SchoolArts - May/June 2009

Certification Seals

ACMI’s certification seals inform consumers that products bearing the seals conform to federal and state art material labeling laws. Under the U.S. Labeling of Hazardous Art Materials Act (LHAMA), all art materials sold in the U.S. must be evaluated by a qualified toxicologist for chronic toxicity, their ability to cause chronic illness such as cancer; and be labeled, if hazardous, to provide health and cautionary information and safe-use instructions. The Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA) already required manufacturers to evaluate and label for acute toxicity. ACMI’s certification program covers both acute and chronic toxicity concerns.

Product Evaluation

ACMI’s certification program has received the endorsement of experts in the field of toxicology and is recognized as the leading authority on art and craft materials. All products in the ACMI program undergo extensive toxicological evaluation and testing before they are granted the right to bear the ACMI certification seals. A number of factors are taken into account in the product evaluation process, including each ingredient and its quantity, possible adverse interaction with other ingredients, the product’s size and packaging, potential acute and chronic harm to any part of the human body, possible allergic reaction, how a product is commonly used and misused, and U.S. national and state labeling regulations.

ACMI’s AP Seal identifies those products that have been evaluated in our program and found to be nontoxic, which means that they contain no materials in sufficient quantities to be toxic or injurious to humans or to cause acute or chronic health problems. ACMI’s CL Seal identifies those products that have been evaluated in our program and require a health warning and/or labeling for safe use. ACMI currently has over 200 members and has certified more than 60,000 art material formulations. Of these certified materials, 100% of the children’s products and 85% of those meant for adult artists are certified as nontoxic.

Ask Us

Be sure to look for the ACMI Seals when purchasing art supplies so you will know the product has been evaluated by a qualified toxicologist for both acute

What Is the

ACMI?

The Art & Creative Materials Institute,

Inc. (ACMI) is a nonprofit, international

association of manufacturers of art,

craft, and other creative materials.

Since 1940, ACMI has sponsored a

certification program for children’s art

materials, certifying that these prod-

ucts are nontoxic and meet voluntary

standards of quality and perfor-

mance. Today, ACMI certifies not

only children’s art materials, but

adult art materials as well.

and chronic hazards.

If you have
questions about

ACMI’s certification program, the safe use of art and craft materials, need more specific information about ingredients, or have other safety questions, please contact us or visit our website at www.acminet.org. A list of ACMI-certified products can be found on our website in a searchable database format, or you can download the entire list.