Could someone please explain to a Canadian what the CPSIA is about?

[TheWoodGarden]

Hello everyone,
I am a Canadian, and I would was hoping that somebody here could explain to me what the CPSIA is about. I know that it's an American law that regulates consumer goods sold for children, but I'm not quite clear...

1. Is this law something that is still being talked about, or has it come into effect?
2. Does it affect Canadians (such as myself) selling to the US market?
3. What things are affected? We sell only all-natural wooden products, would these be affected?

Thanks for any info anybody wants to throw my way! :)

[JacarandaDesigns]

yes, I was wondering too.

[Former_Member]

Hi woodgarden
I'm Canadian too, and asked this question re my fibre things, and was told that non-wool fibres have been tested and are okay, and I know wood is okay too-but it's generally not affecting us because we aren't US citizens-the rules are for them, and specifically for children's items...hope this helps

[Former_Member]

woodgarden
just looked at your site and maybe you should check on the toxicity of walnut oil, since the argument would be that little ones put everything in their mouth?

[Former_Member]

Hi, I'm Canadian too. I've heard that anything export within or to the US that is possibly for a child under the age of 12 years needs to be tested and certified. I'm working on getting info from the fleece supplier which is in Canada not China. But my concern is once you have the paperwork that product is safe, how do you keep customs from ripping packages open and what do you send with packaging to prove that your product is safe? How do you go about dealing with CPSIA from a Canadian point of view?

[TheWoodGarden]

Thanks everyone. It seems like there is some confusion about what exactly this bill means for everyone. I guess we'll just have to keep watching the situation with fingers crossed.

Mizdarlin, what do you mean by checking the toxicity of walnut oil--do you mean for lead? Is this what the bill is about? I feel confident that our finish is safe as it is certified organic.

This is all so confusing...

[Former_Member]

I don't imagine that there is lead in the walnut oil, but it isn't oil from the nut, it's oil from the tree, so organic or not, I would want to know that the properties of the oil were safe for my child to ingest.
This particular legislation is more complex than simply lead content, so I would suggest going through some of the threads in this Forum for your answers.

[Former_Member]

It seems that the CPSIA rules and regs are still pretty open and flexible. I think if and when they finally decide exactly how it's to be worded and more importantly, enforced, then we'll know how to respond. In the mean time, I think it makes more sense to just take it day by day.

[Former_Member]

Just on a side note... obviously the rules do not just apply to Americans, but to anyone selling to the States.

Wood is exempt if not treated/ painted, most fabrics and yarn are exempt. Which is why I have stopped using beads, buttons, and glass eyes on all my critters, doing it with felt now.

[BeneathTheRowanTree]

We are required to comply with Canadian standards.
When a US buyer chooses to import into the US by buying from you *they* are responsible for certifying their items if and only if they intend to release them into the US commercial market.

Of course, if you sell wholesale, you may want to ensure you have the required paperwork to ease your transactions etc.

BUT you can sell just as you are now, because at the end of the day it is the US citizen's responsibility to ensure their items meet US standards if they intend to resell in the US.

Think of it this way... bottle with PBA plastic are illegal to SELL in Canada. But I can go to a US website and buy one and import it for home use. No problem. No questions asked.

An American can come to Windsor and buy a big ol' plastic covered toy and take it home. No problem.

The new law is addressing the LEVELS of the bad stuff, not toys in general. And it is concerned with what is SOLD on the US market.

Neither the border,nor the mail will stop items for being dangerous. The law states that the IMPORTER must provide certification~ so the items must get TO the importer for them to have them certified. The certification is the responsibility of the importer. And again, if they aren't reselling the point is moot.

So unless you are talking wholesale (and still the importer is ultimately responsible) we as Canadians are not ruled by a US law (it is worth the read).

[TheWoodGarden]

BeaneathTheRowanTree, thank you! Your post is very reassuring.


mizdarlin said:
"I don't imagine that there is lead in the walnut oil, but it isn't oil from the nut, it's oil from the tree, so organic or not, I would want to know that the properties of the oil were safe for my child to ingest."

Actually, walnut oil is in fact from the nut. It has been used for hundreds of years on children's toys, and in fact we have received word from two separate allergists that pure oil does not contain the protein that some people are allergic to, so it is safe. I recently spoke with a toymaker who has been putting it on his toys for over 30 years without ever having a problem.

I know that's off topic, but just wanted to clarify! :)

Thanks everyone for your responses.

[Former_Member]

Great information Beneath the Rowan!

[Former_Member]

as a canadian, i've been wondering about this myself. thanks for bringing it up OP.

[Former_Member]

One thing BeneathTheRowanTree forgot was that the CPSC and the US government have yet to deterimine in what way they will be enforcing this law for items being shipped to the USA. They may yet decide to confiscate uncertified products at customs, in which case both you and your customer may wind up with an item "lost in the mail". It may take months before either of you know what happened to the purchase.
My suggestion is to go directly to the source that is incharge of enforcing the law it self reading as much of the site that you can, contact them with specific questions concerning your particular bussiness, and signing up for the updates. http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/cpsia.html is the main site concerning this law, and http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/smbus/cpsiasbguide.html is the easier to read guidelines but it doesn't go into as much depth as other links on the main site.

[CANADIANCREATIONZ]

Thanks for this question woodgarden,i am sure many of us are curious whether it effects them.
I hand paint things,sometimes children things i have been thinking i fall into a catagory of -not okay
But most things i paint (not all though)would not be touched by children just looked at like at paintings,frames etc...but jewelery boxes etc...would be touched

[Former_Member]

Thanks for the info.

[Former_Member]

Great info here, thanks

[MerrillLand]

I should point out that lead is organic too.

[TheWoodGarden]

Very true electricbluebird, and so is arsenic...I guess we can all drive ourselves crazy looking for potential health hazards.

[PatternsAndSuch]

Great thread, thanks.

[Former_Member]

Well I lost that message so here goes again. CPSIA has to do with manufacturers regardless of where they are, that make products targeted at 12 and under. If you don't make things for that age rage you can pretty much ignore it but I wouldn't be surprised if down the line it spreads out.
As crafters we become manufactureres and it doesn't matter where we live or what we make its the bottom line.
So here is the CPSIA booklet put out by the us consumer product safety prople.
http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/smbus/cpsiasbguide.html
It lets you know the exceptions ets.
But bottom line this was all brought about by big business trying to save a buck. Its us little guys that are getting stepped on because they didn't pay attention to how many home crafters there really are.
Implementation is in effect starting in Feb but there are some parts that are still being stepped in. HAHA enforcement. They say that a common sense enforcement will be made but who says any government uses common sense. Its a good law unfortunatley common sense dictates you don't use hazardous products in manufacture. Tell the Big business that.

[Former_Member]

You can also find out more at Change.org.

[WoodDesigner]

CPSIA is intended to protect children from un-safe untested products due unsafe toys from countries such as China, India, Pakistan but to name a few.

CPSIA applies to all toys made for children under 12.

[Former_Member]

the new CPSIA law is supposedly to protect USA children from products no matter where produced, but this is really a reactionary piece of legislation to cover up the US gov't's lack of enforcement of the already existing laws. However, all they are succeeding to do is make a mess of everything with this new outrageous legislation that will not be enforceable.

[Former_Member]

The CPSIA is a movement by large manufacturers and large corporate entities to push out their competition. They had a whole bunch of money and an army of high paid lobbyists to get it pushed through before anyone could do anything about it. Really, that is the crux of the CPSIA. Anyone that thinks this wasn't intended to harm owners of small businesses, family farms, and other small home based businesses is really kidding themselves.

As a Canadian living in the US, this is my take on things.