CPSC Reports On Safety Law Progress

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a report on its enforcement of and needed improvements to the 2008 Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. The law dramatically lowers the amount of lead permitted in children's products of all kinds and bans three phthalates from use in toys. CPSC Chairman Inez M. Tenenbaum said in a statement that the agency is making progress on requirements such as creating a searchable database of consumer incidence reports and adopting all voluntary standards as mandatory. Although Tenenbaum said she agrees with the intent of the law with respect to lead limits, she said Congress needs to create more flexibility for CPSC when it comes to lead regulations. Some exclusions to the legal lead content limits of children's products would allow flexibility where lead is required for a functional purpose, Tenenbaum said.