Whim Publishing takes a look at the contamination in children's books.

D. Broughton, WP News Service

All the press about contaminated children's products coming in from foreign countries, and the press about the new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act prompted a look at an area I deal with regularly, children's books. The information available is either written in legal terms most people wouldn't understand, or is simply guesswork. The law itself is well understood in intent, but how it's being implemented isn't understood by hardly anyone, including most attorneys, since the regulations by which the law is being defined are in a continuing state of flux, changing almost daily. At the time of this writing, early March, the law and it's regulations are little understood, even though as of Feb. 10, children's products with lead content more than 600 parts per million cannot be sold in the U.S. That drops to 300 ppm in August. The law also sets limits on phthalates, a plastic softener that has been linked to liver disease and cancer.

Only one small publisher I could find would discuss the issue openly with the media. Rhonda Fischer of Whim Publishing, home of Randy Kazandy, Where Are Your Glasses?, had this to say: "We made sure from the outset that our products were produced in the USA by a reputable printer, certified by the EPA as a 'green' company. Worzalla book manufacturers have provided us with documentation detailing all the tests that have been done on their inks, papers, and other supplies. They meet or exceed the Federal guidelines in every area. They seem to understand the law better than anyone. Finding such a printer wasn't easy, nor inexpensive, but the lives of children are much too important to leave it to chance, or worry about a few dollars difference in price. As I understand it, lead is a big issue with the products coming in from overseas, mostly China, as well as mercury, and a number of carcinogens. Our products are certified lead free and child safe, and proudly announce this fact right on the cover. I believe we're the first publisher to do so."

When asked what she understands about the new CPSIA law, Mrs. Fischer replied: "I understand it about as much as anyone does, and fully agree with the intent of the law. We were concerned with the problem before it became big news. Regulations or not, we were looking to have safe product from the outset. I understand that some publishers are now stuck with books they can't legally sell. I let my legal team deal with technicalities. They have trouble keeping up with the nearly daily changes in regulations and interpreting it all as it applies to our books. The law is aimed at many products, and includes packaging. I can see how many publishers might be confused, it's a confusing situation. By using a quality U.S. printer like Worzalla, we stayed away from a majority of the problems associated with the law; such things as leaded ink have been outlawed in the states for many years now."

So, all in all, what does this mean for the publisher of children's books? The details may remain a mystery to most as the regulations keep changing. For sure, it means the publisher of children's books must tread very carefully, the fines for violating this law can be in excess of a hundred thousand dollars for each infraction. Whether each book constitutes an infraction, or one print run is an infraction, is still not known. Even the division of the government making the regulations, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, isn't sure yet. It seems the best way to be sure to be in compliance with the law is to use a reputable American printer and book binder. Parents, check to see where the book for your young child was printed, safely dispose of any that were printed in China. It adds insult to injury that the books must be disposed of as a hazardous material.