by Eric Marotta

Editor

Some local operators of second-hand stores, consignment and thrift shops that sell children's products say they are relieved to hear that the Consumer Products Safety Commission recently eased federal rules that some predicted could have put them out of business.

But that doesn't mean they are completely off the hook.

Effective Feb. 10, it will be illegal to sell children's products with more than 600 parts per million of lead, a limit that will drop to 300 parts per million on Aug. 14.

The law also limits children's products to 0.1 percent of certain chemicals called phthalates, which are used in the manufacture of plastics.

Health officials have long called for the removal of lead from products. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the health effects of phthalates in people are not fully known, but exposure may contribute to developmental and reproductive problems.

Commission rules approved last year required that all retailers certify that their products meet the new standards, which would have required expensive testing. But the commission announced a change in the rules Jan. 8, exempting second-hand, consignment and other resellers of used children's products from the certification standards.

However, while stores won't be forced to test for the contaminants, it will remain illegal to sell products that exceed their limits.

"Those resellers that do sell products in violation of the new limits could face civil and/or criminal penalties," a CPSC press release states. It did not specify any penalties.

That leaves retailers with some with questions.

"How are we supposed to know that we exceed the limit?" asked Beth Galambos, spokesperson for Goodwill Industries of Akron.

She said the agency's parent organization, Goodwill International, is working with the CPSC to determine how to best comply with the new standards. The agency operates 10 stores in Summit, Portage, Medina, Stark, Ashland and Richland counties.

The commission advises retailers to "pay special attention" to products that may contain lead, such as children's jewelry and painted wooden or metal toys, as well as toys with small parts or that may break into small parts and that lack age warnings.

Galambos said workers sort through all donations to find recalled or unsafe products and store employees spot check shelves and remove items that have "slipped through our screens."

She estimated about 8 percent of Goodwill Industries' business is in children's clothes, and a much smaller percentage in toys.

Mandy Single, manager of the Once Upon a Child resale store in Stow, said the new law could have put her operation out of business.

"It probably would have shut us down," she said, adding the greatest worry was the expense and inconvenience of having to test every item it purchased for resale.

"Not only was this going to hurt us, it was going to hurt our customers," she said.

E-mail: emarotta@recordpub.com

Phone: 330-688-0088 ext. 3171