DEG explores industry lead compliance

Committee to create ongoing testing program

By Jennifer Netherby -- Video Business, 2/27/2009

FEB. 27 | DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group has formed a working committee to look into lead levels in DVDs and the industry’s compliance with the new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.

The Act limits the levels of lead and other hazardous chemicals in toys geared at children under 12. It covers kids DVDs, disc packaging, paper inserts and related consumer materials. Tests done in 2008 by major disc replicators found levels of lead, phthalates and heavy metals were below the limits being imposed between now and 2011 by the new law, the DEG committee found.

The group is working to create an ongoing testing program for discs, required under the new law. The committee also is examining the requirement that permanent labels let consumers know where the product they buy was manufactured and when.

“The DEG is proud of the significant progress we have made in collaborating as an industry to protect consumers,” DEG executive director Amy Jo Smith said in a statement to VB. “We’ve been working together to gain a greater understanding of the regulation and come up with solutions to respond to the new mandate. Our response to the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act is one of many ways that we are collaborating to ensure that our products are safe for customers.”