Comments on: Burning Books for Consumer Safety? Really?

By: Carol Baicker-McKee

Carol Baicker-McKee — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 17:18:36 +0000

Join us in Washington DC on April 1st to show our congressmen what fools they've been! There will be a large rally from 9-5 on Capitol Hill with representatives and speakers from many of the businesses and organizations affected by this law, as well as a number of congressmen who support our efforts. I'm trying to organize a massive vintage book story time as part of the festivities – it's BYOB (as in book, not booze, though I do feel like turning to drink when I contemplate the impact of this law).

Deputy Headmistress is right about the reluctance of Congress to change this law in any way (and CPSC is equally adamant they cannot grant exemptions for pre-1985 books without changes in the wording of the law). I have made numerous calls to both my senators and my congressman, as well as to various members of the commerce committees that control bills to amend the CPSIA. So far, every staffer I've spoken with has been quite clear that there is tremendous opposition in Congress to any attempts to "dilute" the law, and they don't think the amendment bills will get out of committee.

It's true that the old books have no existing organization to support them. I'm doing my best to get the word out and ask everyone who sees this to spread the word.

By the way, it's not just the older books that have to be tested. It's also novelty books like pop-ups and touch and feel books (think Pat the Bunny) that are defined as playthings rather than reading material. And books with spiral or plastic comb bindings. And, very importantly, the stapled paperback picture books that school book clubs sell and early literacy programs distribute for free.

This law will set back literacy efforts in this country tremendously. Please come rally with us, blog, tell your neighbors, talk to your librarians and your kids' teachers.

By: DeputyHeadmiss

DeputyHeadmiss — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 23:34:56 +0000

Thank-you for addressing this issue. Some of us have been crying out about this since we heard of it in January, and we feel like voices calling in the wilderness.
Sadly, It is not a 'misunderstanding' and Congress has no intention of withdrawing it. Commissioner Moore of the CPSC called for libraries to 'sequester' older books for children 12 and under, and since the law calls for the banning of any children's product which contains lead without any consideration for risk assessment, the CPSC has little option- and they very specifically stated that they would not fine or arrest anybody for selling books printed AFTER 1985. The worst consequence is NOT the reaction of those who have read the law and listened to their legal counsel and paid attention to what Congress stubbornly refuses to do (call a meeting and pass the reform bills before them)- the worst consequence is the bill itself and all the good things it destroys without any corresponding increase in safety. The law calls for the destruction (as toxic waste) of all products found to have lead in them over the ridiculously low levels of 300 ppm (as of August)- *regardless* of whether the lead has ever poisoned a child or could poison a child, and tragically, that includes children's books printed before 1985.
And the testing? What if a pre-1985 book tests are free of lead? It's a moot point for most second hand booksellers, as the third party testing required by law generally destroys the product- irrelevant if you are a maker of 10,000 duplicate plastic bathtub books. But if you are the seller of one copy of a pre-1985 edition of Taran Wanderer, or Miss Suzie, The King with Six Friends, or Arthur Ransome's Russian Fairy Tales, or one of the Green Knowe books- you cannot afford to test it because you can't recoup the cost of testing, and you would destroy the book anyway in the process of the wet testing required by law.

Sequestering the books. Disposing of them as 'toxic waste.' This is madness, and every week something new comes out and I learn it's even worse than I thought. Last week the Commission posted a pdf file of a power point presentation for training- and on the sixth page without explanation they dismissed concerns about books by stating they had no useful life after 20 years anyway.

By: David_N_Wilson

David_N_Wilson — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 18:08:31 +0000

I agree with many others that it's also an over-reaction on the part of Thrift Stores, etc…because I believe this will be repealed once the've been hit on the head with it.

By: AravisGirl

AravisGirl — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 18:01:14 +0000

I'm really upset too.

They already passed it, and it's already begun. From what I understand, it's illegal to give or sell them, so we can't start a drive.

Argghh!

By: Wyatt at Pan

Wyatt at Pan — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 16:44:11 +0000

Thanks for writing about this issue and alerting me to it. I had missed the original news. This is really quite sad and needs action.

By: Marie Angell

Marie Angell — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 16:42:39 +0000

It is a tragic shame and makes no sense. The worst consequence is the reaction of those who are destroying the books out of fear of the heavy hand of the government, when this regulation is almost certainly is either a misunderstanding or will be withdrawn.