Some of you will be able to read between the lines and see what this is...
CPSIA Set To Wipe Out Entire
Youth Power Sports Market
February 10th 2009 the power sports industry is set to receive its worst blow since the Consent Decree of the 1980s. The CPSIA, “Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act” contains a multitude of new regulations pertaining to a number of products including one particularly important section dealing with the use of lead and phthalates in children’s toys.
Lead is used as an additive in some paints, battery terminals, cable and many other products. Phthalates are used in plastic and other materials to make them more flexible or pliable. Phthalates are used in plastic and other materials to make them more flexible and have been linked to birth defects and childhood developmental issues. However, both chemicals are only harmful if injested.
As of February 10, 2009 the CPSIA will ban the manufacturing or selling of “any” products designed and or sold for use by children under twelve years of age. These products cannot use any components containing more then 600 parts per million of lead or 100 parts per million of phthalates. With the common use of these products in the power sports industry, manufacturers and dealers will by law, no longer be allowed to sell any ATVs and dirt bikes designed and marketed for children under twelve.
Besides lead and phthalates, other parts of the CPSIA deal with new safety guidelines for children’s ATVs. The new guidelines do away with the old displacement regulations for specific age groups. The new regulations set limits for top speed and various design features such as brakes, labeling, and flag pole mounts. The new safety guidelines take effect April 14, 2009.
Last year, manufacturers were asked to submit action plans on how they were going to deal with the lead, phthalates and new safety guidelines. It is our understanding that some of the major manufacturers are already compliant with all of these new regulations, but have not received approval from the CPSC on their action plans. Without approval on their action plans, manufacturers cannot continue to sell their youth models after the February 10 deadline whether they are compliant or not.
According to Lou Decuzzi President of DRR ATVs, a manufacturer of youth ATVs “The true intention of the CPSC is to eliminate sales of unsafe motor vehicles and manufacturers who haven’t complied with CPSC standards. The only problem is, they seem too overwhelmed with action plans and aren’t responding to manufacturers by the deadline they set forth. We are confident they will work through these issues”.
Other manufacturers such as Apex ATV were less optimistic. Teri Beckman from APEX said. “If this ban is not repealed, we can kiss our 10 years of research/development, hard work, marketing and racing goodbye. Not including all the money we put into the business. We will not have a business after Feb 10th, one stupid government bill to “protect us” will wipe out quite a few companies and jobs…..including ours! What the ______!”.
Glen Hansen, Communications Director for American Suzuki offered this statement, “We are 1) working with Suzuki dealers nationwide to make sure they completely understand the implications of this new legislation and how it will impact their business, and 2) we are working with Suzuki Motor Corporation in Japan as it undergoes testing and certification for the new lead-content requirements. We are also encouraging all Suzuki dealers to contact the elected officials who represent them in order to communicate the hardship this new law places on their business in this already difficult economy.”
Scott Wolfson, from the CPSC office of public affairs helped explain the new product standards to us and was eager to state the CPSC’s feelings on youth ATV models, “It is critically important to the CPSC that there be youth ATV models in the market place because we are an agency that has investigated far too many tragic deaths involving young riders who jumped on adult sized ATVs instead of ATVs appropriate for their size and capabilities.” We feel the CPSIA act has some good guidelines which will eliminate many of the unsafe off brand models being imported, but if something isn’t done fast this act is set to strike a serious blow to our industry and dozens of others.
Please help stop this tragedy before it is too late, contact your local congressman and tell them your thoughts on the CPSIA and its effect on the power sports industry.
CPSIA Set To Wipe Out Entire
Youth Power Sports Market
February 10th 2009 the power sports industry is set to receive its worst blow since the Consent Decree of the 1980s. The CPSIA, “Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act” contains a multitude of new regulations pertaining to a number of products including one particularly important section dealing with the use of lead and phthalates in children’s toys.
Lead is used as an additive in some paints, battery terminals, cable and many other products. Phthalates are used in plastic and other materials to make them more flexible or pliable. Phthalates are used in plastic and other materials to make them more flexible and have been linked to birth defects and childhood developmental issues. However, both chemicals are only harmful if injested.
As of February 10, 2009 the CPSIA will ban the manufacturing or selling of “any” products designed and or sold for use by children under twelve years of age. These products cannot use any components containing more then 600 parts per million of lead or 100 parts per million of phthalates. With the common use of these products in the power sports industry, manufacturers and dealers will by law, no longer be allowed to sell any ATVs and dirt bikes designed and marketed for children under twelve.
Besides lead and phthalates, other parts of the CPSIA deal with new safety guidelines for children’s ATVs. The new guidelines do away with the old displacement regulations for specific age groups. The new regulations set limits for top speed and various design features such as brakes, labeling, and flag pole mounts. The new safety guidelines take effect April 14, 2009.
Last year, manufacturers were asked to submit action plans on how they were going to deal with the lead, phthalates and new safety guidelines. It is our understanding that some of the major manufacturers are already compliant with all of these new regulations, but have not received approval from the CPSC on their action plans. Without approval on their action plans, manufacturers cannot continue to sell their youth models after the February 10 deadline whether they are compliant or not.
According to Lou Decuzzi President of DRR ATVs, a manufacturer of youth ATVs “The true intention of the CPSC is to eliminate sales of unsafe motor vehicles and manufacturers who haven’t complied with CPSC standards. The only problem is, they seem too overwhelmed with action plans and aren’t responding to manufacturers by the deadline they set forth. We are confident they will work through these issues”.
Other manufacturers such as Apex ATV were less optimistic. Teri Beckman from APEX said. “If this ban is not repealed, we can kiss our 10 years of research/development, hard work, marketing and racing goodbye. Not including all the money we put into the business. We will not have a business after Feb 10th, one stupid government bill to “protect us” will wipe out quite a few companies and jobs…..including ours! What the ______!”.
Glen Hansen, Communications Director for American Suzuki offered this statement, “We are 1) working with Suzuki dealers nationwide to make sure they completely understand the implications of this new legislation and how it will impact their business, and 2) we are working with Suzuki Motor Corporation in Japan as it undergoes testing and certification for the new lead-content requirements. We are also encouraging all Suzuki dealers to contact the elected officials who represent them in order to communicate the hardship this new law places on their business in this already difficult economy.”
Scott Wolfson, from the CPSC office of public affairs helped explain the new product standards to us and was eager to state the CPSC’s feelings on youth ATV models, “It is critically important to the CPSC that there be youth ATV models in the market place because we are an agency that has investigated far too many tragic deaths involving young riders who jumped on adult sized ATVs instead of ATVs appropriate for their size and capabilities.” We feel the CPSIA act has some good guidelines which will eliminate many of the unsafe off brand models being imported, but if something isn’t done fast this act is set to strike a serious blow to our industry and dozens of others.
Please help stop this tragedy before it is too late, contact your local congressman and tell them your thoughts on the CPSIA and its effect on the power sports industry.
