From consumer goods and raw materials to industrial equipment and medical devices, regulated chemicals are present in products used across several industries. While regulatory requirements may vary by market, both manufacturers and retailers can be held legally responsible if the products they distribute fail to comply with the applicable requirements.

Chemical Testing Services

CSA Group’s chemical analysis capabilities are accredited, and we are listed with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Our laboratories can perform TPCH, RoHS, REACH, heavy metals, phthalates testing, and other material analyses.

We Can Help with Major Areas of Global Chemical Compliance:

Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS): RoHS is intended to reduce the amount of hazardous chemicals in products. Regulations limiting the presence of certain chemical substances are essential for helping keep end-users of products safe. Manufacturers and retailers must verify their products comply with applicable requirements. Our experts can conduct chemical testing for electrical and electronic equipment subject to RoHS regulations and help determine the presence or levels of certain chemicals, providing third-party test reports with the results.

Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH): Our team specializes in REACH compliance, enabling us to help confirm that your products adhere to applicable EU regulations aimed at protecting human health and the environment from the risks posed by chemicals. We conduct thorough screening and chemical testing for products and components, providing third-party test reports with the results. We can support you with essential aspects of REACH compliance, including testing for substances like PAHs, OT, Phthalates, Asbestos, DMFu, Pb, Cd, and more.

Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) program: The SVHC is a program implemented by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) under the REACH regulation. The SVHC program identifies and lists chemical substances that exhibit properties that may cause significant health or environmental concerns. We can conduct testing for compliance with the latest ECHA candidate list of substances of very high concern, helping manufacturers confirm that products meet essential regulatory standards and are safe for consumers and the environment. As part of our testing service, we can provide third-party test reports and documentation, providing data and insights from the test for manufacturers to leverage to make informed decisions.

Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive: We offer assistance with navigating applicable regulations and directives, such as providing support to demonstrate compliance with the 2012/19/EU Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive. Our services entail providing third-party test reports and documentation to support your compliance efforts, in line with EU regulations promoting sustainable production and consumption of electrical and electronic equipment.

EU Battery Regulation: CSA Group offers battery testing services to help demonstrate compliance with the EU Battery Regulation (EU 2023/1542), which imposes sustainability requirements across the battery supply chain. Our testing verifies that your batteries meet chemical composition restrictions outlined in the regulation. Upon the completion of the test, we can provide third-party test reports and documentation with our findings.

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs): Regulation (EU) 2019/1021, commonly referred to as the POP Regulation, stands for Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). It is an EU regulation aimed at addressing substances that persist in the environment, accumulate in living organisms, and pose a risk to both human health and the environment due to their toxicity, persistence, and potential for long-range transport. The regulation restricts or bans the production, distribution, and use of certain POPs, as well as products containing or releasing these substances. CSA Group offers testing services for these chemicals, providing clients with third-party reports to help demonstrate regulatory compliance.

Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse (TCPH): We also specialize in TPCH compliance testing, facilitating alignment with regulatory requirements for chemicals in packaging products. TPCH is comprised of 10 member U.S. states. Note that while most states are not members or may have their own regulatory framework in place, most retailers are required to demonstrate compliance with TCPH requirements to enter U.S. markets. Our chemical analysis and testing services cover a range of substances, including heavy metals, phthalates, and PFAS substances.

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Requirements: Federal law in the U.S. requires manufacturers and importers to evaluate consumer products for compliance with consumer product safety requirements. Based on passing test results, the manufacturer or importer must certify the consumer product as compliant with the applicable consumer product safety requirements. Many of CPSC requirements apply to chemicals within products.

Our laboratories in North America and Asia are recognized by the CPSC to perform chemical testing for products and components, including:

• Safety Standard for Button Cell or Coin Batteries and Consumer Products Containing Such Batteries (Regulatory Reference: 16 CFR Part 1263)
• Determination of Phthalates – 16 CFR Part 1307 (Regulatory Reference: CPSC-CH-C1001-09.4)
• Lead in Children’s Metal Jewelry (Regulatory Reference: CPSC-CH-E1001-08 and/or CPSC-CH-E1001-08.1 and/or CPSC-CH-E1001-08.2 and/or CPSC-CH-E1001-08.3)
• Lead in Children’s Metal Products (Regulatory Reference: CPSC-CH-E1001-08 and/or CPSC-CH-E1001-08.1 and/or CPSC-CH-E1001-08.2 and/or CPSC-CH-E1001-08.3)
• Lead in Non-Metal Children’s Products (Regulatory Reference: CPSC-CH-E1002-08 and/or CPSC-CH-E1002-08.1 and/or CPSC-CH-E1002-08.2 and/or CPSC-CH-E1002-08.3)
• Lead Paint Regulation (Regulatory Reference: 16 CFR Part 1303 (CPSC-CH-E1003-09 or CPSC-CH-E1003-09.1))

California Proposition 65 Compliance Solutions: The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), part of the California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal EPA), implements California Proposition 65, aiming to safeguard residents and the environment from unnecessary exposure to carcinogens and other contaminants. California Proposition 65 requires the state to maintain and update a list of chemicals known to the state to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity. Our specialized laboratories offer quantification of regulated chemicals by parts per million (PPM), helping assess the risk associated with these chemicals in your product. With robust yet easy-to-read technical reports, you receive an outline of the relevant accreditations, test methods used, products tested, and test results for the detectable levels of regulated chemicals.

Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA): Our testing services entail compliance testing under the TSCA, helping manufacturers demonstrate adherence to reporting, record-keeping, and testing requirements mandated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). While certain product classifications like food, drugs, cosmetics, and pesticides fall outside the TSCA regulations, our expertise extends to testing for all five Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic (PBT) chemicals, including mercury, lead, cadmium, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs).

Additional Testing Services to Help Demonstrate Compliance

Food Contact Material (FCM): Food comes into contact with many materials and articles during its production, processing, storage, preparation, and serving, before its eventual consumption. Such materials and articles include food packaging and containers, machinery to process food, and kitchenware and tableware. These materials are called Food Contact Material (FCM). Constituents of food contact materials that transfer from these materials into the food may affect the chemical safety of the food and affect human health, as well as the quality of the food — potentially affecting its taste and smell, and its appearance. To verify food safety, all food contact materials must comply with applicable laws, regulations, and standards, such as Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004, FDA Title 21, and GB 4806. Our testing services help streamline entry into target markets through migration testing and specification testing.

Phthalates: Phthalates are used to make vinyl and other plastics soft and pliable. Ingestion of certain phthalates can have harmful health effects. This group of chemicals has received much attention and are now heavily regulated. We can support manufacturers with testing for phthalates, providing insights about chemical levels in your products.

Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS): The per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also referred to as ‘forever chemicals,’ are a group of chemicals used to make fluoropolymer coatings and products that resist heat, oil, stains, grease, and water. Fluoropolymer coatings can be found in a variety of products. Our experts can conduct chemical testing for PFAS and provide you with insights, helping you navigate regulatory requirements and mitigate compliance risks.

Applicable Standards for Chemical Testing