Food Contact Materials Regulations in the European Union: An Overview

Posted on by Ivan Malloci — 21 Comments

Food contact materials and articles imported or manufactured in the European Union are subject to various regulations. These regulations, wihch are often collectively referred to as Food Contact Materials (FCM) regulations, cover substance restrictions, documntation, labelling, testing and other requirements.

In this guide, we list many of the key EU FCM regulations and explain when these are relevant, and break down many of their respective requirements.
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Electronics Labelling Requirements in the United Kingdom

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Electronics Labelling Requirements in the United Kingdom

Electronic products manufactured or imported for sale in the United Kingdom are subject to various labelling requirements. This includes the UKCA mark, and other compliance marks which are inherented from the time the UK was a member of the European Union.

This guide provides an overview of various labelling requirements applicable to electronic and electrical products in the UK.

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US Customs or CPSC Rejected Your Shipment? Emergency Action Plan for Importers

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US shipment rejected

Shipments can be subject to inspections or detention by the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Failing to manage these situations correctly can result in major delays or even destroyed shipments.

This guide explains why inbound shipments are rejected or detained, and the actions you can take to come to a resolution.

Note: In this guide, we mainly focus on actions taken by the CPSC or the CBP. However, other US government agencies could also be involved in shipment rejections or detentions.
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Electronics Labelling Requirements in the European Union

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Electronics Labelling Requirements in the European Union

Electronic products sold in the European Union are subject to various product regulations and directives, which in turn set labelling requirements. In this guide, we list several key EU electronics labelling requirements concerning compliance marks, traceability information, warnings, and more.
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Fishing Gear Regulations in the United States: An Overview

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Fishing Gear Regulations in the United States

Fishing gear imported to and manufactured in the United States is subject to various regulations and other compliance requirements. Examples include California Proposition 65 and the CPSIA.

The applicable compliance requirements depend on the intended age group, materials, where you sell the products, and other factors explained in this article.

Related products

  • Fishing rods
  • Fishing nets
  • Fishing bobbers
  • Fishing lures

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How to CE Mark a Machine in 6 Steps

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 3 Comments

How to CE Mark a Machine in 5 Steps

This article covers many of the key steps that must be followed to CE mark machinery in accordance with the requirements laid out in the Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230. This guide is relevant for products that belong to the following categories:

  • Machinery
  • E-bikes
  • Electrical scooters
  • Power tools
  • Household appliances

This guide is based on the requirements applicable to machinery, not partly completed machinery.
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EU Customs Rejected Your Shipment? A Step-by-Step Guide for Importers

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EU Customs Rejected Your Shipment? A Step-by-Step Guide for Importers

Containers and cargo shipments arriving in the European Union are sometimes subject to product compliance checks. When this happens, you can only secure a release by providing documentation demonstrating compliance with applicable EU regulations and directives.

In this guide, we explain why shipments are rejected by the customs authorities in EU member states and what steps you can take to resolve the situation.
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List of Products Covered by CPSIA: An Overview

Posted on by Ivan Malloci — 22 Comments

CPSIA Products List

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) regulates products that are intended for children aged 12 and younger. The requirements of the CPSIA apply to various categories of children’s products, including toys and durable infant or toddler products, such as play yards and high chairs.

This guide provides examples of children’s products covered by the CPSIA and examples of safety rules and standards related to each product category. Note, however, that the CPSIA regulates all products that are intended for children, not only the products that are listed in this guide or for which there exists a specific safety rule.

Methodology

1. This guide lists products regulated by existing children’s product safety rules “requiring third-party testing and a children’s product certificate”, as listed on the CPSC’s relevant guidance document. It also lists children’s footwear, jewelry, and school and stationery items, even though we could not find any specific safety rules for these products listed in the guidance document.

2. Besides listing products, each section of this guide lists the safety rules that we could find that apply to the mentioned product categories. Note that:

a. Other relevant safety rules and standards may exist, besides the ones listed in this guide

b. Some rules apply to many different types of products, such as 16 CFR part 1501, which covers small parts.

c. Some rules cover substance restrictions (e.g., lead or phthalates). As such, they are relevant for many product categories. We found the following three:

  • 16 CFR Part 1303 – Ban of Lead-Containing Paint and Certain Consumer Products Bearing Lead-Containing Paint
  • 16 CFR Part 1307 – Prohibition of Children’s Toys and Child Care Articles Containing Specified Phthalates
  • 15 U.S.C. § 1278a – Children’s products containing lead; lead paint rule

d. Besides listing all the safety rules provided in the CPSC’s guidance document, this guide also lists some additional safety rules and standards, such as 16 CFR Part 1120 and ASTM F2412.

e. Some of the listed products are deemed to be durable infant or toddler products, for which additional requirements apply. In this case, we mention this information in the guide.

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List of Products Covered by California Proposition 65: An Overview

Posted on by Ivan Malloci — 11 Comments

California Proposition 65 sets substance restrictions and warning labeling requirements for products sold in California. You must either ensure that the product does not contain restricted substances above the set limits or affix a warning label informing consumers of potentially harmful substance contents.

This guide lists examples of product categories covered by California Proposition 65 and examples of restricted substances that may be present in such products.

Methodology

This guide is primarily based on products that are mentioned on www.p65warnings.ca.gov. The website contains:

a. Fact sheets covering specific product categories (e.g., “motor vehicle parts”), or;

b. Fact sheets covering specific substances (e.g., lead and lead compounds), which, in turn, provide examples of products that may contain restricted substances (e.g., ceramic dishes)

Note that these are not necessarily all products covered by California Proposition 65. Our understanding is that there is no definitive product list. Instead, California Proposition 65 is concerned with substances, rather than specific products. That being said, this guide can still help you form a clear understanding of which products are subject to California Proposition 65 and their respective substance risks.

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Fake Product Certificates and Test Reports: An Essential Guide

Posted on by Fredrik Gronkvist — 15 Comments

Product testing and certification can be expensive. Consultants and lab testing services can charge thousands of dollars. As such, suppliers have an incentive to cut corners by either creating or buying fake lab test reports and product certificates for a fraction of what it would cost to do it the right way.

In many, if not most, cases, suppliers are not even aware of the fact that the compliance documents are invalid.

The unfortunate result is that businesses buy non-compliant and unsafe products on the basis of fake test reports and certificates. This has the direct effect of exposing their own business to financial ruin and their customers to potentially lethal products. Think exploding phone chargers and toxic toys.

This guide explains what you can do to identify fake test reports, certificates, and other compliance documents.
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