Thursday, May 28, 2009

Composite Test is allowed by CPSC?


Yes, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recently published a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for determining Lead content (Pb) in paint and other similar surface coating materials dated on April 26, 2009 . The new method has an option to test different materials in a composite manner. The rules for accreditation for lead in paint for compliance with 16 CFR 1303 remains unchanged and existing accreditations remain valid.



Below are the highlights of the method:

• Wet paints are dried prior to testing,
• For products coated with paint or a similar surface coating, remove and digest the coating,
• Solvents such as methylene chloride (dichloromethane) may be used to soften the paint prior to removal,
• CPSC considers that it is a reasonable practice to composite up to 3 colors and that any sample having greater than 80 % of the limit for lead in paint (72 ppm) in any of the composited paints should be retested.

___________________________________________________________
Lead Content
Regulation: 16 CFR 1303
Scope: (Paint and similar surface coating material)
Requirement:
Max. is 90ppm (Individual Test)

Max. is 72ppm (3-in-1 Composite Test)
* Less than 72ppm, Pass
* No Conclusion: if result is the range >72ppm and <270ppm
(further individual test must be conducted)
* More than 270ppm, Fail