The Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse (TPCH) has contacted several SGCD member decorators to confirm compliance with state packaging laws that ban the intentional addition of lead, cadmium, hexavalent chromium and mercury to packaging. Although laws in 16 of the 19 states that have enacted the model TPCH legislation have not been amended to include the model exemption for glass/ceramic container decoration, TPCH has indicated that its state members would enforce the glass exemption which was extended permanently in December 2004. Under that exemption glass/ceramic decorators may use decorating materials that contain the listed metals if they can demonstrate compliance with the TCLP test. TPCH voted in 2004 to make permanent model provisions exempting glass and ceramic packaging from its model packaging legislation, based on a review of ASTM's new C1606-04 standard.
