The US state of Massachusetts has introduced restrictions on eleven flame retardants (FRs) in five categories of consumer product.

Signed into law by the governor on January 1, 2021, the law regulates the following FRs:

1. 2-Ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (TBB)
2. Antimony trioxide           
3. Bis(2-ethylhexyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrabromophthalate (TBPH)
4. Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD)
5. Octabromodiphenyl ether (Octa-BDE)
6. Pentabromodiphenyl ether (Penta-BDE)
7. Short Chain Chlorinated Paraffins (SCCP)
8. Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA)
9. Tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP)
10. Tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP)
11. Tris(1,3-dichloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TDCPP)

‘An Act to protect children, families, and firefighters from harmful flame retardants’ adds a new Section 28 to Chapter 21A of the General Laws. It restricts FRs to no more than 1,000 ppm in any component of the following product categories:

1. Bedding – any bedding material, including sleeping bags and other stuffed items for reclining or sleeping
2. Carpeting – any fabric floor covering, including carpet padding
3. Children’s product – a consumer product for use by children aged 12 years or younger
4. Residential upholstered furniture – seating or other upholstered products for indoor or outdoor use in or at a home or other dwelling intended for residential occupancy
5. Window treatment – blinds, curtain materials or shades

Exempt products include:

• Motor vehicles, watercraft, aircraft, all-terrain vehicles and off-highway motorcycles
• Second-hand products

The new law comes into effect on December 31, 2021, although products manufactured before this date are also exempt.

The Act requires manufacturers (including importers or distributors) to notify retailers and others who sell these FR-containing products of the passage of this new law by July 1, 2021.

Stakeholders should be aware that Massachusetts has joined a long list of US jurisdictions regulating FRs in consumer products, including Anchorage (Alaska), California, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, San Francisco, Vermont, Washington and Washington DC. The scope in each jurisdiction is different and, additionally, Maine, Oregon, Vermont and Washington also require the disclosure of information on hazardous chemicals, including FRs, in children’s products

SGS Chemical Testing

SGS offers a comprehensive range of testing services to help manufacturers and suppliers ensure their products are safe and comply with national and international regulations concerning harmful chemicals. Learn more about SGS Chemical Testing Services. 

SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full US State of Massachusetts Restricts Flame Retardants in Consumer Goods SafeGuardS. 

Subscribe here to receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.

For further information contact:

Hingwo Tsang

Global Information and Innovation Manager

Tel: (+852) 2774 7420

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: www.sgs.com/cgnr

LinkedIn: sgs-consumer-goods-&-retail

About SGS

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 89,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world.​

If you belong to the e-commerce sector, you’d know how vital it is to come up with strategic digital marketing strategies. And for you to maximise your presence, you shouldn’t just rely on one aspect of the whole picture — bear in mind that methods like blogging and Facebook advertising management achieve greater results when combined in a single, comprehensive plan effectively.

Here’s how these two can help boost your e-commerce business.

The Benefits of Blogging

First and foremost, it’s important to address the question: Just how significant the role of blogging is?

One of its best benefits is it can reach your target specific audience. If you’re selling baby products on your site, your blog should revolve around the perks of your offerings. In this case, your blog can directly resonate with what parents and other guardians want. At the end of the day, you’ll gain higher chances of attracting and converting high-quality leads.

Because blogs are a relatively longer form of digital content, it gives you an avenue to appropriately incorporate effective SEO practices — like using the right keywords or key phrases and link-building. You can do this one more cost-effectively with the help of an SEO and a Wordpress web design agency.

When you continuously supply your site with quality blogs, you’re also strengthening your authority and reputation in your specific sector. Over time, you’ll attract loyal viewers and customers who will willingly visit your website to know more about a certain topic related to your business products.

Maximising Your Facebook Ads

Like what any WordPress web design agency would advise, e-commerce businesses should learn how to grow their network through social media marketing. Running Facebook ads, in particular, can help you leverage the platform’s large audience.

Similar to pay-per-click advertising, you have the liberty to choose how much you want to spend for a specific ad campaign. To yield better results, you have to specify your target audience: Their demographics, their interests, etc.

In every ad you run, you have to go back to the basic — what is your goal? Do you want to increase the installations of your business’ mobile app? Do you want to increase the readership of your blogs, and eventually reach more people who’d most probably buy your products? Depending on your goal, you also have to carefully choose your call-to-action (e.g. Learn more, shop now) and your ad format (e.g. Carousel, slideshow).

The perks of managing your Facebook ads well include reaching the right people more efficiently, getting access to insightful analytics, and knowing your audiences’ behaviour better, which in turn can help you create more effective blogs and business plans.

Boost Your E-Commerce Business Today!

Gain a larger audience and better showcase your products with the help of SiteWizard. Backed by more than two decades of experience, they offer digital marketing services that include blogging and Facebook advertising management. Each of their account managers is keen to help their clients in every step of the way — from initial consultation to implementation to reporting. Learn more about their services at http://www.sitewizard.co.uk/facebook-advertising/ and http://www.sitewizard.co.uk/wordpress-web-design. Reach out to them via 01622 200 045 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

On November 12, 2020, the European Commission released a technical guidance document that provides a non-exhaustive list of product claims that do not support the classification of leave-on hydro alcoholic hand gels as cosmetic products due to perception.

The document was published following the findings of the Sub-Group on Borderline Products on October 8, 2020, which were endorsed by the Working Group on Cosmetic Products via written procedure on October 23, 2020 and at its meeting on 12 November 2020.

The technical document complements the latest borderline manual and the guidance on the applicable legislation for leave-on hand cleaners and hand disinfectants.

Labeling elements that would not support a main cosmetic function of leave-on hydro alcoholic hand gels (not to be used on cosmetic products):

Claims:

• Antibacterial, antimicrobial, antiviral, virucide, antifungal (and their attributes, such as ‘antiviral properties’, ‘antibacterial ingredients’, ‘inhibits bacterial growth’)
• Disinfecting, disinfectant, disinfection, sanitizer, sanitizing
• Antiseptic
• Kills X% bacteria/viruses/microbes
• Decontaminating
• Formulation recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO)
• Anti-COVID-19, anti-coronavirus, anti-SARS

References or allusions to:

• Infection, pandemic, diseases
• COVID-19, coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2
• Microorganisms, bacteria, viruses, pathogens, germs, fungi
• Disinfection
• Medical use
• Percentage of alcohol in the product
• Safe hands

Pictures or graphical elements of:

• (Corona)virus, bacteria, microbes
• (Red) cross (when suggesting a medical connotation)
• Shield (when indicating protection against microorganisms)
• STOP sign (when indicating preventing/controlling the spread of a disease or infection or microbes)
• Any sign related to hospital, pharmacy, ambulance, first aid, etc.
• CLP pictograms

SGS Hand Sanitizer and Disinfectant Services

SGS offers a comprehensive range of testing and compliance solutions to help manufacturers and suppliers deliver safe and compliant products to their target markets. Learn more about SGS’s Hand Sanitizer and Disinfectant Services. 

SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full EU Commission Publishes Borderline Working Document on Leave-On Hand Gels SafeGuardS. 

Subscribe here to receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.

For further information contact:

Queenie Ho-yan TSE

Assistant Technical Service Manager

Tel: +852 2765 3672

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: www.sgs.com/cpch

LinkedIn: sgs-consumer-goods-&-retail

About SGS

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 89,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world.

SGS is advising companies operating in California, USA, to stay informed on settlement agreements being made in relation to a variety of substances under California Proposition 65 (Prop 65).

Settle agreements exist between two parties and are not legally binding on businesses not named within the settlement. However, it is advisable for companies operating in California to use them as a guide to avoid future legal problems.

Settlement agreements involve a variety of consumer products and the substances:

• Lead and its compounds
• Phthalates:
  1. Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP)
  2. Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP)
  3. Di-n-hexyl phthalate (DnHP)
  4. Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)
  5. Di-isodecyl phthalate (DIDP)
  6. Diisononyl phthalate (DINP)

There have also been several settlement agreements covering only the phthalates DINP and DEHP.

Consumer products covered in these settlement agreements include:

• Phthalates (various):
  1. Beauty accessories made with vinyl components
  2. Car mounts with suction cup
  3. PVC air hose
• Lead and its compounds:
  1. Brass products – mailboxes, hose repair menders, musical mouthpieces
  2. Diving weights
  3. Handheld luggage with PVC handgrips
• DINP (only):
  1. Boarding pass holders
  2. Circular knitting needles
  3. Watch bands
• DEHP (only):
  1. Blenders
  2. Life vests
  3. Pet raincoats

The variety of consumer products included in these settlement agreements demonstrates how vigilant manufacturers and suppliers operating in California must remain.

Prop 65, or the ‘Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986’, is a unique piece of legislation passed in November 1986. It requires the state to maintain a list of chemicals (Prop 65 List) known to cause cancer, birth defects and/or reproductive harm. Unless exempted, businesses operating in California must provide ‘a clear and reasonable warning’ (Prop 65 Warning) before knowingly and intentionally exposing anyone to a substance on the Prop 65 List, which now contains around 900 chemicals. Companies have twelve months to comply with this requirement once a substance is included in the Prop 65 List.

Businesses wishing to learn more about Prop 65 settlement agreements, including lists of some of the the consumer products involved, should view SGS SafeGuards:

• 001/21 California Proposition 65: Reformulation of Phthalates in Consumer Goods 
• 003/21 California Proposition 65: Reformulation of Lead in Consumer Products 
• 004/21 California Proposition 65: Reformulation of DINP in Consumer Products 
• 005/21 California Proposition 65: Reformulation of DEHP in Consumer Products 

SGS Prop 65 Services

With a global network of laboratories, SGS can offer comprehensive testing, product assessment and consultancy services related to California Proposition 65. SGS can assist your risk management strategy in consumer goods, such as DIYs, electrical and electronics, hardgoods products, juvenile products, and textile & toy products. Learn more about SGS’s Prop 65 Services.

Subscribe here to receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.

For further information contact:

Hing Wo Tsang

Global Information and Innovation Manager

Tel:(+852) 2774 7420

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: www.sgs.com/cgnr

LinkedIn: sgs-consumer-goods-&-retail

About SGS

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 89,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world.​