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Congress Threatens to Overturn Washington’s New Toxic Toys Law!
With the passage of the Children’s Safe Product Act here in Washington state this past April, we now have the nation’s strongest protections on lead, cadmium, and phthalates in toys and other kids products. Fortunately, Congress in the other Washington has taken notice and is considering strengthening protections for the rest of the country. To make sure that Washington’s standards remain in force, it’s crucial that the federal legislation allow states to have stronger toy protections for their kids if they choose.
Your voice is needed to protect this law! Send a fax here.
With the passage of the Children’s Safe Product Act here in Washington state this past April, we now have the nation’s strongest protections on lead, cadmium, and phthalates in toys and other kids products. Fortunately, Congress in the other Washington has taken notice and is considering strengthening protections for the rest of the country.
We support the proposed federal law. However, the proposed federal standards are weaker than what was just passed here in Washington. To make sure that Washington’s standards remain in force, it’s crucial that the federal legislation allow states to have stronger toy protections for their kids if they choose.
Send a fax to Congress here
On April 1st Governor Gregoire signed into law the Children’s Safe Product Act, which put into place the nation’s strongest protections on lead, phthalates and cadmium for children’s products.
Right now, a bipartisan Conference Committee is reconciling differences between House and Senate versions of the Consumer Product Safety Commission Reform Act, which will put in place stronger national toy safety standards. While these bills aren’t as strong as Washington state’s standards, they do establish the first ever national limits for lead and phthalates in toys and other products.
What’s most important from a Washington state perspective is that the federal legislation protect states’ ability to further regulate toxic chemicals in children’s products so that if a state wants stronger protections, they can have them! Without such a provision, Washington state’s landmark toy safety law will be null and void!
We’ve worked too hard to let a well-meaning federal bill overturn stronger toy safety regulations for Washington’s kids! Please fax the House and Senate conferees and tell them to pass the strongest federal toy safety bill possible but to also protect each state’s ability to have its own stronger regulations on chemicals in toys!
