South Korea releases proposal to strengthen its restrictions on phthalates in children’s products.

The Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) made the announcement in January 2021. If adopted, the proposed change will expand the number of restricted phthalates from six to seven under the Common Safety Standard for Children’s Products. This standard applies to products that are used by or for children under the age of 13. It does not apply to the inaccessible components of a children’s product.

Currently, six phthalates are restricted to less than 0.1% (sum) in children’s products. These are:
• Benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP)
• Dibutyl phthalate (DBP)
• Di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP)
• Di-isodecyl phthalate (DIDP)
• Diisononyl phthalate (DINP)
• Di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP)

Under the proposal, diisobutyl phthalate (DIBP) will be added to this list.

The proposal has been made under the Common Safety Standard for Children’s Products, subject to certification pursuant to Article 17(3) of the Special Act on Children’s Product Safety, children’s products subject to confirmation pursuant to Article 22(2), and children’s products subject to supplier conformity verification pursuant to Article 25(2).

MOTIE held a public consultation on the proposal between January 25, 2021, and March 28, 2021. According to World Trade Organization (WTO) document number 21-1469, the proposed date of adoption and entry into force will be in June 2021 or later.

SGS Toy & Juvenile Product Services
SGS offers a wide range of services to ensure that products comply with relevant standards for childcare articles and children’s equipment. They provide consulting, training, product development, testing, audit and inspection services to ensure that products comply with strict regulations worldwide, demonstrating the safety and quality of juvenile products being brought to the market. Learn more about SGS’s Toy & Juvenile Product Services. [www.sgs.com/en/consumer-goods-retail/toys-and-juvenile-products]

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