toy testing law put off for a year

Bill Lantry

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Hey, folks,

I was going to post to the old thread about this, but the talk about violent insurrection persuaded me to start a new thread... ;)



WASHINGTON — U.S. makers of toys and other children's products will get an extra year to comply with certain lead and chemical testing rules.

Members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission voted unanimously Friday to hold off on a Feb. 10 deadline in which manufacturers were to sell only products that have been tested for lead and other harmful substances.

Last summer, lawmakers imposed the toughest lead standards in the world, banning lead beyond minute levels in products for children 12 or younger. Former President signed the measure in August.

The act came after millions of recalled toys and children's items, many of which were from China.

Manufacturers will now have until Feb. 10, 2010, to comply with the testing requirements.



Without further commentary,

Thanks,

Bill
 
Interesting news, Bill. Thanks for posting it. I don't sell items intended for the 12 and under crowd, so I don't think it was going to affect me, but this will give the people who will be affected some time to come up with a better counter-strategy.
 
I personally think that by the third instance each of food contamination or toy toxicity that a 5 year moratorium on imports of such products should have been put into effect until China gets their QC issues under control.
 
Interesting news, Bill. Thanks for posting it. I don't sell items intended for the 12 and under crowd, so I don't think it was going to affect me, but this will give the people who will be affected some time to come up with a better counter-strategy.

Keep in mind the way it is written right now even if someone 12 or under touches it no mater what it is MUST be tested at the rate of about $2000/item and if it is a one of a kind it still needs tested to the point of destruction :dunno:
Jay
 
That's good news, sounds like the law was poorly written. I realize that it's probably geared more towards imported toys and such. You'd think that with all the finishing products we have that if they are rated safe, then the final products one makes would be too. It really should just be a matter of showing a list of materials, much like your cereal box does ingredients.
 
Perhaps not a time to be sitting on our duff, however.

Whoever was brave enough to lead the charge for postponement ought to be identified. Then he/she/them ought to be systematically, rationally, without hysterics, be supplied with plenty of ammunition to persuade their fellow politicians to come up with a rational ruling.

Postponement can work against us if we think the moneyed lobbyists aren't positioning for the future vote. Do the foreign companies that inundate our country with cheap merchandise have lobbyists? Think bear in the woods and the religious denomination of the Pope.

More cynicism. The postponement without moratorium works in favor of the guilty here. Hold off accountability as long as possible while still making money doing what should demand accountability is another strategy. It pacifies the cottage crafter in this country. So perhaps responsible advocation here would be to encourage congress to draft a binding regulation without delay. Not just draw a sigh of relief.

I know. I'm a troublemaker! :type: :rolleyes:
 
I know. I'm a troublemaker! :type: :rolleyes:[/QUOTE]

Not at all Carol you are right we should be talking to our congressmen about this and get something set in place that is workable for those involved.
I build Street Organs not something you will give to a young child as a toy but young children can and will come and play it which I encourage. But each one is made different no two are alike which means I will need to test each one at great expense and as I understand it they must me torn apart to test.:dunno:

We need someone with some common sense to come along and work on the Bill.:huh:

So what are the odds of that happening :doh:

Jay
 
Do the foreign companies that inundate our country with cheap merchandise have lobbyists?

Let's not neglect to consider the so-called domestic companies with the vast majority of their manufacturing done overseas. Some of the toy issues were because companies gave unsafe specs to their overseas manufacturing facilities. Most were the mfr facility doing something not per spec, but some were unsafely spec'ed to begin with.
 
"We need someone with some common sense to come along and work on the Bill.

So what are the odds of that happening?"


Failure is based on good people doing nothing. Success is good people coming to the aid of each other.

Who started this thread alerting us to the bill in the first place? Is he willing to continue leadership? Who will spread this throughout the woodworking Internet community? Who will inundate woodworking periodicals to support a rational bill to address this problem? Who will be the point person through whom information can be vetted and disseminated? Who will underwrite a website to keep all informed? Where will the leadership come from?

We probably all have some good ideas here, but a leader will have to step forward. Lest you think I am campaigning for the position, I hasten to nip that in the bud. I am in the last semester of my seminary program. The next year promises to bring great challenges and will demand my full focus and attention.

That said, I am more than willing to cheer and toss in ideas as appropriate.
 
I first heard of this from Eventlister.com and Craftlister.com thy have a pretty good rally going on over there. Might check them out I think they had an email address's to send your comments too. I am not a member of the lists so I am limited in what I can find but they were calling for more comments from everyone. :type:
Jay
 
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