Testing required for
toys and clothing

TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WIVB) - A new federal law takes effect in a few weeks, requiring lead testing for all children's toys and clothing.

The new law requires all toys and clothing geared for kids under twelve to be tested for lead and phthatates, a chemical added to plastic to make it more pliable.

Karen Loder told us, the new law which takes effect on February 10th, will put her consignment shop (Moms and Tots) out of business.

News 4's Al Vaughters asked, "How much of your business here does that new law affect?"

Loder said, "99 percent."

But in these tough times, Karen told us, tossing all the clothes and toys just because they have not been tested would be devastating to her growing base of customers.
 
But the children's clothes at the AMVETS thrift shop, go to help American veterans.

There are fifteen racks; thousands of children's clothes that could end up in a landfill, and manager Mike Mariani said it would all be lost.

Mariani said, "In this store, it is going to hurt the American veteran. Veterans are not getting any money."

And Mariani says, with people losing their jobs, the timing for his customers could not be worse.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is charged with enforcing the new law, and Tuesday, commissioners agreed to consider proposals that could ease the impact on retailers.

But any action taken by the CPSC, would not kick in before the law takes effect, on February 10th.