Comments on: CPSIA: Powersports, crystals, and stranded inventories

By: CPSIA: the countable costs

CPSIA: the countable costs — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 04:10:38 +0000

[…] will recall, the minibike/powersports industry projects that the ban on its youth products will cost $1 billion by year’s end. That’s $3 billion right there, representing only two of the many industries hit by the act; […]

By: Kelly

Kelly — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 21:35:29 +0000

Jen brings up a good point–if we are trying to make this country lead-free for our kids, we can’t just draw the line at children items. Anything can be a child’s item. My 9 month old was chewing on MY button while in his baby carrier. According to CPSIA a child’s button has to be tested, but the likelyhood that he/she can even get it into his/her own mouth is less likely than a decal on my own shirt. What about the coffee table, that is one of his favorite things to lick. Or the plastic hanger that he found and licked a few times. My cell phone has been covered in slobber from all 3 kids, but these aren’t tested. The list could go on…Did I lose sleep over his potential lead poisoning from an untested button on an adult shirt, or the untested plastic hanger? No, but maybe according to Congress I should take him and have his levels checked. Seriously, this well-intended law has been taken WAY too far.

By: You Are Why I Cannot Eat Good Things | Popehat

You Are Why I Cannot Eat Good Things | Popehat — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:07:01 +0000

[…] Safety Improvement Act, on which we’ve written but which Walter Olson and others have covered much more effectively, was drafted with the intention that no American children die of lead poisoning. The havoc […]

By: Jen Grinnell

Jen Grinnell — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 16:39:13 +0000

If the identified danger is a crystal falling off a costume and making its way into the mouth of a child, then we need to get ready for the consumer groups next target: all consumer products. Because what it the difference between the offending bling falling from a infrequently worn stage item and mommy’s sparkly tee-shirt?

We can’t legislate away all risk.

By: CPSIA chronicles, March 2

CPSIA chronicles, March 2 — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 13:37:54 +0000

[…] Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (office of local Congressman Mike Doyle, D-Pa., says most members think, dubiously, that ban “can be fixed without new legislation”); Lebanon, Pa. […]

By: CPSIA chronicles, February 27

CPSIA chronicles, February 27 — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:54:42 +0000

[…] was obliged to turn down the makers of kids’ minibikes in their plea for an exemption the other day. Same for many other instances that could be cited, such as the pre-1985 books and the size 10 […]

By: PointOfLaw Forum

PointOfLaw Forum — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 13:08:50 +0000

Around the web, February 27…

Voices of moderation, trial lawyer dept.: Atlanta tort attorney likens Georgia state damages caps to steps taken by Russia’s Putin to curb trials of “crimes against state” [Ken Shigley] Prosecution of W.R. Grace execs in wake of environmental offen…

By: marianne

marianne — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 22:54:16 +0000

Our store doesn’t have much bling inventory but we are stuck with now “hazardous waste” in the name of children’s shirts with rhinestones we can’t sell, give away, or donate. Our manufacturers won’t take them back (“they were made before the law went into effect”) and we have to dump them. Yes, it’s a business loss but one that is very hard to swallow, oh, excuse the pun!

By: EA

EA — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:36:23 +0000

What of children’s books published before 1985 that reside in elementary & middle schools libraries, municipal public libraries or the Library of Congress for that matter.

Opponents of this law should file class action lawsuits against libraries to demonstrate the ill-considered idiocy of this legislation!

By: Ben

Ben — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 22:18:40 +0000

Jennifer have you had a chance to read the rhinestone/crystal petition sent to the CPSC by the trade groups? Click my name for the link.

The tests they cite claim that even if ingested, the amount of lead absorbed into the body is less than the amount absorbed with common food items. They also claim that due to the chemical makeup of crystal, the amount of lead that can leach is a fraction of that which leaches from items that meet the 600 ppm and 300 ppm requirements.