U.S. CPSC Approves New Method for Testing Lead in Substrates of Children's Products
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) approved High-Definition X-Ray Fluorescence (HDXRF) technology for lead in substrate testing of children's products via test method ASTM F2853-10. HDXRF technology, used to detect regulated elements, had previously been approved by the CPSC for testing of lead in paint and other surface coatings of children's products. This new action by the CPSC expands the use of HDXRF for third-party testing to support product certification and clears the way for its use in "production testing" under the new CPSC Testing and Certification Rule, which became effective February 8, 2013. HDXRF offers the additional benefits of taking coating and substrate measurements simultaneously and non-destructively, reducing testing time and cost. XOS, a leading provider of mission-critical materials-analysis solutions, developed the HDXRF technique.