Safety News/Hot Topics

Product Safety Update (July 2009)

August 14, 2009 Requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008.

On August 14, 2009, several new requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 ("CPSIA") will take effect. All product shipped by Fun Express will comply with these new requirements. Fun Express proactively continues to lead the way in meeting or exceeding ongoing requirements created and implemented as part of the CPSIA. The following new requirements will take effect on August 14, 2009:

Lead Levels

  • Lead in surface coatings shall not exceed 90 ppm
  • Lead in substrate of children's products shall not exceed 300 ppm

Tracking Labels
For children's product made on or after August 14, 2009, Fun Express will continue to provide tracking information on the product and/or its packaging as we have done for years for quality control purposes.

In addition to the August 14, 2009 requirements, Fun Express continues to meet or exceed the CPSIA phthalate requirements implemented in February 2009 and makes available applicable Certificates of Conformity to a distributor or retailer for items manufactured on or after November 12, 2008.

Fun Express strives to lead the industry on product safety
You can trust Fun Express to help you be in compliance with applicable product safety standards and any future requirements as they are implemented. For updates or news related to product safety, look for the green "An Important Message about Product Safety" button on funexpress.com. If you have comments or questions, please contact your sales professional or send us an email at productsafety@funexpress.com.

Thank you for your business and for your confidence in Fun Express.

Product Safety News (February 11, 2009)

Fun Express strives to provide safe products, and we take that responsibility very seriously. That's why we want to give you an update on the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (the "CPSIA").

Among other things, the CPSIA establishes standards for phthalate content in children's toys and substrate lead content in children's products. Phthalates are chemical compounds sometimes used in certain plastics. The term substrate generally refers to the components of a product other than paint or other surface coating. The substrate lead and phthalate standards became effective February 10, 2009.

Over the course of the last year, even before the CPSIA was signed into law, we've been taking steps aimed at strengthening and improving our product safety standards with the goal of meeting or exceeding standards established by the CPSIA.

These are some of the steps we take:

  • We actively engage our suppliers on product safety matters by:
    • Instructing our suppliers that all product shipped to us is required to meet or exceed all applicable standards.
    • Providing information and training related to safety requirements.
    • Conducting factory inspections.
    • Regularly reviewing suppliers' compliance.
  • Samples of every children's product are tested. We do not authorize shipment of products unless the test results meet both our requirements and federal safety requirements.
  • Our product testing is performed by one of the world's largest independent consumer product testing laboratories
  • Products are tested according to standards established by the CPSC, American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM), and other state and federal agencies, as applicable.
  • A proper certificate of conformity accompanies the shipment of products we purchase.

In addition to the CPSIA, there are numerous other federal product safety laws and regulations which Fun Express observes. Occasionally, individual states adopt regulations that are different from applicable federal requirements. In order to accommodate such unique situations, Fun Express may adjust its product offerings or make products unavailable to customers who reside in such states.

For example, California adopted a law which prohibited the sale or distribution of children's toys containing phthalates after January 1, 2009. However, the California law is now virtually identical to the phthalate provisions of the CPSIA which became effective February 10, 2009.

Fun Express strives to lead the industry on product safety. We are confident that our products are safe. For updates or news relating to product safety, look for the Product Safety button at funexpress.com. If you have comments or questions, please send us an e-mail at productsafety@funexpress.com.

Thank you for your business and for your confidence in Fun Express.