Updated US Toy Standard, ASTM F963-17

Date of enforcement: 28th February 2018 An update to the ASTM F963 Toy Safety Standard has been published and adopted by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) publishing a final rule in November 2017 to approve this 2017 revision as mandatory. The standard includes some clarifications, in particular to Microbiological Safety requirements which were introduced in the ASTM F963-16 version. The clarification introduces specific bacteriological standards to be used for process water used during production of toys, that should meet the USP 35(1231); and EPA 40 CFR 141.63 standards. In addition, there is a modification to the definition of Cosmetics which clarify that cosmetics applied to toys, such as dolls are not subject to labelling requirements under the US Food Drug and Cosmetics Act. This is in contrast to the position in the EU where the EU Toy Safety Directive (2009/48/EC) states that toy cosmetics such as those intended to be applied to dolls should fall under the compositional and labelling requirements of Cosmetics under the EU Cosmetic Regulation (EC 1223/2009).