Federal rules pose obstacles for toy makers


A federal rule to improve the safety of children’s toys is making it hard for local toy makers to stay in business.

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A federal rule to improve the safety of children’s toys is making it hard for local toy makers to stay in business.

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 requires toy makers to test each batch of toys for lead paint and phthalates, no matter how small the batch is.

Mary Newell, owner of a small Eugene toy company, is a board member of the national Handmade Toy Alliance, which represents 645 small makers, sellers and importers of children’s products. She has lobbied Congress to amend the act, which was overwhelmingly approved by legislators after a wave of recalls pulled millions of toys off store shelves .

Newell and other alliance members worry that the onerous requirements will thin their ranks, dissuade newcomers from entering the industry and ultimately mean more mass-produced and fewer handmade toys for children in the United States.

Read more at The Register-Guard.

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