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Some businesses and toy makers may be spared the financial impact of new regulations over lead in children's items.
Under the 2008 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, which goes into effect Feb. 10, items intended for kids age 12 and under must be tested for lead and/or phthalates, a chemical used to make soft plastic.
The testing mandate covers a broad swath of items, including toys, clothes and other items. In clothing, lead can be present in charms, buttons and other materials.
As news of the new rules spread, small businesses, makers of handmade toys, companies that use only natural materials and thrift and consignment stores began worrying that the law would force them to spend thousands of dollars testing their products, toss out items they couldn't afford to test or go out of business.
Companies need to have sample products tested by certified, third-party organizations, a process that can range from a few hundred dollars to around $3,000, according to published estimates.
On Tuesday the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) gave tentative approval to some exemptions to the testing rule: items with lead parts that children cannot access, electronics that cannot be made without lead, and clothing, toys and other items made with cotton, wood and other natural materials.
A final vote on those exemptions will not take place until after the law goes into effect, so any untested items still available will technically be in violation of the law. However, CPSC spokesman told this to the LA Times: "The CPSC is an agency with limited resources and tremendous responsibility to protect the safety of families. Our focus will be on those areas we can have the biggest impact and address the most dangerous products."
In a letter to the CPSC this week, Consumers Union and other interest groups urged the CPSC to develop and education and outreach program to inform small manufacturers and businesses how to comply with the law.
Just yesterday, the CPSC published a clarification to the lead-testing rule, explaining that businesses that sell used children's products are not required to have those products tested, though if they end up selling items that exceed the lead limit, they can still be penalized.
Business
Government Suggesting Shop Owners Bootleg Used Kid's Clothes
For an update on this story visit http://www.savekidsresale.com
The CPSC's press release yesterday seemed to suggest that shop owners bootleg used kid's clothes!
They are just trying to squelch the continuing uproar over this poorly crafted legislation. Nothing is changed. The Press Release was just spin.
save the resale shops
We must not let this happen. Millions of parents rely on used clothing. With the economy and parents without jobs, resale clothes are the only way to clothe their children
What is next??? Close Goodwill, Close St.Vincent de Paul, Church resales, Ebay?????????
Think what would happen to our kids. Don't let this happen. Kathy Strobel.
p.s. My husband and I would like to sign a petition if necessary.
Misleading reporting
On Tuesday the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) gave tentative approval to some exemptions to the testing rule: ... clothing, toys and other items made with cotton, wood and other natural materials.
I look to Greener Design as a veritable source of solid information, thus it is with dismay that I read this entry. The fact is, the CPSCs limited exemptions help nearly no one. The items must be 100% natural materials with no adulteration meaning dyes -minimally. Iow, clothing is only exempt if it's 100% unbleached, dyed, printed silk, cotton or wool and in its pure natural state. People haven't been wearing unbleached muslin since the 1970's.
The situation is far more grave. Do you realize that the hardly reactionary ALA has officially lodged a protest, sending a letter to Congress? At the very least, libraries across the country will either be forced to deny entry to all children aged 12 and younger or pull all children's books, cds, videos etc from the shelves. This is a grave crisis that merits much closer analysis.
Toward that end, I suggest visiting the War Room for up to the minute updates and focused activism. http://bit.ly/3SFN. There's also the automated mailer to email legislators in one fell swoop. http://tinyurl.com/5hloos. Lastly, we are asking people to fill out the Economic Impact Survey http://bit.ly/Cdwv. The latter link also includes every CPSIA entry published on Fashion-Incubator.com -well known for its stance on sustainability- which has been at the forefront of this fight.