Lead-Free Books: Government Regulation Gone Beserk

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REGULATIONS at MISSION BEACH, SAN DIEGO, CALIF...
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I truly hope that what I have just read is untrue:  any item available for sale to children must be certified as lead-free.  That includes books!  And it’s retroactive to any book published in the past.  Read the article at The Bookshop Blog.

These insane new regulations are the result of the recent legislation The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA H.R. 4040) of 2008 — or CPSIA, for short.  Just google CPSIA, and you will discover a lot on online chatter about this new law, which goes into effect apparently next month.

My pressing question:  what does that mean for us writers with self-published books that we market online?  Can you imagine if we must submit our books for certification?  And do we have to submit them for each “press run”?  With print-on-demand, one may be required to certify each book as it comes off the press.

I’m not an attorney, and I have little experience with government regulation.  However, I do recall from my teen age years that my father was livid as he saw small furniture plants in North Carolina driven out of business by new OSHA regulations regarding safety and health requirements.  The companies he knew never reopened.

I worry most about author Eugene Peterson, who wrote Eat This Book: A Conversation on the Art of Spiritual Reading.  Certainly no children will be allowed near that book — unless government certified, of course.  Also at risk is Tyler Florence, who wrote Eat This Book: Cooking with Global Fresh Flavors.  Has Tyler checked with some government agency to see if lead is among his book’s flavors?

MY SOLUTION:  go digital!  As far as I know, words on computer screens and e-book readers do not contain lead.  On second thought, maybe the electronic boxes do.  Maybe, even, this is a conspiracy to restrict children from coming near computers and electronic gear, based on their lead content — just think of all those solder points!

ANOTHER SOLUTION:  Write only x-rated material and label it as such.  This notifies the world — and big government — that this material is NOT for children and is therefore beyond the reach of this law.  Of course, the X rating will probably draw more children to your writing than if it were unrated.

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    Comment by
    Gale
    17 Jan 2009

    Your comment about the X-rated material made me laugh. I thought about that myself in regards to puzzles…I guess the only puzzles not affected would be those with naked people or obscenities on it. Ah, that's it…just add on the front inset of your book or in small print on whatever you are selling that is for adults but might appeal to kids in moderately small print the text “CPSIA H.R. 4040 is a Sh*tty Law” (without asterick of course)…then you can say it contains vulgar language and isn't intended for children.

    Really though, there is no reason to do that because this law does not apply to ordinary books that are aimed at a wide audience that might include children, only books specifically and PRIMARILY aimed at children:

    This PDF spells it out:
    http://www.cpsc.gov/library/foia/advisory/323.pdf

    Comment by
    tomcolvin
    17 Jan 2009

    Thanks for that informative link. Useful to have here for reference.

    Comment by
    Baby Furniture
    30 Jan 2009

    Very nice blog you have here. Bookmarked! :)

    Comment by
    tomcolvin
    30 Jan 2009

    Thanks. Just be sure none of the baby furnitures hold books full of lead.
    ;-)

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