reduce the risk of injury that these batteries may cause, and represents the highest level of safety to address the problem of children ingesting button/coin batteries from toys.
Notice of Proposed Regulation (NPR) was officially published in the Federal Register on August 13, 2024. The public can feedback comments within 60 days from the date of publication (that is, before October 15, 2024).
Expected Effective Date: 180 days after publication and approval of the final rule.
of September 21, 2023, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) had published in the Federal Register the final rule (DFR) for button and coin batteries and related products.
CFR 1263 to protect children under 6 years of age from battery ingestion hazards.
new rule incorporates by reference voluntary standard ANSI/UL 420A-2023 as a mandatory standard for consumer products containing button cells or coin cells.
After December 20, 2023, third-party testing and certification of children's products subject to this rule is required. However, given the limited availability of tests, the CPSC granted a 180-day transition period from September 21, 2023 to March 19, 2024.
Also in the same issue of the Federal Register, the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a final rule (FR) to determine warning label requirements on button battery or coin battery packaging, which will take effect on September 21, 2024.
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● With the adoption of 16 CFR 1263, the scope of requirements will be consumer products that contain one or more button or coin cells, whether these cells are intended to be replaced by consumers, included with the product or sold separately.
●button cell or coin cell is defined as "a single cell with a diameter greater than the height of the battery; or any other battery that the committee determines poses a risk of ingestion, regardless of the technology used to generate the charge."
●this scope exemption:
a. Toy products that meet the battery accessibility and labeling requirements of 16 CFR 1250;
B. Coin batteries or button batteries, such as zinc-air button batteries or coin batteries, that the Consumer Product Safety Commission has determined do not present a risk of ingestion.
//Requirements:
●ANSI/UL 4200A-23 "Standard for Safety of Products Containing Button or Coin Batteries" will become mandatory under 16 CFR, Section 1263. ANSI/UL 420A-2023 includes the following:
a. Fixed performance requirements for battery room;
B. Pretreatment requirements;
c. Use and abuse testing;
d. Packaging requirements;
e. Labeling requirements.
● In addition, 16 CFR 1263 includes warning label requirements for button cell or coin cell packaging, including button cell or button cell packaging separately from consumer products.
