“The Handmade Toy Alliance reacts to the CPSC’s batch labeling interpretation”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) July 21, 2009 -- Stamford, CT – July 21, 2009 – The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued guidance today on the tracking label requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). This statement of policy and enforcement comes just 3 weeks before manufacturers will be required to begin marking their products with batch tracking labels. Children's product manufacturers large and small have been awaiting such guidance since the CPSIA was passed a year ago.

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“The Handmade Toy Alliance reacts to the CPSC’s batch labeling interpretation”

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“As it pertains to the Handmade Toy Alliance (HTA) membership as a whole, we are happy to have some concrete guidance to share with our membership, most of whom operate very small companies and have been in turmoil as to how to adequately comply with the labeling requirements,” expressed HTA Secretary Jill Chuckas of Crafty Baby (CT). “The frustration remains, though, that our membership – along with thousands of non member companies throughout the country – create products that are safe, yet are stricken with burdensome regulations that do not improve safety. There needs to be a legislative fix to include risk assessment into the CPSIA.”

“There is some relief offered in the policy statement on labeling issued today,” HTA Vice President Dan Marshall of Peapods Natural Toys (MN) stated. “For makers of hard to label children's products such as kits, small wood toys, and jewelry, this will help. But we are still looking to the CPSC to promulgate rulings as to component based testing and finalizing natural material exemptions.”

A CPSIA oversight hearing had been announced in the House Committee of Energy and Commerce for July 23rd, but was postponed. A similar hearing in the Senate Committee of Energy and Commerce has been called for by Sen. Hutchinson (TX – ranking member) and is expected to take place in early September. HTA members are actively working to be included on the witness list at both of these hearings. “Hearings need to occur quickly. Too many small businesses are suffering from this law at no fault of their own. Action needs to be taken now.” HTA Board Member Jolie Fay of Skipping Hippos (OR) stated.

Tracking labels, third party testing, and new lower lead content limits imposed by the CPSIA apply to all children's items including toys, clothing, books, jewelry, cloth diapers, and shoes. They apply to all manufacturers foreign and domestic, large or small.

The Handmade Toy Alliance is a grassroots alliance of 373 retail stores, toymakers and children's product manufacturers from across the country, who want to preserve consumer access to unique handmade toys, clothes and all manner of small batch children's goods in the USA. Formed in November of 2008 in response to the CPSIA, HTA members are parents, grandparents and consumers who are passionate about their businesses as well as the safety of the children in their lives. While in support of the spirit of the law, the unintended consequences of the CPSIA have motivated members of the HTA to work to enact change at a federal level.

Dan Marshall, co-owner
Peapods Natural Toys & Baby Care (St. Paul, MN)
The Handmade Toy Alliance
Tel. 651-238-8398
dan@peapods.com
handmadetoyalliance.org

Jill Chuckas, Owner, Designer
Crafty Baby (Stamford, CT)
The Handmade Toy Alliance
Tel. 888-788-5168
jill@craftybaby.com
handmadetoyalliance.org

Cecilia Leibovitz, President
Craftsbury Kids (Montpelier,VT)
The Handmade Toy Alliance
Tel. 802-223-7143
ceci@craftsburykids.com
handmadetoyalliance.org

Rob Wilson, Vice President,
Challenge & Fun (Ashland, MA)
The Handmade Toy Alliance
Tel. 888-384-6200
hta@challengeandfun.com
handmadetoyalliance.org

More information can be found online at http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org

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