ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores is alerting retailers and manufacturers about the requirements of the new rule to comply with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) of 2008.
NACDS said the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has released an "interpretive rule" in the wake of the first round of CPSIA implementations this past February.
Under the new rule, slated to take effect March 1, packaged items — including certain DVDs, video games, art materials, sporting goods and other products geared for children age 12 years and younger — may require tracking labels to be in compliance with CPSIA, according to NACDS. The act imposes new document-sharing requirements regarding product safety testing certificates on certain consumer products.
All affected products must be accompanied by certificates of conformance, in paper or electronic form, stating that the product has been tested and meets appropriate standards. These certificates must accompany the product as they are distributed from the manufacturer to retailers and/or distributors.
To help retailers and manufacturers to comply with the law, NACDS supported enterprise community management solution provider RollStream in establishing the Certificate Exchange Network (CEN) last year.
The CEN provides participating retailers, manufacturers and distributors a single online platform to exchange certificates of conformity. Via a simple browser, it enables manufacturers to directly post certificates or provide a link to existing certificates of conformity that a manufacturer may store electronically elsewhere. Retailers can then securely download on demand any product certificate needed to demonstrate CPSIA compliance.
"The Certificate Exchange Network has helped retailers and suppliers prepare for the implementation of the requirements of the CPSIA," stated NACDS president and chief executive officer Steve Anderson. "NACDS urges retailers and manufacturers to utilize the CEN for the next round to help reduce the risks and minimize the costs associated with compliance."
Added RollStream CEO Kristin Muhlner, "While complying with CPSIA regulations can be challenging for many retailers and manufacturers, noncompliance can be financially devastating. We are excited to provide NACDS members with a solution that enables the industry to reduce the risks and minimize the costs associated with CPSIA compliance."
