CBS 5, Sue Kwon

Aug 01, 2008 

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS 5) - The Consumer Product Safety Commission is now going to get a lot more toy safety testers thanks to a new bill passed by Congress, due in part to a well-known East Bay environmental advocacy group.
 
The bill doubles the agency's budget, increases staff by 20%, tightens industry safety standards, and gives the CPSC power to penalize companies making unsafe toys.

These are details Michael Green pushed for as his Center for Environmental Health helped shape the new rules. It's the East Bay agency known for testing thousands of children's products and demanding manufacturer recalls during the wave of recent lead scares.

While there's relief changes are on the way, there is concern they'll take too long. "It's a good thing, said Green, "but there is a problem in that the current leadership has not shown a commitment to protect people from toxic chemicals."

While acting CPSC chair Nancy Nord opposed the bill for stiff multi-million dollar fines, she applaudes the bill's passage.  Last year, 45 million children's products and toys were recalled last year. Now, the United States has the toughest lead standards in the world and plastics made with pthalates, which are connected to cancer, are banned.

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