According to today’s most excellent release from the Consumer Products Safety Commission, the CPSC has done the only common sense thing it could have done, and granted a one year stay of testing and certification requirements until February 10, 2010. Which means…
whoo!
Commissioner Nancy Nord in her letter to congress calls it “a time-out.” Which is exactly the right thing to do.
To quote the CPSC statement:
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…The stay of enforcement provides some temporary, limited relief to the
crafters, children’s garment manufacturers and toy makers who had been
subject to the testing and certification required under the CPSIA.
These businesses will not need to issue certificates based on testing
of their products until additional decisions are issued by the
Commission. However, all businesses, including, but not limited to,
handmade toy and apparel makers, crafters and home-based small
businesses, must still be sure that their products conform to all
safety standardsThe
stay…does not address
thrift and second hand stores and small retailers because they are not
required to test and certify products under the CPSIA.
It’s all we’ve ever really wanted – to protect our kids from lead and other toxins, while being mindful of the good guys who were never a threat in the first place.
Your emails, calls, and support have been invaluable to so many small businesses. And to us.
Thank you.
Read about the one year CPSIA stay at the CPSC website.
Edited to add: Of couuuuurse this is far from over, but this is the best we could have hoped for under the circumstances. Now we have the time (and the opportunity for input) to make sure a well-intended law becomes a well-executed law that continues to keep lead and pthalates out of toys but without a burden of accountability and certification that was prohibitive for small businesses and crafters. The annoucement means public opinion, the CPSC and countless members of congress are on our side.
That, to us, is a victory.
