Is this a statute that will only be in effect in the United States? From my understanding, most of the lead scare is from toys manufactured and painted in China. I wonder if it will have any effect on the real problem.
Many individuals who make toys make one-of-a-kinds. I can’t imagine the expense involved with testing every single toy like that. Perhaps a good compromise would be a label that clearly states, “This toy has not been tested for lead.” Let the parent decide.
If we price small toymakers out of the market, then only big corporations will be in control of what most parents buy for their children. I’d rather have a toy made for love of children, rather than a big profit motive, like toys used to be made.
In agriculture, it’s usually the big players who cause the problems (e coli, etc.), not the small-time farmers who sell locally. I’m willing to bet that it’s the same with toys. A large corporation with an incentive to shave a few pennies off of every unit made is probably more likely to let some lead paint slide through, but I don’t think someone who makes toys one at a time in their home would have as big an incentive to cover them in lead paint in the first place.