The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Approves New Test Method for Detection of Lead in Paint

ALBANY, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) unanimously approved a new test method to measure lead in paint and other surface coatings of children's products and household furniture. This development significantly expands the government-approved options for lead testing and provides a powerful new analysis solution to industry for the measurement of lead in paint in children's products to comply with the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). See notice

XOS, a leading provider of mission-critical materials analysis solutions joined with the CPSC, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), leading third-party testing laboratories, and others over the last two years to develop this new test method. The new method, designated "ASTM F2853-10," involves the use of high definition x-ray fluorescence (HDXRF), an XOS-developed technique that measures lead and other regulated elements in coatings and substrates at much lower levels, and with greater precision and reliability, than traditional x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analyzers. In fact, ASTM F2853 identifies XOS as the sole equipment provider that is compliant with this standard test method.

Until now, the only CPSC recognized method for testing and certifying lead in paint involved the use of complicated wet chemistry techniques. These require lab personnel to perform multiple steps, starting with first scraping the paint off product samples, which often destroys products in the process. The CPSC's staff report now confirms that ASTM F2853-10 "is expected to be as effective, precise and reliable as the current CPSC staff method and the methodology used by CPSC staff for compliance determinations."

"Practical and cost-effective analytical techniques such as HDXRF play an important role in meeting quality and regulatory requirements" said Berry Beumer, XOS Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "The CPSC's leadership in recognizing the value of this new ASTM test method will benefit both industry and consumers."