Local libraries and second-hand bookstores are weighing whether they'll have to remove kids' books from their shelves to comply with a new law intended to get the lead out of children's products.
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, which took effect last month, mandates independent testing and labeling of all children's products –not just toys, but cloth diapers, dishes and possibly even old copies of "Green Eggs and Ham."
"At this point we're not taking any action," said Jennifer Heineke, special projects librarian for the Wichita public library.
"We of course are concerned about safety, but if we did pull all those books off the shelves, you can imagine how many parents would be upset."
The new law, passed by Congress last year in response to massive recalls of children's products, was broadly written and has worried thrift stores, makers of handmade toys and others who make or sell children's products.
Last month, local Goodwill stores pulled many children's items off shelves and moved them to storage, citing liability concerns.
Libraries initially feared that the law might force them to pull millions of books from their shelves as well. They got an exemption for books printed after 1985, when it became unlawful to use lead pigments in ink and dye used in publishing books. The Consumer Product Safety Commission also issued a one-year stay of enforcement on a requirement to test for lead in books.
To read the complete article, visit www.kansas.com.
.JPG)
Comments