For nearly three years, RILA has been actively engaged in the national debate over strengthening the U.S. product safety regime. In August 2008, Congress enacted sweeping new changes to strengthen and reform America’s product safety regulations and the U.S. agency charged with its administration, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) establishes new federal standards for lead and phthalates, and requires testing, certification, and labeling for certain children's products. The CPSIA is the most comprehensive overhaul of consumer product safety laws since the CPSC was created in 1972.
RILA expects the 111th Congress to take up new legislation to address product safety in other areas, such as food, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, and chemicals. Congress is expected to draft legislation to overhaul the nation’s food safety regime as well as the manner in which chemicals are regulated under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).
RILA will continue to work closely with Congress and the administration on product safety. RILA’s Product Safety Committee actively works to provide retailer input to the CPSC and Congress on implementation of the CPSIA, as well as on other product safety policy issues. RILA encourages retail members to actively participate in the committee’s conference calls as we coordinate industry comments and discuss strategies on various product safety issues.
For more information on RILA's work on product safety regulation and legislation, contact Stephanie Lester, vice president of international trade, at stephanie.lester@rila.org, or Jim Neill, vice president of product safety, at jim.neill@rila.org.