Government Advocacy

Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act

Should Congress and the Consumer Product Safety Commission exempt regular children’s books and printed materials from the regulations of the new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act?

Background
On August 14, 2008, President Bush signed into law the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008. The legislation, in large part a response to high-profile recalls of both imported and domestically-produced children’s toys and products, greatly expands the authority of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and regulates potentially hazardous children’s products, among other things. Specifically, the Act establishes lead and phthalate (e.g. plasticizers that could be found in inks, coatings and adhesives) content limits and requires testing and certifying of products to ensure they do not exceed these limits. These new regulations include children’s books and other printed materials as products subject to the new limits and testing requirements. While the lead and phthalates limits are currently in effect but testing requirements will not be in effect until February 10, 2011.

Printing Industries of America Position
Printing Industries of America commends the general intent of the Act and hopes that it leads to increased consumer safety for children. Printing Industries of America also is concerned that the Act will impact negatively the production and use of books and other printed material and believes urgent action to exempt ordinary books and printed material is needed to avoid confusion and devastation in the printing, publishing and retail marketplace.

111th Congress and Obama Administration
Printing Industries of America is working with allies in the publishing industry to make the case for the safety of printed materials before the CPSC and Congress. Key legislators, including House Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) have been critical of the CPSC’s process for implementing the legislation, calling for more clarity and timeliness in the regulatory process. Waxman, however, has been reluctant to modify the law to offer exemptions for printed products. The CPSC has requested, and Printing Industries of America has provided, test date to help determine whether children’s books and other printed materials should be granted an exemption to the CPSIA.

Key Committees: Senate Commerce; House Energy and Commerce

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Published on Wednesday, January 14, 2009 (updated 01/26/2010)

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