Toy makers get extra year to comply with lead test

[Robbien]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. makers of toys and other children's products will get an extra year to comply with certain lead and chemical testing rules, but retailers won't be able to sell the items if they fail to meet government regulations set to go into effect Feb. 10.

The deadline was set when Congress last summer imposed the toughest lead standards in the world in passing the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. The measure bans lead beyond minute levels in products for children 12 or younger.

On Friday, members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission voted unanimously to push back by one year the Feb. 10 deadline for manufacturers to begin certain testing for lead and other harmful substances before their products hit the market.

The decision gives the commission extra time to set guidelines for testing the products and gives businesses temporary relief from paying for some testing.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5g5s6bPv0SwNhjeKksvOGGx-ihx7wD961SHK84

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Consumer Product Safety Commission voted unanimously in favor of profits. Safety is just too darned expensive.

[Orrex]

1. This rule is just great

It'll go a long way toward killing American small toy businesses and will do little or nothing to protect children. And then five or ten years down the road they'll pass additional requirements that will further brutalize American business and will likewise offer no real protection.

[glinda]

2. At least there is a re-examination of the law

The only people that can afford testing is China. Still toxins such as certain plastics will just slip right in. I hope in its re-evaluation, that they realize what devastation they will be doing to independent and small company American workers.

[Orrex]

3. My wife sells handmade goods through Etsy

Part of her inventory is handmade (and therefore one-of-a-kind) baby clothes, and there's no way she could sell them if she had to cough up $4,000 to test every piece!

And a lot of sellers there deal primarily in kids' stuff, so they'd be effectively closed down if the law goes forward, as would countless small manufacturers throughout the country.


And the kicker is that a sampling of a million-piece product run won't even do anything to assure the consumer that the lead levels are safe! The law seems designed to kill off anyone who might compete locally against huge international manufacturers.

[glinda]

5. That would indeed be the end result.

[davhill]

4. This is a horrible law

At a time in our economy when people cannot afford to buy new toys and clothing for their children, it will force thrift shops, consignment shops and even garage sales to stop selling used ones. Many may have to shut down. While it is possible for manufactures to submit some of their production run for testing, it is not feasible for resale outlets to test every single toy or article of clothing which is donated or offered for resale. Instead perfectly usable children's things must go into the landfill. Indeed, even this may be illegal since anything not tested is considered to be toxic waste.

[RC]

6. Not true in any way, shape or form.

This applies to NEW stuff only.

[davhill]

7. Are you sure?

Our thrift shop was informed by the Oregon Attorney General that the selling of untested toys or children's clothing after February 10 would be prosecuted as a criminal offence and subject to a fine up to $3000. I hope it was a misunderstanding.

[lies and propaganda]

8. You have NO IDEA.

This l;aw is awful, terrible, horrible.. how many more adjectives can I find to describe how truly shitty this is.

A victory that it has been postponed but absolutely still a huge problem.

I am an artist who sells on a lot of sites and its been ugly how little attention or give a shit the bill has gotten from Dems. and of course, Pelosi supports it.

Check out some of the posts before this awesome development yesterday..
http://www.etsy.com/forums_board.php?forum_id=5000002

People were selling CPSIA Awareness items where it would be a 4000 dollar sock monkey, and they would detail why it was 4gs with all the stupid ass testing. This is only postponed a year.. This exact same problem will be back, to put all of Americans artists and crafters out of business..

[RC]

9. The "information" in post #4 was debunked on DU several weeks ago.

[Jack_DeLeon]

10. Its a stupid law, we would be better off by just stopping trade with China...

[w4rma]

11. The law should require testing for everything manufactured overseas, instead. (nt)

[pop goes the weasel]

12. Good

It is a poorly written law that needs to be re-visited.

[gmpierce]

13. Bad in a whole lot of ways.

This law more or less validates conservative attitudes toward regulation. And that's a damn shame.

It's not the worst example of idiotic regulation - but it's an example that anyone can understand. Not only was it incredibly stupid, but the writers made it bullet-proof. Common sense doesn't stand a chance.

Regulations like this one are part of the reason that Republicans were able to win a lot of elections. It's also a reason why conservatives were able to make an argument for deregulation of a lot of industries. Hello Enron!

Anyone who disagrees is invited to read the actual regulation or read the article on Boing-Boing about the $4500 rattle.

[Vinca]

14. That's okay. Half the kids will be dead from the poisonous peanut butter

they allowed to get into the market. The real question is what else might be out there we don't know about. (My money has always been on statin drugs causing heart failure, but we'll see.)