New Federal Act Protects Georgia Children From Unsafe Products

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (the “Act”) was signed into law by Congress in 2008. The Act is aimed at broadening the consumer product safety laws and providing more tools to allow the Consumer Product Safety Commission (the “Commission”) to enforce the new laws.

The Act lowers the limits of allowable lead in paints and furniture coverings. It also prohibits the sale of all children’s toys and child care articles containing more than 0.1 % of three specific types of phthalates (chemicals commonly used in toys to increase flexibility in vinyl or plastic).

Under the Act, every manufacturer or importer of products intended for use by children must certify that its product complies with all applicable consumer safety laws and regulations and the certification must be based on tests performed by an independent laboratory which has been accredited by the Commission.

The Act provides other safety regulations aimed at protecting children such as a requirement for tracking labels on children’s products, new labeling requirements for toy advertising, a requirement that the Commission develop new safety standards for durable nursery products, increased whistleblower protection for employees who report violations of the Act, and new safety regulations for all-terrain vehicles.

The new Act better helps protect our children against a myriad of potentially unsafe products such as lead-containing paint, unsafe toys and all terrain vehicles (which have contributed to many catastrophic injuries to children in Georgia). It is a solid step in helping to protect the children of Atlanta and Georgia. Congress should be commended for having the fortitude to pass the Act.