A process that largely began with the 2007 discovery of lead-tainted toy imports from China culminated in a new set of regulations for the manufacturers of children’s products that went into effect on Tuesday, Feb. 10, as elements of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act made their way into law.
Passed in August of last year by overwhelming majorities in the U.S. legislature, the act aims to limit the amount of lead in children’s products defined as those targeted at children under 12 to under 600 parts per million. That restriction just went into effect for children’s jewelry, cribs, pacifier and paints. Other items were given a year’s stay, as small toy manufactures complained about the costly tests and certifications required to put their products on store shelves.
There are others who would just like some clarification or who provide children with books and toys for children free of charge.
Libraries, most notably, are left wondering how they will deal with this sometimes-vague rule short of tossing out children’s books altogether.
The American Library Association, most notably, has rallied against the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, drafters of the legislation, and local librarians are following suit.
`These are books, not toys, and libraries should never have been included in this,` said Sara Dallas, director of the Southern Adirondack Library System. `How many 12-year-olds do you know who would eat a book?`
According to Arlene Flecha, a spokeswoman for the CPSC, while libraries will not be required to do any testing for lead, they will have to adhere to the requirements of the law. Violators of the regulations could be subject to penalties that start with a $100,000 fine and/or jail time.
`The intent of the law is certainly not to shut down libraries,` she said. `We have found, in general, that ordinary books are safe. Children’s books printed after 1985, we have found that they are OK.`
For books printed prior to that date, however, the CPSC offers little guidance on how libraries, schools or thrift stores can identify which items are threats.
Flecha advised that children’s products providers check www.cpsc.org for a list of recalled products, which became illegal to stock after the law was passed in August.
The CPSC also acknowledges it will not impose penalties on items made of `certain natural materials, such as wood, cotton, wool or certain metals and alloys which the commission has recognized rarely, if ever, contain lead.`
According to Karen D’Angelo, director of the Town of Ballston Community Library, there are plenty of children’s books made before 1985 on her shelves. There are also toys for children to play with while in the library that would have to comply with the new regulations.
In addition, the library runs a summer reading program in which donations of toys and books collected all year can be `purchased` by kids who build up book bucks by completing summer reading. It helps attract kids to books and keeps their minds sharp during the summer months, said D’Angelo, but if the library could be subjected to fines it might have to turn away some donations or halt the program altogether.
`The cost of providing summer reading incentives is going to go way up,` if the library must cast such a discerning eye, she said. `I think it’s a very good thing that they put it back a year, because it sounds like we’re going to need that full length of time to figure out what they’re going to do with it.`
D’Angelo recently asked the Ballston Town Board to consider writing a letter to federal representatives supporting the ALA’s grievances.“