Geneva (June 9, 2025) – SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, has published SafeGuardS 072.25, summarizing the recent final regulation issued by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts under the law known as Chapter 261 of the Acts of 2020. This rule restricts the use of 11 specified flame retardants (FRs) in five categories of consumer products.

The final version of the regulation, officially titled ‘310 CMR 78.00: Ban of Covered Products Containing Certain Flame Retardants’, was announced on May 9, 2025. It marks the culmination of a regulatory process that began in 2021 with the adoption of H4900. The law prohibits the sale, manufacture, distribution or importation of specified ‘covered products’ containing listed FRs above a threshold of 1,000 ppm per component, unless exempted.

The term ‘covered product’ applies to bedding, carpeting, children’s products, residential upholstered furniture and indoor window treatments. Notably, the final regulations introduce several clarifications, including definitions for terms such as ‘chemical analogue’ and ‘retailer’, and requirements for recordkeeping, labeling and the prohibition of engineered nano-object forms of FRs.

SGS publishes SafeGuardS to keep stakeholders informed of important regulatory updates affecting consumer products. SafeGuardS 072.25 also outlines exemptions and compliance deadlines and provides a summary of affected substances, including antimony trioxide, TCPP, TCEP and PentaBDE.

Stakeholders are encouraged to review the full SafeGuardS 072.25 for more details.

SGS chemical testing
SGS offers a comprehensive range of testing services to help manufacturers and suppliers ensure their products are safe and comply with national and international regulations concerning harmful chemicals. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested. Learn more about SGS chemical testing services. [www.sgs.com/en/services/chemicals-testing]

SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full Massachusetts, USA, Issues Final Regulations for Law Banning Covered Products Containing Certain Flame Retardants SafeGuardS. [www.sgs.com/en/news/2025/05/safeguards-07225-massachusetts-usa-issues-final-regulations-for-law-banning-covered-products]

Subscribe today and receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox. [http://www.sgs.com/subscribes]

For further information contact:

Dr. HingWo Tsang
Global Information and Innovation Manager
Tel: +852 2774 7420

Melanie Tamayo
Senior Technical Manager, SGS NA
Tel: +1 312 414 9394

Website: www.sgs.com/hardlines
LinkedIn: SGS Connectivity & Products

About SGS
SGS is the world’s leading Testing, Inspection and Certification company. We operate a network of over 2,500 laboratories and business facilities across 115 countries, supported by a team of 99,500 dedicated professionals. With over 145 years of service excellence, we combine the precision and accuracy that define Swiss companies to help organizations achieve the highest standards of quality, compliance and sustainability.

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