PLEASE READ - CPSIA Act of 2008 affects ww'er's

[Makinsawdust]

I just learned of the CPSIA Act of 2008 via an e-mail from Craftlister.com this morning. It seems that a law will take effect on Feb 10 that concerns any one making and selling items for children 12 and under. This law is a result of the lead in toys from China thing about a year ago. Makers of wooden toys, furniture, etc. would have to have a third party lab test their product for lead and tag their product with certain info. There seems to be no exceptions and applies all the way down to a one-man operation selling at craft shows. Natural wood toys without a finish would have to be tested. :no:
Here is the actual law; http://www.cpsc.gov/cpsia.pdf

If you are selling childrens items you might want to read up on it. Etsy.com and others are working to moblize craft folks to contact Congress and get try to get changes made.

Rob

 

[Makinsawdust]

Here' some links regarding this subject.


CPSIA, Denial and Retailer’s Liability http://bit.ly/488s

How to move up to another level http://bit.ly/VXkx

CPSIA: I endorse the NAM plan http://bit.ly/NEek

CPSIA and tracking label requirements http://bit.ly/12gSz

CPSIA: How to move forward, coping with crisis http://bit.ly/5RiT

Good News! CPSIA request for comments http://bit.ly/160Zm

CPSIA & CPSC: Activism and what you can do other than gnashing your teeth and beating your chest http://bit.ly/AJHA

CPSIA and Small Manufacturers http://bit.ly/jUDi

Forum is open to all! http://bit.ly/EJoY

CPSIA: Splintering the cause serves no one http://bit.ly/UkJS

CPSIA: Losing credibility http://bit.ly/oB7m

CPSIA: Confusion run amok http://bit.ly/CLx

Up, up and away (my trip to DC CPSC mtg) http://bit.ly/qfzk

CPSIA: What must be tested http://bit.ly/N8yd

CPSIA: Unit vs Component Testing http://bit.ly/VrCG

National Bankruptcy Day http://bit.ly/FayC

Overwhelmed? What to do when you don’t know what to do http://bit.ly/3lyXk2

CPSIA Requirements http://bit.ly/H39u

New Product Safety Regulations That Affect ALL Manufacturers http://bit.ly/3jSY

 

[FredP]

well...I make toys for the kiddies all the time so I guess I'll be in jail soon cause I aint gonna stop and I aint gonna comply with thier stupid rules.:kamahlitu geee.... I think of how I grew up in the 50's and 60's and Its simply amazing how I survived! our children are being legislated right out of their childhoods.:gar-Cr It's a shame.

 

[NCPete]

let's not let what could be a very important law affecting nearly all of us, devolve into a thread on the politics of the matter. Please note, that there is a link where we may all respond to the legislation, THAT is the appropriate place to make comments of a political nature on this subject, not here.

 

[FredP]

ah yes I almost forgot.... here in shangrila we never speaketh of such things. sorry:wink_smil

 

[Robert Arrowood]

Thanks Pete.This could get real ugly.

 

[McRabbet]

We have been watching developments by the Consumer Products Safety Commission over the past several weeks when we (members of the Wesdtern NC Woodworkers Associaition) became aware of the potential impact of the new Consumer Product Safety Information Act of 2008 on our ability to make and distribute wooden toys for needy children. As some of you may be aware, one central requirement of the Law is to establish a lead limit of 600 parts per million (ppm) by weight for any part of a children's product, effective February 19, 2009. That limit drops to 300 ppm o August 14, 2009 and to 100 ppm on August 14, 2011. The Law as currently written requires testing all parts of all children's products for lead content -- clearly a cost prohibitive requirement for voluntary efforts like ours.

However, there may "light at the end of the tunnel" in a new effort within the CPSC to exempt certain materials or products that do not have lead contents. On December 23rd, the following memorandum was sent to the Commission for consideration of a new Rulemaking that would exempt wood, among other materials. We will support this change and hope that it takes effect.

 

[FredP]

We have been watching developments by the Consumer Products Safety Commission over the past several weeks when we (members of the Wesdtern NC Woodworkers Associaition) became aware of the potential impact of the new Consumer Product Safety Information Act of 2008 on our ability to make and distribute wooden toys for needy children. As some of you may be aware, one central requirement of the Law is to establish a lead limit of 600 parts per million (ppm) by weight for any part of a children's product, effective February 19, 2009. That limit drops to 300 ppm o August 14, 2009 and to 100 ppm on August 14, 2011. The Law as currently written requires testing all parts of all children's products for lead content -- clearly a cost prohibitive requirement for voluntary efforts like ours.

However, there may "light at the end of the tunnel" in a new effort within the CPSC to exempt certain materials or products that do not have lead contents. On December 23rd, the following memorandum was sent to the Commission for consideration of a new Rulemaking that would exempt wood, among other materials. We will support this change and hope that it takes effect.

hey rob, is this something we sign and send or has it already been done? if we need to get signatures to end the madness is there someplace to put it up so we can all participate as a group? If we do this sort of stuff as a group versus as individuals we may have more impact.

 

[McRabbet]

hey rob, is this something we sign and send or has it already been done? if we need to get signatures to end the madness is there someplace to put it up so we can all participate as a group? If we do this sort of stuff as a group versus as individuals we may have more impact.

Fred,

The memorandum I cited is an internal memo from key staff of the Consumer Products Safety Commission that recommends a Rulemaking to exempt certain materials -- like wood -- that inherently do not contain lead. There is an opportunity to comment on Testing "Request for Comments and Information Mandatory Third-Party Testing for Certain Children’s Products Section 102 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (“CPSIA”): Component Parts – COMMENT REQUEST, January 30, 2009". I suspect that our individual comments will be valuable -- I would recommend that anyone or any Club that makes toys for charitable giving take advantage of the opportunity to comment -- pass it on to those you know.

We try to make toys with unfinished wood, but we have also used lots of plywood (some prefinished) and we cannot be certain what the levels of lead may be in the adhesives. And we use metal nuts and bolts and glue, too. We normally do not "finish" our toys with paint, but I used USP Mineral Oil on some that I made. While I know the oil does not contain lead, I cannot afford to test it.

 

[FredP]

Fred,

The memorandum I cited is an internal memo from key staff of the Consumer Products Safety Commission that recommends a Rulemaking to exempt certain materials -- like wood -- that inherently do not contain lead. There is an opportunity to comment on Testing "Request for Comments and Information Mandatory Third-Party Testing for Certain Children’s Products Section 102 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (“CPSIA”): Component Parts – COMMENT REQUEST, January 30, 2009". I suspect that our individual comments will be valuable -- I would recommend that anyone or any Club that makes toys for charitable giving take advantage of the opportunity to comment -- pass it on to those you know.

We try to make toys with unfinished wood, but we have also used lots of plywood (some prefinished) and we cannot be certain what the levels of lead may be in the adhesives. And we use metal nuts and bolts and glue, too. We normally do not "finish" our toys with paint, but I used USP Mineral Oil on some that I made. While I know the oil does not contain lead, I cannot afford to test it.

thanks rob,
I was wondering...... I know we are not a political org. and politics has no place here but we as woodworkers and hobbyists should have our voices heard. every once in a while a law or rule is proposed that dirrectly inhibits our ability to persue our hobby. Is there a way to put up petitions to sign as a group? not a thread to argue over but a place to collect signatures that can be printed out and sent to the appropriate place to voice our oppinions? maybe by acting as a group we could make a differance moreso than as individuals. this should only be used for things that dirrectly affect us as woodworkers. just my thoughts......:gar-Bi

 

[PChristy]

However, there may "light at the end of the tunnel" in a new effort within the CPSC to exempt certain materials or products that do not have lead contents. On December 23rd, the following memorandum was sent to the Commission for consideration of a new Rulemaking that would exempt wood, among other materials. We will support this change and hope that it takes effect.

Thanks for posting this guy. Will there be updates on the progress of this on this site? If not where can a person go to check on this?

 

[McRabbet]

I just keep this link in my Browser Favorites under Woodworking > Toys and go back every day or two.

 

[jeff...]

So will this impact great non-profit programs like the US Marine Toys for Tots?

 

[Glennbear]

To paraphrase the words of others greater than myself " an educated populace is the greatest deterrent to tyranny" I strongly suggest that all who want to maintain their status as independent craftspeople read the entire law. If you think you are unaffected because you do not make toys you may be tragically mistaken. The law also addresses safety standards and labeling, registration requirements for cribs, cradles, high chairs etc. Does anyone recall George Orwell's "1984" being part of required reading in high school ? Scary stuff happening in the halls of Congress, REALLY scary:wsmile:

 

[PChristy]

I just keep this link in my Browser Favorites under Woodworking > Toys and go back every day or two.

Thanks Rob - I just added it -

 

[Travis Porter]

I agree with the limiting of lead and such, but lead has been banned in paints in the US for a long long time. It is unfortunate the issues that occurred in the manufacture of toys in China, and I believe our government is trying to do the right thing. I suspect this will be amended to be more lenient to those that make and finish wooden toys in the US. It may end up being that you sign an affadavit attesting that you have not used any products in the manufacture that contain lead. I believe the law was written stringently and is now being modified to make exceptions as needed. This way, their is no leniency for those blatantly breaking the laws.

As for lead, I watched something on CNN awhile back that showed a bunch of kids that had high levels of lead from a smelting plant in South America. It was VERY sad and very depressing. All of them had serious motor control issues.

 

[MikeH]

bump.....This is for anyone (everyone) that gives their work away. We really need to act on this. Wood Magazine just posted a blog yesterday on this. See the blog HERE.

If you think it doesn't affect you think again. This will affect everyone of us.

Here is a link to the Handmade Toy Alliance.

 

[adowden]

We I went to the local school thrift store last week, they have removed all their childrens toys and games because of this.

Amy

 

[PeteQuad]

So, if some of the finishing or hardware companies test their products, and label then as such, would we be able to use those products without retesting them ourselves?

 

[Al Millman]

I just learned of the CPSIA Act of 2008 via an e-mail from Craftlister.com this morning. It seems that a law will take effect on Feb 10 that concerns any one making and selling items for children 12 and under. This law is a result of the lead in toys from China thing about a year ago. Makers of wooden toys, furniture, etc. would have to have a third party lab test their product for lead and tag their product with certain info. There seems to be no exceptions and applies all the way down to a one-man operation selling at craft shows. Natural wood toys without a finish would have to be tested. :no:
Here is the actual law; http://www.cpsc.gov/cpsia.pdf

If you are selling childrens items you might want to read up on it. Etsy.com and others are working to moblize craft folks to contact Congress and get try to get changes made.

Rob

Rob,
I was just on the handmade toy Alliance web site and saw that the bill has been stayed for one year. There seem to be hope that there may be some changes but we all need to get involved.
Everyone that has not done so please go to the Handmade Toy Alliance web site and read what you can do. If you want to make a difference you must act and do it now!
PLEASE GET INVOLVED
Al Millman