Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/25183
8A – Daily News – Tuesday, February 15, 2011 Ban on lead in toys hits ATV, motorbike industry WASHINGTON (MCT) — When members of Congress wanted to stop young children from ingesting lead from toys and jewelry, they passed a sweeping law in 2008 that went further than many intended: It also banned the sale of motorbikes and all-terrain vehicles if they're used by children and con- tain too much of the toxic metal. After a series of delays, the law is set to take effect Dec. 31, which is causing much consternation in the industry. "It seems kind of radical, I guess, to me," said Curtis Bleile, 39, the owner of Fastrax Motorsports in Puyallup, Wash., which sells parts and accessories for ATVs and motor- bikes. Responding to a slew of similar con- cerns, a bipartisan coalition of 43 members of Congress is out to pass bills that would permanently exclude youth-model motor- bikes and ATVs from the lead ban. In a letter to the Consumer Product Safe- ty Commission, the federal agency assigned to enforce the ban, 11 House members said the exemption was needed because Con- gress never intended to include motorcycles and ATVs in the new law. The law Congress passed bans making, importing or selling "any" product intended for children 12 and younger that contains more lead than the federal government's new standards allow. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said it had no choice but to include youth-model motorcycles and ATVs because of the way the law was word- ed. That's prompted a flood of complaints to the commission and to members of Con- gress. The House bill, sponsored by Montana Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg, is called the Kids Just Want to Ride Act. Rehberg said it was crucial that Congress "put to rest any confusion once and for all." Uncertainty over the new law already is affecting sales. Sales of motorbikes and ATVs are down nearly 40 percent since 2008, said owner Vicki Gray of South Bound Honda in Lake- wood, Wash., and South Sound Honda in Olympia, Wash. She attributed the drop in “It's silly. It's absolutely silly. Achild is going to eat their motorcycle? You know, come on. It has broad effects, and they have no idea." store owner, Vicki Gray sales to the national recession and the new lead ban. "A broad stroke of the pen affects all of us so hugely," Gray said. "And they don't do very good research before they do these things. ... It's silly. It's absolutely silly. A child is going to eat their motorcycle? You know, come on. It has broad effects, and they have no idea." Jim Boltz, the head of the Washington State Motorsports Dealers Association, said that sales of youth-model motorbikes and ATVs virtually stopped in 2008 when the law was passed. And with the delay in its implementation, he said, the uncertainty lingers. "It's a real negative situation that proba- bly never should have happened," he said. "We have enough uncertainty as it is, just with the economy, without this kind of stuff." Democratic Sen. Jon Tester of Montana, the chairman of the Congressional Sports- men's Caucus, called the new restrictions "overzealous" and said they "interfere with a way of life enjoyed by not just Montanans, but outdoor enthusiasts across America." "While the goal is admirable, it is impor- tant to inject a little common sense into the process," said Tester, the sponsor of the Sen- ate bill to exempt ATVs and motorbikes from the ban. "I want our kids and grandkids to be safe and protected from harmful toys, but we all know that most kids who are past the teething stage do not chew on their toys."