CPSC Grants One Year Stay

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Today the CPSC granted a one year stay of certain testing and certification requirements for manufacturers and importers of regulated products. The CPSC implemented the stay in order to buy time to finalize four proposed rules which could relieve some materials from the lead testing and to fine tune the testing guidelines.

There are four areas that the stay does not apply:

1. Lead in paint and other surface areas.
2. Standards for full-size cribs, non full-size cribs and pacifiers.
3. Ban on small parts.
4. Lead content of metal components of children's jewelry.

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There is no doubt in my mind that we need to look at the products on our shelves and ask questions about all the unnecessary chemicals that we are exposing ourselves and our children to on a daily basis. Manufacturers that are more concerned about providing cheap plastic toys with little regard to their safety should be the ones that are punished not the manufacturers who care. This new law is a step in the right direction but it was given very little thought as to what the impact would be on smaller businesses and the homemade goods industry. Parents are becoming more and more aware of what to look out for in products. Those companies that are dedicated to providing safer products already test. They are proud to tell you that there product does not contain phthalates, BPA or lead. As a parent and a store owner, I ask you to support those businesses that care.

Consignment Stores Are In the Clear!

I know that it may seem crazy that a new store would be excited that consignment stores will still be able to keep their doors open. After all, if people buy used clothing they are not buying new right? Just think of the impact if there was no where to take all your child's outgrown clothing and toys. Can you imagine the landfills? The fact of the matter is that we need both used and new stores to exist. I frequently buy used clothing for my children. My son goes through jeans at about a size a week. I would go broke trying to keep him in clothing. I am so excited that the CPSC has decided to exempt used products from the new lead requirements. It would have been silly for consignment stores to be forced to test used products to make sure they did not exceed the new limits. It would have put them out of business. Hopefully this is a good sign that the CPSC is moving towards making even more exemptions. For more information on this story click here.