What are poly bag suffocation requirements?Updated 4 months ago

Poly bag suffocation requirements are becoming more prevalent, but there is a lot of confusion about where, when, and why they are required. Our blog provides extensive detail on this topic.

Read on for a summary of what this means for your business and EcoEnclose products.

State/City Requirements: In the United States, five states (Massachusetts, California, New York, Rhode Island, and Virginia) and two major cities (New York City and Chicago) currently have legislation regarding suffocation warnings on poly bags. At least a dozen US cities have also adopted similar legislation (including Avondale, AZ; Big Stone Gap, VA; East Baton Rouge Parish, LA; Flagstaff, AZ; Gering, NE; Norton, VA; Prince William County, VA; Saint Louis County, MO; South Bend, IN; South Hill, VA; Stamford, CT; and Weatherford, TX). Canada has also enacted similar legislation.

Legislation across all states and cities applies only to bags that are 1 mil or less. 1 mil = 0.001 inches. Note that all of EcoEnclose's poly bags are 1.5 mils, making them thick enough that the state and municipal legislation does not technically apply to them.

If you want to print your bags with suffocation warnings, you must get the language right! States and cities have differences in the specific language they suggest using as a suffocation warning, but all accept the following warning.

Warning: To avoid danger of suffocation, keep this plastic bag away from babies and children. Do not use this bag in cribs, beds, carriages, or playpens. This bag is not a toy.

Amazon FBA: Amazon has strict requirements for these poly bags to facilitate smooth operations within their warehouse and protect themselves from liability. Poly bags used to protect units must meet the following requirements:

• The thickness of the bag must be at least 1.5 mil (thousandth of an inch).
• The poly bag must be transparent.
• Poly bags with a 5-inch opening or larger (measured when flat) are required to have a suffocation warning, either printed on the bag itself or attached as a label. Failure to apply a suffocation warning may lead to the items being re-bagged.
• The suffocation warning should be printed or placed in a prominent location and in a legible font size for the size of the bag.
• The poly bag must have a barcode (UPC, EAN, etc.) or X00-label that is scannable through the bag or have an X00- or ASIN-label on the outside of the bag.
• Poly bags must be completely sealed.

What does this mean for EcoEnclose products?

• Our poly mailers and bubble mailers are 2.5 mil and designed for outer shipping packages rather than protective packaging for warehousing and fulfillment. Therefore,  our poly mailers and bubble mailers are not subject to state, city, Amazon FBA, Target, or Walmart suffocation warning requirements.
• Our poly bags are designed for inner protective packaging for warehousing and fulfillment. Therefore, poly bags with a suffocation warning are required if you are using them as part of your Amazon FBA strategy. The suffocation warning can be printed directly on the bag or conveyed via Amazon FBA-approved labels.
• Our poly bags are 1.5 mil. As such, they are not technically subject to state and city suffocation warning requirements. However, recognizing that these laws exist to protect your customers and their children, we know you may decide to proactively incorporate these warnings onto these bags anyway. 

Contact us if you have questions about these requirements, or are looking for custom poly bags with suffocation warnings.