Here's some good news to start the week: the new Consumer Product Safety Commission legislation that would have driven countless small toymakers out of business on February 10th, has been delayed for one year. Called a "time out" by Commissioner Nancy Nord, the delay will give toymakers a chance to bolster their arguments as to why they need to remain exempt from prohibitively expensive (one estimate puts the cost at $4,000 per toy) safety testing and certification.
What prompted the Commission to grant the delay? Public outcry from people like you. Keep reading to find out what this all means.
This stay of enforcement does not mean toymakers are out of the woods yet, and it still requires -- rightfully, we might add -- that toys conform to mandatory standards:
Significant to makers of children's products, the vote by the Commission provides limited relief from the testing and certification requirements which go into effect on February 10, 2009 for new total lead content limits (600 ppm), phthalates limits for certain products (1000 ppm), and mandatory toy standards, among other things. Manufacturers and importers -- large and small -- of children's products will not need to test or certify to these new requirements, but will need to meet the lead and phthalates limits, mandatory toy standards and other requirements.
The decision by the Commission gives the staff more time to finalize four proposed rules which could relieve certain materials and products from lead testing and to issue more guidance on when testing is required and how it is to be conducted.
Hopefully this situation resolves with legislation that keeps our children safe and is workable for toymakers. We'll keep you posted.
More reading:
:: The CPSC news release announcing the stay of enforcement
:: Previous posts on Ohdeedoh regarding the legislation: New Legislation Threatens Independent Toymakers and 9 Toys You May Not Be Allowed to Buy After February 10th
Via Cool Mom Picks
This is such good news for so many!
Hopefully during the year delay, they can restructure the entire law.
view PamperingBeki's profile
I sympathize with mom and pops and etsy sellers, but honestly, I would rather have the regulations in place ASAP to protect my children from the large manufacturers who see no problem with pumping their products full of lead.
I am very disappointed in our government agencies once again: I am afraid we will never get the regulations we need to protect our children and it will always be a guessing game as to whether a product is safe.
view BadJuJu77's profile
Unknown to many, the legislation the way that it was written, was forbidding the sale of ANY used children's items. That meant, clothes, shoes, bedding, furniture, etc.. and of course toys. People would have been unable to buy anything used for children at all.
People that oppose the law disagree with the way that it is written, not what it is trying to do.
Thankfully, there will now be time for the law to be put into effect with consideration for common sense and fair market in mind.
view deerdominique's profile
Agreed, deerdominique. Too many people didn't realize that the options of buying onesies at second hand stores or cloth diapers through used sites would have been gone. Written the way it was, the law was doing nothing for the green mantra of reduce, reuse, recycle.
We all have the choice to not buy mattel or fisher price. Maybe you pay a little more, maybe your kids don't need 1000 match box cars or polly pockets.
In most, thought I agree not all, small independents are much more interested in quality over quantity. They'd rather sell you something that will last and be a family heirloom than more plastic barns and animals that are overpackaged.
The law was far too reactionary and didn't really address the problems in the first place.
view Angus's profile
I make/sell handmade plush monsters and was sitting at what I thought would be one of my last craft shows this weekend, passing the time on my laptop, when I saw the news over on Etsy's blog "The Storque".
I agree that toys (and other children's items) need to not have lead in them, but the fact that the law was written so broadly and that the testing is so expensive is the problem. The most expensive monster I sell is maybe $30...and I'm lucky if I make $4000 in a year! Many people have turned to handmade toys BECAUSE they trust that they will be safe for their kids. When was the last time anyone heard of a handmade toy containing lead?
I'm just thankful they've decided to give some time towork out the unforeseen kinks. I've heard via the Handmade Toy Alliance that Senator DeMint is introducing a bill this coming Tuesday, to amend the CPSIA.
view KiraArts's profile