Toy Product Testing – Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act

ToyTest

Don’t be surprised if you start seeing your favorite toy catalogs and educational toy websites (hopefully www.SteveSpanglerScience.com is in your list) sporting new product warning labels. It’s not gesture of good will – it’s the law – and retailers who fail to comply face serious fines.

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 was the toy safety legislation recently passed increase consumer protection and to require toy manufacturers to provide very specific product testing and warning labels on all products that target children as the end users. I bring this to your attention because you’ll now see the required warning labels on all products on our website that contain small parts that could pose a choking hazard, products that contain a marble, small ball or a balloon. Each area of concern has it’s own product warning label. Products that contain small parts (small enough to fit through a standard toilet paper tube) are required to carry this warning…

Our web development team, product buyers and vendors continue to spend considerable time and effort to make sure that SteveSpanglerScience.com is in full compliance with the new toy product testing laws. So, don’t be surprised if you see multiple warning labels on products on our website – it’s now the law.

But fancy warning labels don’t make products safer…

Supervising adults who engage with the children and play with their children help to create a safe environment for children. Warning labels are a positive step forward in providing adults with the information they need to make smart buy choices when purchasing for children. But nothing beats strong parental involvement.

10 replies
  1. Karen
    Karen says:

    I have started a channel on YouTube called “handcraftivist” to showcase the stories of handcrafters, artisans and small businesses such as yours which will be affected by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act 2008 as it now stands.

    I am looking for leads on TV/radio stations who have reported on the situation or videos made by those who think they will be affected February 10, 2009 when the lead testing mandates go into effect.

    Please email me at
    [email protected]

    Thank you.

    Reply
  2. cookiewonton
    cookiewonton says:

    Another result of this act is that a multitude of people who make handmade goods for children are going to be forced out of business because they cannot afford the outrageous third-party testing and certification required to sell their products.

    Grandmothers selling crocheted baby blankets at craft fairs, small businesses who produce natural wooden toys, stay at home moms with little online shops – we are all subject to the same law as the major corporations who can easily afford the testing for lead and phthalates.

    The ridiculous part is that our customers come to us for items that are 100% cotton or wool/recycled/one-of-a-kind/special order/organic/unique – and above all creative. When there are no independent sellers left, consumers will have no other option than to buy from the big businesses.

    I know this wasn’t really the point of your post, and I do apologize. But the Handmade Community is desperately trying to get the word out about this little known congressional act in the hopes that we might can change something. Otherwise, it will be illegal for us to do our jobs. Illegal to do what we love.

    Thank you.

    Reply
  3. Kimberly Demeter
    Kimberly Demeter says:

    It would be so nice to have all of the facts and abilities to comply on a new law. But, maybe that’s the way our government makes the big bucks by socking it to the little guy who doesn’t have the means to comply.

    I’ve spent the last 3 months (since I found out, gee thanks for the notice!) on the phone, online and generally reading everything I can to find out how to be compliant. And, just where is it that you can get the warning labels to place on product and where can you find a jpeg image to upload to every product on your website?

    Please e-mail if you know!

    Kim

    Reply
  4. Scott
    Scott says:

    I think this is a good thing. We want to make sure the parents and children are aware of the dangerous that could come with using any product. This is a good thing for both the companies and the consumer.

    Reply
  5. rebecca miles
    rebecca miles says:

    I understand the need for a choking hazard label on my puppets because of their button eyes. Does anyone know an affordable source of these labels? It seems crazy to require something that isn’t easily available. Any ideas?

    Reply

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  1. […] a month ago I wrote about the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) and what it would mean for consumers in terms of new warning labels on websites and […]

  2. […] Related: CraftZine.com Clementine NW’s blog U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Steve Spangler’s […]

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