I contacted the Consumer Protection Safety office in Washinton DC and was told in essence, we don’t know if the books are really dangerous, we don’t test them, test them yourself if you want to sell them (prohibitive cost) and basically we are in charge so too bad if you don’t like it. I am serious. This is what the essence of my conversation was with them.

Wow, was I shocked.

This means that the book selling part of the law, if not repealed, will ban thrift stores, library sales, yard sales and online merchants from buying or selling these items. We will lose part of our history and our childhood memories that these wonderful books bring to us.

In this time of ecomomic downturn, the government should be trying to help small business succeed not making it harder.

This is directly from the Cpsc website:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In February 2009, new requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) take effect. Manufacturers, importers and retailers are expected to comply with the new Congressionally-mandated laws. Beginning February 10, 2009, children’s products cannot be sold if they contain more than 600 parts per million (ppm) total lead. Certain children’s products manufactured on or after February 10, 2009 cannot be sold if they contain more than 0.1% of certain specific phthalates or if they fail to meet new mandatory standards for toys.

Under the new law, children’s products with more than 600 ppm total lead cannot lawfully be sold in the United States on or after February 10, 2009, even if they were manufactured before that date. The total lead limit drops to 300 ppm on August 14, 2009.

The new law requires that domestic manufacturers and importers certify that children’s products made after February 10 meet all the new safety standards and the lead ban. Sellers of used children’s products, such as thrift stores and consignment stores, are not required to certify that those products meet the new lead limits, phthalates standard or new toy standards.

The new safety law does not require resellers to test children’s products in inventory for compliance with the lead limit before they are sold. However, resellers cannot sell children’s products that exceed the lead limit and therefore should avoid products that are likely to have lead content, unless they have testing or other information to indicate the products being sold have less than the new limit. Those resellers that do sell products in violation of the new limits could face civil and/or criminal penalties.

This makes no sense. If you are a reseller you’re not required to test for lead before a product is they’re sold. But…resellers cannot sell these products that exceed the lead limit. Hmmmmm If they’re not tested how the heck do you know.

I urge all of you who love these books as much as I do to contact your senators and representatives and tell them how you feel about this law. CSPIA 4040. Urge them to amend the law regarding second hand/resellers of these products.

Dr. Seuss Meets the CPSIA