Some Hope for Makers of Handcrafted Items for Children

The makers of handcrafted items for children under 12 may have gotten a little hope on Christmas Eve. In a memo released Wednesday, Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) staffers recommended that the agency exempt some natural materials from the lead testing requirement. Many small businesses fear the propose new regulations, set to go into effect in February 2009, could put them out of business so this was a very welcome announcement for many of them.

As the deadline approached, many small handrafters who use materials, such as unfinished wood, organic cotton, and beeswax sought exemptions from the rules that were thought could apply to them.

Staff toxicologists at the product safety commission told agency commissioners in a memo that some unfinished natural materials should be considered lead free and not require the expensive testing the new regulations would mandate. The materials include wood and fibers, such as cotton, silk, wool, hemp, flax and linen.

However, the commission must still vote on the recommendations. The vote is set for January 9, 2009.

Read the CPSC memo.

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Source: Associated Press