US - California | Flame Retardant Bill on Juvenile Products, Upholstered furniture and mattresses – Enacted!
Flame Retardant Bill on Juvenile Products, Upholstered furniture and mattresses – Enacted!
On 29th September 2018, California’s flame retardant Bill AB 2998 was approved by Governor and, therefore, already enacted.
From January 1, 2020, it is prohibited to sell or distribute in California any new juvenile products, mattresses, or upholstered furniture containing covered flame retardant chemicals or a constituent component at levels above 1,000 parts per million.
Covered flame retardant chemicals means any chemical whose functional use is to resist or inhibit the spread of fire including one of the following:
- A halogenated, organophosphorus, organonitrogen, or nanoscale chemical
- A chemical defined as a “designated chemical” in Section 105440 of the Health and Safety Code
- A chemical covered in the Washington’s list of Chemicals of High Concern to Children
“Juvenile product” means a product designed for residential use by infants and children under 12 years of age, including, but not limited to, a bassinet, booster seat, changing pad, floor playmat, highchair, highchair pad, infant bouncer, infant carrier, infant seat, infant swing, infant walker, nursing pad, nursing pillow, playpen side pad, playard, portable hook-on chair, stroller, and children’s nap mat. Some products not included in “Juvenile product” definition are listed in the Bill.
The prohibitions in this ban do not apply to the following:
- Electronic components of juvenile products, mattresses, reupholstered furniture, upholstered furniture, or any associated casing for those electronic components
- Upholstered or reupholstered furniture components other than those identified in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 19094
- Thread or fiber when used for stitching mattress components together
- Components of adult mattresses other than foam
The text of Assembly Bill No. 2998 (AB 2998) can be found here.
