|
The boneheads in Washington take another step at saving us from ourselves and intervene to protect us from all harm. Imagine, giving your child an ATV that contains some particles of LEAD in the valve stems. Not too worry, Uncle Sammy just saved your child's health from exposure to that valve stem by banning the whole freakin ATV.
Here's an article from the Salt Lake Tribune:
China lead-toy law impacts kids' ATVs, dirt bikes
Law ยป Also illegal to service existing children's machines.
By Dawn House
The Salt Lake Tribune
Doug Smith, owner of South Valley Motorsports in Draper,... (Paul Fraughton / The Salt Lake Tribune)
A new national limit on lead in virtually all children's products, which has some retailers wondering what they can sell, is also forcing motorcycle dealers to pull small dirt bikes and ATVs off showroom floors.
On Feb. 10, it became illegal to sell off-road machines made for children younger than 12 because parts may contain lead at levels greater than 600 parts per million. The ban includes machine parts that contain small quantities of lead, such as valve stems on tires, aluminium in some brake components and battery terminals.
"The law was supposed to stop children's toys made in China from containing lead, but realistically children aren't going be putting a motorcycle or an ATV frame into their mouths," said Doug
Doug Smith, owner of South Valley Motorsports in Draper, with a child-scale motor bike that he can no longer sell because of the law against lead in items designed for use by children. (Paul Fraughton / The Salt Lake Tribune)
Smith, owner of South Valley Motorsports in Draper. "Things have gotten way out of hand." Smith is warehousing more than 20 children's dirt bikes and ATVs until manufacturers tell him the machines are legal to sell. The law also means that he cannot service existing off-road machines geared for children because vehicle parts also come under the lead ban.
Nichole Mallory of South Jordan said extended family members are frustrated that they cannot buy off-road youth models for their children. "I thought we were OK because we already have a smaller ATV, but now we can't get it serviced," she said.
Congress -- including the entire Utah delegation -- tightened lead limits on children's products last summer after hundreds of thousands of toys imported from China were recalled. The law took partial effect last week when a judge nixed a 12-month reprieve while the Consumer Products Safety Commission finalizes rules and lead-testing requirements.
Although the law won't be enforced for a year, retailers can no longer sell products that contain materials in question. They may also find once the rules are clarified that the inventory now filling their storage rooms is worthless.
Despite the postponement, "it is still illegal for you to sell children products" containing lead, said Yamaha Motor Corp., USA in a nationwide memo to its dealers. The memo advises retailers against selling youth-size machines "no matter what you may have heard from any other source" because the federal government "can impose strict penalties on you for noncompliance."
The law could push kids onto larger, more powerful machines if the ones running with engine displacement between 50 cubic centimeters and 100 are no longer available, said Fred Hayes, off-highway vehicle program coordinator for Utah State Parks.
"We're concerned that the federal government may force kids to ride adult machines, and if that happens, we'll see a lot more accidents," he said.
Even the agency administering the ban understands that the law may be counterproductive.
"It is critically important to the Consumer Product Safety Commission that youth models be available because we are the federal agency that has investigated numerous deaths involving young riders who jumped on to adult-size ATVs," said spokesman Scott Wolfson.
But the agency said it does not have the authority to exempt an entire class of products from the ban, and is reviewing thousands of products to decide if they meet the new lead standards.
In another twist, the Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act went into effect on Feb. 10, even though the deadline for public comment on how the law was to be implemented ended a week later, on Feb. 17.
-- The Associated Press contributed to this story .
_________________
Dave
by , on Flickr
Some people are like Slinkys. They have no purpose, but they sure bring a smile to your face when you push them down the stairs.
|
Login
FAQ
Search
