New Children's Product Safety Law Goes Into Effect Soon
Regulation Targets Products Tainted With Lead
POSTED: 3:28 pm EST January 13,
2009
UPDATED: 6:04 pm EST January 13,
2009
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BOSTON -- A major push is on to protect children from toxic toys. Starting in February, there will be fewer lead-tainted products on store shelves.NewsCenter 5's Heather Unruh reported Tuesday on new government regulation that is about to take effect.
New Children's Product Safety Law Goes Into Effect SoonConcerns over lead in toys have been an ongoing problem in the US. In 2007, over 470 toys were recalled."Lead is a neurotoxin. We don't want lead in the toys and articles that our children are using," said Cindy Luppi, the New England Program Director for Clean Water Action.A top government agency is trying to fix the lead problem. It's a move Luppi supports."This legislation was designed to make toys and children's goods safer," she said."It's about time. I mean, our kids' health depends on it," said Michelle Coppola, a mother of two children under 5.The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act passed last August, but goes into effect on Feb 10. The way it's written, manufacturers have to test and certify that their children's products, including toys and clothes, have no more than 600 parts per million of lead in them. By 2012, the acceptable limit drops to 100 parts per million. This means stores cannot sell a children's product that is not certified."They're going to be looking at toys that have most been problematic, like painted woodens, metal toys that could have lead paint," said Luppi.Resale shops like the Children's Orchard in Brookline, Mass., are confused about the new law."Because honestly, we didn't hear anything about this certification of toys until within the last few weeks," said Linda Ashbaugh, the store's owner.The Consumer Product Safety Commission insists resale and thrift stores will not be a target of the new law, but it warns that owners who sell lead-tainted products could face civil or criminal penalties."We are already careful of those things so for us, it's business as usual," said Ashbaugh.
New Children's Product Safety Law Goes Into Effect SoonConcerns over lead in toys have been an ongoing problem in the US. In 2007, over 470 toys were recalled."Lead is a neurotoxin. We don't want lead in the toys and articles that our children are using," said Cindy Luppi, the New England Program Director for Clean Water Action.A top government agency is trying to fix the lead problem. It's a move Luppi supports."This legislation was designed to make toys and children's goods safer," she said."It's about time. I mean, our kids' health depends on it," said Michelle Coppola, a mother of two children under 5.The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act passed last August, but goes into effect on Feb 10. The way it's written, manufacturers have to test and certify that their children's products, including toys and clothes, have no more than 600 parts per million of lead in them. By 2012, the acceptable limit drops to 100 parts per million. This means stores cannot sell a children's product that is not certified."They're going to be looking at toys that have most been problematic, like painted woodens, metal toys that could have lead paint," said Luppi.Resale shops like the Children's Orchard in Brookline, Mass., are confused about the new law."Because honestly, we didn't hear anything about this certification of toys until within the last few weeks," said Linda Ashbaugh, the store's owner.The Consumer Product Safety Commission insists resale and thrift stores will not be a target of the new law, but it warns that owners who sell lead-tainted products could face civil or criminal penalties."We are already careful of those things so for us, it's business as usual," said Ashbaugh. Copyright 2009 by TheBostonChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
