High profile of recall last summer has triggered common practice of elevating threshold for imported toys. We understand that, some testing item should be amended and standard might be stricter to some extent so as to guard against quality and safety problem. However, everything must stop where it should stop. Never ending stricter requirement is impenetrable.
Only United States has a good few of cases. At the end of last year, House of Representatives advanced and approved an act on consumable safety, requiring nearly no lead contained in toys. In February this year, Toy Industry Association and American National Standards Institute publicized a Toy Safety Coordination Initiative (TSCI). Furthermore, March 6 saw a stricter testing act on importer toys, which was approved by Senate. Rising wind forebodes coming storm, although these have not taken effect,
A majority of toys in US, a large consumption country for toys, is supplied by China. TSCI stipulates factory rating and compulsory testing, and supplier must foot the bill for the whole process. Testing fee will be around 20,000 to 60,000 yuan every time. Finally, it only results in steep rise of makers’ expense.
Moreover, TSCI also described that, all toys exported to US must be sent to third party lab for sample testing according to ASTM F963, and necessary improvement must be made so as to tally with standard. Periodic retesting is also described.
All raw materials suppliers must offer effective attestation for their products and only accredited materials can be used. Nonscheduled test would be carried out. Once the product is found to be unqualified, it would be rejected and cooperation would be terminated.
ASTM F963 costs around 100 to 10,000 yuan for each test. If a factory launches 10 to 20 new items every year, it faces soaring testing fee. According to China’s provision, products for domestic sales that get 3C certificates are in exemption from inspection for export. However, TSCI requires compulsory audit and certification. It only brings on repeated testing and higher expenditure. Above program will increase production cost of exported toys by 25 to 30 percent, industry analyst estimates. The excessive part is more than China’s factories can afford.
In fact, inspection debarment of Chinese government has strictly guarantee toys, so repeated test TSCI encourages is a little hyper corrected, I think. Soaring up cost will finally transferred to US consumers.
May I offer a piece of advice? Thinking about our makers, as well as your market and consumers.
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