Stakeholders are reminded Health Canada has published a notice concerning compliance with flammability performance requirements for specified goods under the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act (CCPSA).

The intention of the notice is to the encourage manufacturers, importers, advertisers and sellers of these products to achieve compliance without using flame retardant chemicals, or by using safe and non-chemical alternatives.

CCPSA prohibits the manufacture, import, advertisement or sale of any consumer good that is a “danger to human health or safety.” While flame retardant chemicals are designed to slow ignition and the spread of fire, some can also be harmful to human health in certain exposure situations. Health Canada is encouraging businesses to voluntarily disclose to the public when any flame retardant chemical is used in a consumer product supplied or sold in Canada.

Current prohibitions and restrictions include:
• Polyurethane foam intended for a child under three years of age – prohibition on tris (2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP)
• Textile fibres intended for use as wearing apparel – prohibition on tris (2,3-dibromoproply) phosphate (TDBPP)
• Loose-fitting sleepwear for children – restrictions on all flame retardant chemicals

For more information, see SGS’s original SafeGuard 090/21.

Stakeholders are also reminded that Health Canada has published, ‘Industry Guide to Flammability of Textile Products in Canada’. This offers advice to industry concerning what actions can be taken and encourages consideration of fiber content, fabric construction, weight and finish, etc., when designing, constructing and sourcing products and their components.

SGS Softlines Services
SGS has a worldwide network of over 40 state-of-the-art laboratories specializing in testing of apparel, footwear, and home textiles. Their committed team is drawn from multi-disciplinary backgrounds, allowing them to carry out a comprehensive range of physical, chemical, and functional testing services for components, materials and finished products. SGS helps companies ensure quality, performance, and compliance with international, industrial, and regulatory standards worldwide. After all, it’s only trusted because it’s tested. Learn more about SGS’s Softlines Services. [www.sgs.com/softlines]

SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full Health Canada Publishes Notice on the Use of Flame Retardants in Certain Consumer Products SafeGuardS. [www.sgs.com/en/news/2021/07/safeguards-09021-health-canada-publishes-notice-on-the-use-of-flame-retardants]

Subscribe here, www.sgs.com/subscribesg, to receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.

For further information contact:

Louann Spirito
Consumer and Retail — Softlines
US & Canada Softlines Business Head
Tel: +1 973 461 7919

HingWo Tsang
Global Information and Innovation Manager Hardlines
Tel: (+852) 2774 7420

Email: [email protected]
Website: www.sgs.com/softlines
LinkedIn: sgs-consumer-goods-&-retail

About SGS
We are SGS – the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company. We are recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. Our 93,000 employees operate a network of 2,600 offices and laboratories, working together to enable a better, safer and more interconnected world.