Child-resistant packaging changes
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) passed a ruling June 15 allowing child-resistant packaging to become more "adult-friendly" and easier to open, while maintaining child-resistance. The new ruling goes into effect in January 1998.
Individuals ages 50 to 70, rather than younger adults, would be chosen to test packaging under the new ruling.
The new closures are expected to reduce child poisonings from medicines transferred to non-child-resistant packaging or left open because older adults had difficulty opening containers, CPSC officials reported. Pharmaceuticals, and most household chemicals and cleaners, will use the new closures. Products that must be packaged in metal and aerosol containers will retain harder-to-open, child-resistant packaging.
