SOR/2016-188 Phthalates Regulation

The regulation “SOR/2016-188 Phthalates regulation” published by the Canadian government under “Legal orders and regulations (SOR)” sets phthalate concentration level limits in children’s products, including furniture and bedding such as cribs, mattresses, pads and air mattresses. Accordingly, the maximum amount of phthalates in children’s furniture products should not exceed 1.000 mg/kg.

For the purposes of this regulation, the following definitions apply:

• Child care product refers to a product designed to facilitate the comfort, sleep, hygiene, feeding, sucking or teething of a child under four years of age.
• Good laboratory practices refer to practices that comply with the principles of good laboratory practice and compliance monitoring published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
• Toy means a product designed for learning or play use by a child under the age of 14.

Whether or not a specific mandatory standard is applied to furniture, importers must still ensure that their products are safe and comply with all applicable Canadian Consumer Product Safety Act requirements. Therefore, importers are advised to contact an accredited testing organization to understand what testing procedures are required. In Canada, children’s products, including toys and other products for children, are subject to regulations set by the Canadian government under the Canadian Consumer Product Safety Act. These regulations aim to ensure that products intended for use by children do not pose a health or safety hazard. Chemical restrictions play an important role in this framework.

Phthalates are chemicals commonly used to soften plastics. Despite their valuable properties, some types of phthalates are banned or restricted in toys and childcare products due to their potential adverse health effects. Scientists suspect hormonal disruption and developmental problems are associated with some phthalates. As a result, the restrictions for children’s products under the “SOR/2016-188 Phthalates regulation” are as follows:

• Vinyl in a toy or childcare product shall not contain more than 1 000 mg/kg of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP) or benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) when tested using a method in accordance with good laboratory practice. For this purpose, a part of a toy or childcare product may be placed in the mouth of a child under four years of age if:
  • It can be brought to the child's mouth and held there so it can be sucked or chewed.
  • One of its dimensions is smaller than 5 cm (if a toy or part of a child care product is inflatable, its dimensions must be determined in an uninflated state).
• Vinyl contained in any part of a toy or childcare product that could reasonably be foreseeably be placed in the mouth of a child under four years of age shall not contain more than 1 000 mg/kg of diisononyl phthalate (DINP), diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP), or di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP) when tested by a method in accordance with good laboratory practice.

In short, the SOR/2016-188 regulation is considered important for the following reasons:

• Protecting children's health: By limiting exposure to certain phthalates, the regulation aims to reduce potential health risks associated with these chemicals, such as developmental and reproductive problems.
• Regulatory compliance: Manufacturers and importers must ensure their products meet these standards in order to legally sell their products in Canada and promote safer products in the marketplace.
• Compliance with international standards: These regulations help align Canada's safety standards with those of other jurisdictions, facilitate international trade and provide consistent protection for consumers.

Phthalates are risky because they can interfere with the body's hormonal system, especially during development. These chemicals are used to make PVC and similar plastics soft and flexible. These compounds are found in many consumer products, including toys, food packaging, personal care products, and medical tubing.

The main adverse effects of phthalates are developmental and reproductive harm, especially in children. Phthalates disrupt hormones such as testosterone and estrogen, reduce sperm quality in men, cause early puberty and genital abnormalities, and can affect brain development and behavior. They cause endocrine disruption, mimicking or blocking hormones in the body. Even small exposures during critical periods (such as fetal development) can have long-term effects.

Our organization, which has been trying to support businesses from every sector with its testing, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies carried out in a wide range for years, has a strong staff that closely follows the developments in the world in the field of science and technology and constantly improves itself. In this context, testing services are also provided to businesses within the scope of the "SOR/2016-188 Phthalates Regulation".