On November 30, 2021, New York’s State Governor signed a Bill regarding labeling requirements for seasonal and decorative lighting products with an electrical cord casing containing more than 100 ppm lead content. The effective date will be February 28, 2022.
On November 30, 2021, the governor of the US state of New York signed A4522A (Chapter 634, 2021 session) into law to regulate lead content in the electrical cord casing on seasonal and decorative lighting products. The signed Bill is a substitution for S5675A, on which we communicated earlier this year (SafeGuards 045/21). The act amended Chapter 45 of the Public Health Law by adding a new section, 1376-B, regarding the manufacture and sale of seasonal and decorative lighting products containing lead.
According to the definition in the Act, “Seasonal & Decorative Lighting Products” has the following meaning:
- "Seasonal & Decorative Lighting Product" shall mean portable, plug-connected, temporary-use lighting products and accessories that have a nominal 120-volt input voltage rating:
- Lighting products within the scope of this rule are factory-assembled with push-in, midget or miniature screw base lamp holders connected in series or parallel, directly across the 120-volt input
- Such lighting products include, but are not limited to, lighted decorative outfits such as wired holiday string lights, pre-lit artificial Christmas trees, plants, flowers or wreaths, stockings, stars, candles and light sculptures
Highlights of the updates to the Public Health Law, by incorporating A4522A, are summarized in Table 1.
New York State Public Health Law | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Substance | Scope | Requirements | Effective Date |
| Lead Content | Electrical cord casing on seasonal & decorative lighting products | ≤ 100 ppm otherwise warning statement* | February 28, 2022 |
| *Warning statement to contain at least “WARNING: HANDLING THE COATED ELECTRICAL WIRE OF THIS PRODUCT MAY EXPOSE YOU TO LEAD. WASH HANDS THOROUGHLY AFTER USE”, either printed or attached to the product | |||
Table 1
Any person, firm, corporation or association violating this section shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than USD 1,000 for each such violation.
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For inquiries, please contact:
Brian Lo
Technical Manager – Restricted Substances
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