CPSA Agent Interview

The following link was posted by a member of the Handmade Toy Alliance. Its a pretty interesting interview with an actual member of the CPSC on re-sale items and stores like Goodwill. She basically says you are not required to test, but to use your own judgement and have a level of confidence that your products do not contain more than the lead limit. However, you are still responsible if something you sell happens to exceed that limit. I just wonder why its can’t be that way for everyone? It also addresses the fact that they only have 100 field agents out at this time enforcing this law, for the entire nation!! That is rediculous. Though maybe a good thing for the little guys. I don’t think they can, in reality, enforce this law.

A lot of what she has to say is really interesting. To me it sounds like they are only really concerned with the biggest places that affect the most people and would have the biggest impact if something were to happen. A tiny business doesn’t sound like something they are
going to send a field agent out to investigate. It also says that we might just need to produce a paper trail to prove that the items we use to make our products with were originally tested. I have heard however that may not be as easy as it sounds. Some manufacturers, like fabric manufacturers, don’t test since its technically not for children. So there is no way to get a certificate. You will probably just have to call to see if they test and only use the fabrics, buttons, ribbons etc. brands that do.

I really think that they weren’t expecting to have this law affect so many people in the way that is has. They have no idea what to do about it!

Be sure to watch both of the interviews. They do address the re-sale subject more than anything else, but hopefully soon they will figure out what the heck is going on. I don’t think I would freak out and get rid of all your stuff just yet…

http://www.wbaltv. com/news/ 18480926/ detail.html