§ 1278a. Children’s products containing lead; lead paint rule

(a) General lead ban

(1) Treatment as a banned hazardous substance

Except as expressly provided in subsection (b) beginning on the dates provided in paragraph (2), any children’s product (as defined in section 3(a)(16) of the Consumer Product Safety Act (15 U.S.C. 2052 (a)(16))) that contains more lead than the limit established by paragraph (2) shall be treated as a banned hazardous substance under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (15 U.S.C. 1261 et seq.).

(2) Lead limit

(A) 600 parts per million

Except as provided in subparagraphs (B), (C), (D), and (E), beginning 180 days after August 14, 2008, the lead limit referred to in paragraph (1) is 600 parts per million total lead content by weight for any part of the product.

(B) 300 parts per million

Except as provided by subparagraphs (C), (D), and (E), beginning on the date that is 1 year after August 14, 2008, the lead limit referred to in paragraph (1) is 300 parts per million total lead content by weight for any part of the product.

Except as provided in subparagraphs (D) and (E), beginning on the date that is 3 years after August 14, 2008, subparagraph (B) shall be applied by substituting “100 parts per million” for “300 parts per million” unless the Commission determines that a limit of 100 parts per million is not technologically feasible for a product or product category. The Commission may make such a determination only after notice and a hearing and after analyzing the public health protections associated with substantially reducing lead in children’s products.

(D) Alternate reduction of limit

If the Commission determines under subparagraph (C) that the 100 parts per million limit is not technologically feasible for a product or product category, the Commission shall, by regulation, establish an amount that is the lowest amount of lead, lower than 300 parts per million, the Commission determines to be technologically feasible to achieve for that product or product category. The amount of lead established by the Commission under the preceding sentence shall be substituted for the 300 parts per million limit under subparagraph (B) beginning on the date that is 3 years after August 14, 2008.

(E) Periodic review and further reductions

The Commission shall, based on the best available scientific and technical information, periodically review and revise downward the limit set forth in this subsection, no less frequently than every 5 years after promulgation of the limit under subparagraph (C) or (D) to require the lowest amount of lead that the Commission determines is technologically feasible to achieve. The amount of lead established by the Commission under the preceding sentence shall be substituted for the lead limit in effect immediately before such revision.

(b) Exclusion of certain materials or products and inaccessible component parts

(1) Certain products or materials

The Commission may, by regulation, exclude a specific product or material from the prohibition in subsection (a) if the Commission, after notice and a hearing, determines on the basis of the best-available, objective, peer-reviewed, scientific evidence that lead in such product or material will neither—

(A) result in the absorption of any lead into the human body, taking into account normal and reasonably foreseeable use and abuse of such product by a child, including swallowing, mouthing, breaking, or other children’s activities, and the aging of the product; nor

(B) have any other adverse impact on public health or safety.

(2) Exception for inaccessible component parts

(A) In general

The limits established under subsection (a) shall not apply to any component part of a children’s product that is not accessible to a child through normal and reasonably foreseeable use and abuse of such product, as determined by the Commission. A component part is not accessible under this subparagraph if such component part is not physically exposed by reason of a sealed covering or casing and does not become physically exposed through reasonably foreseeable use and abuse of the product. Reasonably foreseeable use and abuse shall include to,^[1] swallowing, mouthing, breaking, or other children’s activities, and the aging of the product.

(B) Inaccessibility proceeding

Within 1 year after August 14, 2008, the Commission shall promulgate a rule providing guidance with respect to what product components, or classes of components, will be considered to be inaccessible for purposes of subparagraph (A).

Until the Commission promulgates a rule pursuant to subparagraph (B), the determination of whether a product component is inaccessible to a child shall be made in accordance with the requirements laid out in subparagraph (A) for considering a component to be inaccessible to a child.

(3) Certain barriers disqualified

For purposes of this subsection, paint, coatings, or electroplating may not be considered to be a barrier that would render lead in the substrate inaccessible to a child, or to prevent absorption of any lead into the human body, through normal and reasonably foreseeable use and abuse of the product.

(4) Certain electronic devices

If the Commission determines that it is not technologically feasible for certain electronic devices, including devices containing batteries, to comply with subsection (a), the Commission, by regulation, shall—

(A) issue requirements to eliminate or minimize the potential for exposure to and accessibility of lead in such electronic devices, which may include requirements that such electronic devices be equipped with a child-resistant cover or casing that prevents exposure to and accessibility of the parts of the product containing lead; and

(B) establish a schedule by which such electronic devices shall be in full compliance with the limits in subsection (a), unless the Commission determines that full compliance will not be technologically feasible for such devices within a schedule set by the Commission.

(5) Periodic review

The Commission shall, based on the best available scientific and technical information, periodically review and revise the regulations promulgated pursuant to this subsection no less frequently than every 5 years after the first promulgation of a regulation under this subsection to make them more stringent and to require the lowest amount of lead the Commission determines is technologically feasible to achieve.

To the extent that any regulation promulgated by the Commission under this section (or any section of the Consumer Product Safety Act [15 U.S.C. 2051 et seq.] or any other Act enforced by the Commission, as such Acts are affected by this section) is inconsistent with the ASTM F963 standard, such promulgated regulation shall supersede the ASTM F963 standard to the extent of the inconsistency.

(d) Technological feasibility defined

For purposes of this section, a limit shall be deemed technologically feasible with regard to a product or product category if—

(1) a product that complies with the limit is commercially available in the product category;

(2) technology to comply with the limit is commercially available to manufacturers or is otherwise available within the common meaning of the term;

(3) industrial strategies or devices have been developed that are capable or will be capable of achieving such a limit by the effective date of the limit and that companies, acting in good faith, are generally capable of adopting; or

(4) alternative practices, best practices, or other operational changes would allow the manufacturer to comply with the limit.

(e) Pending rulemaking proceedings to have no effect

The pendency of a rulemaking proceeding to consider—

(1) a delay in the effective date of a limit or an alternate limit under this section related to technological feasibility,

(2) an exception for certain products or materials or inaccessibility guidance under subsection (b) of this section, or

(3) any other request for modification of or exemption from any regulation, rule, standard, or ban under this Act or any other Act enforced by the Commission,

shall not delay the effect of any provision or limit under this section nor shall it stay general enforcement of the requirements of this section.

(f) More stringent lead paint ban

(1) In general

Effective on the date that is 1 year after August 14, 2008, the Commission shall modify section 1303.1 of its regulations (16 C.F.R. 1301.1) by substituting “0.009 percent” for “0.06 percent” in subsection (a) of that section.

(2) Periodic review and reduction

The Commission shall, no less frequently than every 5 years after the date on which the Commission modifies the regulations pursuant to paragraph (1), review the limit for lead in paint set forth in section 1303.1 of title 16, Code of Federal Regulations (as revised by paragraph (1)), and shall by regulation revise downward the limit to require the lowest amount of lead that the Commission determines is technologically feasible to achieve.

(3) Methods for screening lead in small painted areas

In order to provide for effective and efficient enforcement of the limit set forth in section 1303.1 of title 16, Code of Federal Regulations, the Commission may rely on x-ray fluorescence technology or other alternative methods for measuring lead in paint or other surface coatings on products subject to such section where the total weight of such paint or surface coating is no greater than 10 milligrams or where such paint or surface coating covers no more than 1 square centimeter of the surface area of such products. Such alternative methods for measurement shall not permit more than 2 micrograms of lead in a total weight of 10 milligrams or less of paint or other surface coating or in a surface area of 1 square centimeter or less.

(4) Alternative methods of measuring lead in paint generally

(A) Study

Not later than 1 year after August 14, 2008, the Commission shall complete a study to evaluate the effectiveness, precision, and reliability of x-ray fluorescence technology and other alternative methods for measuring lead in paint or other surface coatings when used on a children’s product or furniture article in order to determine compliance with part 1303 of title 16, Code of Federal Regulations, as modified pursuant to this subsection.

(B) Rulemaking

If the Commission determines, based on the study in subparagraph (A), that x-ray fluorescence technology or other alternative methods for measuring lead in paint are as effective, precise, and reliable as the methodology used by the Commission for compliance determinations prior to August 14, 2008, the Commission may promulgate regulations governing the use of such methods in determining the compliance of products with part 1303 of title 16, Code of Federal Regulations, as modified pursuant to this subsection. Any regulations promulgated by the Commission shall ensure that such alternative methods are no less effective, precise, and reliable than the methodology used by the Commission prior to August 14, 2008.

(5) Periodic review

The Commission shall, no less frequently than every 5 years after the Commission completes the study required by paragraph (4)(A), review and revise any methods for measurement utilized by the Commission pursuant to paragraph (3) or pursuant to any regulations promulgated under paragraph (4) to ensure that such methods are the most effective methods available to protect children’s health. The Commission shall conduct an ongoing effort to study and encourage the further development of alternative methods for measuring lead in paint and other surface coating that can effectively, precisely, and reliably detect lead levels at or below the level set forth in part 1303 of title 16, Code of Federal Regulations, or any lower level established by regulation.

(6) No effect on legal limit

Nothing in paragraph (3), nor reliance by the Commission on any alternative method of measurement pursuant to such paragraph, nor any rule prescribed pursuant to paragraph (4), nor any method established pursuant to paragraph (5) shall be construed to alter the limit set forth in section 1303 of title 16, Code of Federal Regulations, as modified pursuant to this subsection, or provide any exemption from such limit.

(7) Construction

Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to affect the authority of the Commission or any other person to use alternative methods for detecting lead as a screening method to determine whether further testing or action is needed.

(g) Treatment as a regulation under the FHSA

Any ban imposed by subsection (a) or rule promulgated under subsection (a) or (b) of this section, and section 1303.1 of title 16, Code of Federal Regulations (as modified pursuant to subsection (f)(1) or (2)), or any successor regulation, shall be considered a regulation of the Commission promulgated under or for the enforcement of section 2(q) of the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (15 U.S.C. 1261 (q)).

[1] So in original. The word “to,” probably should not appear.

U.S. Code

§ 1278a. Children’s products containing lead; lead paint rule