(NSF International: Ann Arbor, MI) -- NSF International, an independent, nonprofit organization that develops public health standards for food, water, dietary supplements, and consumer goods, announces that it has obtained toy safety accreditation from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) under the new Toy Safety Certification Program (TSCP), a Toy Industry Association initiative in partnership with ANSI. NSF International is one of the first certification bodies approved by ANSI, the authority on U.S. standards and conformity assessment systems, to verify that products meet TSCP requirements.

With 29 million children’s products recalled in 2008 and growing concerns among U.S. families about the safety of their children’s toys, TSCP directly addresses these concerns. The TSCP was created by the Toy Industry Association working in conjunction with ANSI to enhance the confidence of regulators, toy companies, retailers, and consumers. The TSCP requirements include meeting the new federal legislation mandating that toys be tested by a qualified lab, as well as certified that they meet rigorous national safety standards and retailer requirements, which include heavy metals testing (lead and others), choking and small parts testing, mechanical and physical safety, flammability, chemical composition, phthalate content, and electrical safety.

To become accredited by ANSI to verify compliance with the TSCP requirements, NSF International met all of ANSI’s product certification accreditation requirements, which included a field audit review and a quality systems process audit. This accreditation from ANSI broadens the scope of NSF’s existing international accreditation service (IAS). IAS accreditation confirms that NSF International’s toy testing services are conducted in compliance with U.S. and international standards, as well as the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.

“Making toys safer and protecting children’s health are important components of NSF International’s public health and safety mission. We have worked with ANSI to develop many standards during our 65 years and are honored to achieve toy safety accreditation to help lead the way in making toys safer,” says Dave Parzen, business unit manager for NSF International's Consumer Product Safety Program.

Manufacturers and retailers can also rely on NSF International’s toy safety resources for current information on regulations and standards.

Under the TSCP, NSF International will offer services designed to assist toy manufacturers in meeting the mandated requirements for toy safety, including the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). This Act, which was signed into law on Aug. 14, 2008, by President Bush, places regulations on children’s toys and child-care products sold in the United States.

The TSCP, which is based on the CPSIA, was developed with input from U.S. government bodies, consumer groups, toy companies, retailers, toy testing labs, and factory auditing companies, as well as officials and industry representatives from China and the European Union. Developed in 2007 and launched in the beginning of 2009, the TSCP is a step in the right direction in terms of consumer protection and the need for toy certification.

Additional information can be found on NSF’s web site.