Washington State has introduced a law aimed at protecting children’s health, preventing their exposure to chemical substances: the Children’s Safe Product Act.

This law schedules, among other duties, the obligation to notify the Department of Ecology (DOE) if a Chemical of High Concern to Children (CHCC) is present within children’s products (e.g.: toys, childcare articles, children’s jewelry, clothing).
Before this obligation becomes effective, the competent authority shall:
- publish and adopt the reporting rule
- identify the list of CHCC to the parties that this requirement will apply to.

On the basis of information published by the DOE, the final rule may be adopted in March 2011, and the notification should, consequently, become mandatory starting from April 2011 (based on the proposed timetable of this law). Please note that this list of substances is still being defined and approved.
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