New Law Regulates Lead On Youth ATVs And Motorcycles
A new national limit on lead in children’s products including small motorcycles and ATV’s may force motorcycle dealers to pull dirt bikes and other products off showroom floors.
The new law prevents the sale of all products for children ages 12 and under that contains lead over specified limits. The new law will hurt all ages of riders of some widely popular motorcycles, motocross and mini-bikes because they now won’t be able to get new equipment or repair the machines they have.
The new law, which is widely recognized as being well intentioned, is now being criticized as being too far reaching and lacking common sense. For example, according to Paul Vitrano, executive vice president and general counsel, Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (SVIA) – “Some ATV and motorcycle parts unavoidably contain small quantities of lead,” … “Lead in these components is necessary, either for safety, as in the case of facilitating the machining of tire valves, critical to assuring tire air retention, or for functionality, such as the lead in battery terminals, which is needed to conduct electricity.”
On January 28th, 2009 the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC), a not-for-profit industry association representing about 300 motorcycle and scooter manufacturers and distributors, requested immediate relief from the new law.
In the petition, the MIC stated “through this petition, MIC joins some of its member companies in seeking emergency relief, in the form of a temporary final rule, granting a temporary exclusion from the lead limits for certain lead-containing materials…” The MIC is hoping to gain some time to allow the industry to review the feedback and impacts of the new law.
Read the contents of the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) Petition. (PDF)
Read the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) – General Council’s Response. (PDF)
Contact Information for the CPSC:
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission
4330 East West Highway
Bethesda, MD 20814
Headquarters
General Information: (301) 504-7923 M-F 8:00 am – 4:30 pm ET
Fax: (301) 504-0124 and (301) 504-0025
E-mail: Contact Form
Related Links:
Motorcycle Industry Council Letter to the CPSC.
CPSC response to the Motorcycle Industry Council.
Here was the short letter I sent to Pta. Please send me a link to Hellomoney@vmdirect.com on how to sign any petition. Thanks
My children and the children of many of my friends and their families have been riding quads for many years and we have NEVER had any injuries with any of the small children riding. Whenever we go out to ride, all the children are dressed in the proper gear and are fully protected. We know there is no major issue with the very small amounts of lead that are in these vehicles, and I don’t know anyone who allows their children to eat or lick the parts of their quads. Because of your stance on this, myself, and any and all of my friends and business associates will no longer support any PTA. This is absolutely ridiculous. Thanks for your short term destruction of a responsible industry that will lose millions of dollars from the pulling of their product. It will probably add to job losses. Keep up the good work!! We need more industry down-turns in this already fragile economy. The bikes and quads are worldwide sellers. Wow!! Sincerely BOB
I agree. This is complete BS! I just bought my kids dirt bikes for Christmas. thank goodness I did or else I wouldn’t even be able to get them now. I thought that we wanted our country to get back on it’s feet and wanted to help americans??? This will take away more money that should be going into the economy and into the pockets of people that make and sell these products. The next thing they will take away is our cars…maybe one of the kids can learn to pop the hood and lick the battery under there…how ridiculous! Riding bikes and atv’s keeps alot of kids busy in our littl etown where there isn’t alot to do, besides drink and get into trouble. I bet we see the youth in america getting into alot more trouble with that kind of stuff now. I’m so glad that our government has the americans peoples best interest at heart. I hope you all open your eyes soon. Holly
The Motorcycle Industry Council predicts that the new lead rules “could lead to $1 billion in lost economic value in 2009 for the industry”…
When the guy at the moto-cross shop told me that he couldnt sell me parts for my girls 90cc atv, I thought he was full of @#$%. After reading this I realize that it is true, I might play hell gettin parts for this off brand, small atv I bought to teach my girls how to ride. I would think that we MUST have something else to consider in our law makings?!?! Shane/Dad