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Wednesday, February 13, 2008

LEAD : US CPSC Misses Chance To Curb Lead In Jewelry

The Consumer Product Safety Commission failed to exploit an opportunity to crack down on unsafe lead-tainted toy jewelry imports. This past August, Congress temporarily authorized the CPSC to make rules governing the manufacture of such products and to pursue violators in court -- powers the agency had lost after the resignation of its chairman left it without the necessary quorum. But that special authorization expired last week without the agency taking action against lead-tainted children's jewelry.

Consumer and environmental groups, as well as parents, are increasingly frustrated with the CPSC's sluggish pace. A CPSC spokeswoman said the agency didn't get to a vote to ban lead in children's jewelry because the necessary research on the issue by staff hadn't been completed before the temporary authorization expired.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

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