FACT:  Are you aware that Essco Safety Check is certified to provide lead-based paint inspections.  Certified lead professionals will come to your location (in Washington State) and using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) Analyzers will inspect for lead-based paint.

FACT:  The services Essco Safety Check provide contractors and homeowners, will save you time & money when complying with the new RRP ruling and lead-based paint inspections.  Consider the fact that documents must be retained for three years following the completion of a renovation; we will store all your testing data for free.

FACT:  Currently, EPA approved LeadCheck Kits can determine that regulated lead-based paint is not present on all surfaces except plaster and drywall. 

QUESTION:  What is a contractor suppose to do to determine if lead-based paint is present?

FACT:  Homeowners, apartment owners, government-assisted or public housing, schools and childcare facilities that are older than 1978 that have a contractor disturb a painted surface do to renovation, repair or painting must have the contractor:
 A.  Assume the property contains lead-based paint and follow lead-safe work practices, or
 B.  You or your contractor may also test for lead using a lead test kit.  These kits must be EPA-approved (please refer to above FACT about LeadCheck Kits), or
 C.  Hire a certified professional to check for lead-based paint.  These professionals are certified risk assessors or inspectors and can determine if your home has lead or lead hazards.

FACT:  If you are going to have your property inspected for lead-based paint or lead hazards, Essco Safety Check can:
 
• Save you time & money with hassle-free lead inspection services
• Provide non-destructive XRF testing by a certified lead inspector or risk assessor
• Assist with your data storage and EPA testing compliance issues

QUESTION:  How do I contact Essco Safety Check about my RRP lead testing needs?

FACT:  Visit http://www.essco-safetycheck.com/services/re.htm for more information or call Seth at 425-749-4136.

FACT:  Essco Safety Check is offering a 20% discount off current prices for companies who call and book an RRP inspection by November 1st, 2010.   Good for first inspection for new customers only.

Environmental Services & Solutions Corporation
d.b.a. Essco Safety Check
15906 NE 83rd Street
Redmond, WA 98052
www.essco-safetycheck.com

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Jubilee Farm - Autism Day of Washington 2010

The 10th Annual Autism Day of Washington was held on Saturday, August 7th, 2010 at the Jubilee Farm in Carnation Washington. Autism Day is an event designed for families touched by autism a chance to relax in a beautiful setting surrounded by people and businesses who understand. A variety of individuals and companies, service providers and organizations wishing to reach out to the autistic community participated in the event.

Essco Safety Check participated for the third year in a row by providing FREE X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) testing to look for heavy metals (lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury and others) in consumer products. As one mom explained to her autistic child, “they are looking for toxic toys.” We provided a display of products found in the typical home that have been tested and identified with lead, cadmium, arsenic and mercury as well as information and publications from the EPA, HUD and Washington State Department of Health.

The rain could not stop hundreds of people from attending the event, going for hayrides, playing on the slip and slide or visiting all the vendor’s booths. Families brought toys, ceramics, jewelry and other consumer products by Essco Safety Check’s booth for XRF testing. Of all items that were tested, ceramics (coffee cups, plates and bowls) were found with the most amounts of lead and cadmium.

Hayrides and Spongebob during Autism Day of Washington 2010

By using technologies such as XRF Analyzers, we can help people and businesses gain knowledge about their environment. If you know what is in your environment, you can mitigate potential harm. Essco Safety Check has been providing in-home environmental testing services for almost three years. Autistic families appear to be more concerned about what is in their environment and have been contacting Essco Safety Check to know what is in their environment since January 2008.

As a service provider to families affected by autism, Essco Safety Check has found there to be a constant in each and every in-home inspection for an autistic family. You should know that these are just observations from our perspective of testing. Essco Safety Check inspectors are not doctors, but are certified lead inspectors and risk assessor.

Essco Safety Check's Booth at Autism Day of Washington 2010

In each and every case of providing testing services to autistic families, the parents of the autistic children tell us that their children have heavy metals in their blood. When they inform us what heavy metals are found in their child’s blood, when we provide XRF testing of the consumer products and objects and items these autistic children come in contact with, we find the same heavy metals in the products as is found in their blood.

I’m not suggesting that heavy metals are the cause of autism; however, I believe that a person with autism has a predisposition to not be able to process the heavy metals and chemicals we all come in contact with. Considering that we are all subjected to a variety of heavy metals in our daily life, until you remove the heavy metals that are affecting the autistic person, how can you effectively treat autism?

Essco Safety Check has developed a methodology of collecting and analyzing the personal environment using XRF Analyzers, photography and an environmental software platform. By understanding what is in your environment you can make educated decisions as to what you, your children, you customers or employees are exposed to.

Know what is in your environment and mitigate harm.

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This was before recalls and regulations and since then the landscape has changed.  There are now state and federal regulations regarding lead and other toxicants in children’s products (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act – CPSIA).  These regulations were passed with the emphasis on finding toxic toys at a time when several large national recalls were happening. 

Over the past several years of providing in-home inspections for consumers, assisting autistic families with knowledge about their environment and providing testing services to businesses about the products they manufacture or sell, we have become experts in understanding the relationship between consumer products, the end-user and the regulations of those products.  This knowledge base and relationships we have developed with toxicologists, lawmakers, consumers and businesses has given us a unique perspective of the entire marketplace and market cycle.

With the knowledge that we have gained, we’ve become aware that not all products that you and I believe are consumer products are in fact, consumer products.  Certain products are exempt from heavy metal testing, because these products are considered medical devices.  Both children and adults use these products and they are sold everywhere without restrictions.  Some of these products are even put directly into the mouth, why are these products exempt from certain regulations?

Understanding the relationship between a product someone uses and what that product is made of, can easily mitigate harm.  Just because a product is not considered a children’s product does not mean that a child will not use that product.  There are some good uses for lead, but not in a toy or a coffee cup or a toothbrush. 

What about pregnant women?  In a discussion I had with Steve Gilbert (he is an expert in the field of toxicology, PhD, DABT) he has shared his knowledge with me and I’m here to share it with you.

Did you know that a child and a pregnant woman absorb 30-50% of the lead they ingest.  A typical adult only absorbs about 10%.  This is because lead substitutes for calcium and the growing body needs more calcium.  This is one of the reasons that kids are more sensitive to lead exposure. Pregnant women use all different types of consumer products, including medical devices.  Do you think that they should be exposed to lead and other potentially harmful metals during pregnancy?

Know what is in your environment and mitigate harm.

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Are you aware that many OTC consumer products aren’t tested for heavy metals because they’re not considered consumer products?
Think toothbrushes, dental floss and other oral hygiene products.  Would you believe that they are not considered consumer products?  These items are considered medical devices and even thought they are designed or used by children, they do not fall within the definition of children’s products that require third-party testing for heavy metals as defined by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). 
 
Pregnant women & children absorb the same percentage of the toxins that they ingest.  Don’t you think that the products pregnant women use be regulated the same as a child’s product?
 “Pregnant women use all different types of consumer products, including medical devices.  Children and pregnant women absorb 30-50% of the lead they ingest while adults absorb only about 10% – this is because lead substitutes for calcium and the growing body needs more calcium.  One of the many reasons kids are more sensitive to lead exposure.”[1]

Contamination continues in the kitchen; do you know what is in your kitchen cabinets?
In my experience, the typical kitchen contains the most number of potentially harmful metals and toxins.  Lead and other heavy metals have been found in cutting boards, plates, coffee cups, serving utensils, pots and pans and other typical kitchen items.  If a ceramic has a chip or crack in the glaze, there is the potential that toxins could be leaching into the food or beverage that you ingest. 

                                                 ———————

My name is Seth Goldberg and I own an environmental testing and software company, Environmental Services & Solutions Corporation (Essco Safety Check).  We specialize in using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzers and our own proprietary software to identify and analyze potentially harmful and regulated heavy metals (elements like lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic and others) in consumer products, housing and various other materials.  Our clients include moms and dads, homeowners, businesses, industries and governments who want to “know what is in their environment.”  We have been providing these services since 2007 and have been involved in three national recalls, including taking part in an AP investigation about cadmium in children’s jewelry in January 2010. 

The recent recall in children’s OTC products, spurred my concerns that some typical consumer products which are purchased OTC and are routinely used by all consumers, including children and pregnant women, are not considered consumer products and thus are not subject to particular regulations that implore safety and mitigate harm.  I can supply specific data and links to all information mentioned above.

You can learn more about our company at www.essco-safetycheck.com 

Please let me know if you have any questions.

[1]  Steven Gilbert, PhD, DABT

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You, as a homeowner, child care facility operator, school administrator or a contractor, need to ask a few questions to see if the new rules will apply. 

Are you going to do any remodeling, repair or painting on a property (home, child care facility or school) that was built before 1978?  If so, the contractor performing the work must be certified and follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.

Common remodeling, repair or painting activities such as sanding, cutting and demolition can create hazardous lead dust and chips by disturbing lead-based paint.  Lead is most commonly ingested by dust, but can also be found in soil, your water or household items (toys, ceramics, jewelry, etc)

Lead is a harmful toxicant that can be especially dangerous to children under six.  It can affect the central nervous system and affect the development of children’s brains.  It can reduce IQ scores and cause learning disabilities and behavioral problems.

According to the EPA 24% of homes that are built from 1960 – 1978 contain lead based paint, 69 % of homes built from 1940 – 1960 contain lead-based paint and 87% of homes built before 1940 contain lead-based paint.  The EPA estimates that 37.8 million pre-1978 housing units and child-occupied facilities are still in use today.

If you are going to do or have any remodeling, repair of painting on a pre-1978 property than you have a few options. 

1.)  You can assume that your home, child care facility, or school contains lead and thus follow lead safe work practices.
2.) You or your contractor can test for lead using an EPA-approved testing kit, typically available at hardware stores.
3.)  You can hire a certified professional (certified lead inspector or risk assessor) to determine if your property has lead or lead hazards.

Regardless of the age of the home, contractors should; contain the work area, minimize dust and cleanup thoroughly.  The RRP Rule is simply designed to assure that workers, homeowners and children are protected from the harmful effects of lead.

There are some exclusions and an opt-out provision to the RRP Rule, they include:

1.) Renovations that affect only components that have been determined to be free of lead-based paint.
2.) Activities that disturbs fewer than 6 square feet interior or 20 square feet exterior.  This excludes window replacement, demolition and projects involving prohibited practices
3.) Work done by individuals in housing they own and occupy.

The Opt-out provision is:
1.) Homeowners may opt out of the rule requirements if:
 a.) They occupy the housing to be renovated,
 b.) The housing is not a child-occupied facility, and
 c.) No child under age 6 or pregnant woman resides there

Homeowners may still request lead-safe work practices and I would highly urge all contractors to use lead-safe work practices.

As a certified Lead Inspector, an owner of an environmental company (Essco Safety Check) and a person with extensive knowledge about the personal environment, there are a few other things that you should know to help protect you, your family, your tenants, children and workers.

The current approved method to test for lead by a contractor is to use an EPA Approved Lead testing kit and there must be a written determination by a certified renovator using a lead test kit.

 Acceptable test kits will have to meet the following criteria:
1.)  Phase 1: Be capable of determining the presence of lead at levels >/= 1.0 mg/cm2 or > 0.5% by weight; and should have no more than 5% false negative results.
2.)  Phase 2: Criteria above; and should have no more than 10% false positive results.

For a list of approved testing kits, click here.

OR

Have a certified inspector or risk assessor provide a written determination that lead-based paint is present of not present.

As a certified lead inspector and risk assessor, my choice of testing equipment is X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) Analyzers.  They are a portable, handheld, non-destructive testing source to determine if lead and other harmful elements are present or not present. 

XRF analyzers can provide a much greater degree of accuracy to determine lead; with our analyzers we can determine if there is as little as 10ppm and review each test spectrum to ensure that lead is present or not present.

The costs for testing using XRF are slightly more than the approved testing kits; however, you receive much more valuable information about your environment.

Here is the scenario;

You hire a contractor who is certified, but they use the approved testing kits and determine that there is not lead over the “limit standard” of 5000ppm.  Because of this, the contractor gets right to work and does his job, but wants to save time and money and doesn’t use “lead safe work practices” because he has determined lead is not at the action level.

BOOM the wall is cut, dust is flying, and a day or two later your remodel is done.

I’m going to step back a second and talk regulations of lead paint standards.

In 1978, lead paint standards were adopted and the maximum allowable amount of lead in paint was 600ppm.

2008, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) was signed and began regulating the amount of lead in children’s products.

2009 under the CPSIA the maximum allowable amount of lead on a painted surface for a children’s product is 90ppm.

2010 90ppm is the maximum allowable amount of lead to be sold in paint for consumers (there are some exemptions)

2010 the current amount of allowable lead in an area to be remodeled, 4999ppm.

Now back to our scenario;

Your contractor has determined, using an approved testing kit that there is less than 5000ppm of lead in the area to be remodeled.  But is lead really there? If so, how much lead is really there?  Are there any other potentially harmful elements such as cadmium or mercury?

It is possible for there to be almost 5000ppm of lead, which is currently 4910ppm more than is permitted today and ok to not use lead safe work practices.

XRF gives a much greater detailed image of what is present or not present.  Using X-Rays the analyzer will determine if lead is present on older, deeper paint surfaces.  With this knowledge you can help protect your family, children and the workers performing the remodel.

I see an opportunity where regulation can spur job creation, which ultimately benefits the health and wellbeing of children, homeowners and contractors.

What do you think of the RRP Rule?

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In the past few years, we have heard all too frequently about lead and now cadmium found in children’s toys and children’s jewelry.  Children’s products are regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) which limits the amount of certain heavy metals in consumer products designed for children 12 years of age and younger.  In my experience, toys typically have lower amounts and frequency of possessing lead, but do you know what is in your kitchen?

Recently I was out performing an in-home inspection specifically looking for lead for a family that had three young children, all with lead found in their blood.   My company (Essco Safety Check) specializes in using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzers, which is a non-destructive, accurate, efficient testing source to determine if specific elements such as lead, cadmium, arsenic or mercury are present in virtually anything (toys, ceramics, jewelry, soil, structures, etc).   In this particular home, there was actually very little lead found in the children’s products or in the structure of the home. 

When we provide testing, we typically want to test the items that people, specifically children are routinely exposed to.  I want to test the things that children put in their mouths, the items that they have regular contact with and could potentially be a source of harm.  I never hope to find lead or other harmful toxicants, but it is typically found in the average home in a variety of different products, substrates and locations.  I’m not here to say that these toxicants are going to harm or have harmed anyone; however, if present they maybe a potential source of harm.

After testing most of the children’s products that are used regularly and specifically placed in their children’s mouth, I proceeded to the kitchen to further analyze items that could potentially be the source of lead in the children.  Now in my experience, the kitchen typically possesses the most amounts of potentially harmful metals, specifically in ceramics.  This home did have some heavy metals in their ceramics, and in one case, a ceramic piece of cookware was found with lead over 5500 PPM. 

With a ceramic, the most important thing to look at (besides the elemental makeup) is the condition of the glaze.  If the condition of the glaze of a ceramic is not compromised, you should not have to worry about the makeup of that ceramic.  However, if the ceramic in question has a compromised glaze (there is a crack, chip or blemish) you should take note of what that ceramic is made of.  Unfortunately the only way to know what the ceramic is made of is to have it tested.

The ceramic found with lead did have a compromised glaze, and the owner decided not to use this item any more (it was given to me to use as an educational display piece).  But in this kitchen I found something that I’ve never seen before.   I found lead in a plastic ladle! 

Black plastic ladle found with lead (750 PPM)

I’ve seen lead all over the place in the home and specifically the kitchen, but not in a serving utensil.  I’ve found lead and other toxicants (cadmium and arsenic) in ceramics, pots and pans and even a cutting board.  I’ve had conversations with toxicologists and elemental specialists from the FDA.  Do you know that your coffee cup is regulated by the FDA (inside of the cup) and CPSC (outside of the cup)?

The amount of lead found in the ladle was approximately 750 PPM.  This level is over twice the total content level for a children’s product (CPSIA), but this product is not regulated as a child’s product.  I’m not suggesting that this ladle is even the source of this specific case of lead found in children’s blood, but lead was found in a product that is exposed to a variety of different heat conditions , as well as, the potential for acids (like tomato soup) and children are exposed to  and this type of product.

As I said at the beginning, I am not here to scare anyone; I am here to provide insight and knowledge.  I’m not saying that the ladle or cookware was the cause of lead in the children from this home, but lead was found in the kitchen and in consumer products that children are exposed to on a regular basis.

Do you know what is in your kitchen?

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My goal of the post was not to scare anyone or sell my services; I simply want to provide knowledge and insight that I have obtained over the past two plus years of providing testing services. In all my testing, there has been one constant, when I test for parents of autistic children and they inform me of their children’s blood metals, I do find the same metals in the consumer products and items these children are exposed to and regularly use; to me this a big coincidence. As I said in my initial comment, I’m not saying that heavy metals are the cause of autism but I have found them in 100% of autistic homes I’ve tested. I suspect that these metals found in the blood of these autistic children are masking the ability to properly treat autism and until you remove these metals from these children’s environment, you may not even be able to treat autism properly. I apologize if you thought my intention was to scare or make money, I’d much rather be out of business because consumer products didn’t have potentially harmful toxicants. I really just wanted to add to the conversation and hope that potential studies can be done. I have data on consumer products and I want to help anyway I can, right now, information is what we provide so people and businesses can make educated decisions as to what is in their environment and ultimately what they are exposed to.

On August 7th, 2010 make sure you visit the Jubilee Farm in Carnation for Washington’s 10th Annual Autism Day. We will be onsite providing free consumer product testing and if our grant from the EPA comes in, we will provide free blood lead screening to all participants.

Here is my reposted article:

“Autistic families are more aware of their environment”

I was recently asked, “Who are my biggest clients?” My business provides elemental information to a variety of different customer bases; consumers, businesses, industries and government. Each group has different reasons for the knowledge we provide. But there is one specific sub-group which seems to be most concerned about their environment, parents of autistic children.

The topic of autism and heavy metals is generally only discussed in a small circle of people. To be honest my knowledge of autism and environmental concerns, prior to 2007 and the start of my business (www.essco-safetycheck.com), was very limited about autism and about environmental concerns, “paper or plastic?” But my perceptions have changed dramatically, not only about autism and environmental concerns but how we can help people to improve lives with knowledge of your environment.

When I answered the question, of course I mentioned a few names of businesses, but when I thought about it I said that the one group of people who are my biggest clients and most concerned about the environment are families with autistic children.

I was asked “Why?” Now, I first want to emphasize that I am not a doctor or scientist, maybe I’m becoming a researcher, but this is just my insight and opinion.

For two years I have been to many consumers homes providing XRF testing, in-home assessments for potentially harmful elements in consumer products (toys, ceramics, jewelry, I want to test the things that you have a direct relationship to), housing, structures, soil, you name it and I’ve probably tested it. Dozens of these homes have been homes for families with autistic children.

These families have a desire to know what is in their environment. Their children have health and behavioral issues; in each and every home with autistic children (that I have been to), the parents also inform me that their children have heavy metals in their blood. Not just one metal, but several, in one home I was shown the child’s blood metals lab report and 12 or 13 different metals were present, including; lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, antimony, tin, chromium, copper, and others.

What I find interesting is that in each and every home with autistic children (that I have been to and provided XRF testing), I find the same metals in the consumer products that are used around the home, by the children, that the parents have informed me are in the children’s blood.

I am not saying that the metals in the consumer products are the cause of autism, but I have found the same metals in the consumer products in the home of the autistic child that the parents tell us are in their children’s blood. Is it coincidence? I’m not sure; I have had my beliefs formed from over two years of providing testing services to help people know what is in their environment.

I suspect we are all subjected to low levels of all of the elements we find. Maybe it is the lack or inability for these children to properly process, excrete these metals (and chemicals when you think of all that we are potentially exposed to) we are all bombarded with. Most people can process the metals, but for those that can’t?

If we can help to inform parents what is in their environment, these parents can potentially reduce or eliminate exposure to the same metals found in their children’s blood. If you remove the harmful metals from the child’s environment, will they eventually be removed from the child’s blood?

The parents of autistic children are concerned because even low doses of some of these metals can be very harmful to the health and wellbeing of their children. How are these metals getting into their children? I can’t exactly say, but we are here to help people know what is in their environment and reduce potential toxic element exposure.

Essco Safety Check

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Daiso California LLC and Daiso Seattle LLC have had a total of five recalls for 698 toys and other children’s products since 2008.  These recalls were for lead, phthalates, strangulation and choking hazards.  This is a relatively small number of products recalled compared to the several million recalled by Mattel in 2007, of which Mattel was only fined $2.3 Million.

“This landmark agreement for the injunction sets a precedent for any firm attempting to distribute hazardous products to our nation’s children,” Commission Chairwoman Inez Tenenbaum said.  “We are committed to the safety of children’s products, and we will use the full force of our enforcement powers to prevent the sale of harmful products.”

A senior executive at Daiso said the company accepts the fine and wants to make sure the products it imports are safe.

I would recommend that Daiso utilize X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) Analyzers as part of a reasonable testing/safety program to help determine if their products have harmful regulated metals such as lead or cadmium in their consumer products.   XRF Analyzers can help detect if elements are present of not present, they are non-destructive, accurate and a cost effective solution that can helping save businesses money while providing information that can ultimately lead to compliance with regulations.

You can visit Daiso’s web page about their recalls at www.daisorecall.com

The current administration has challenged businesses across the country to help create new jobs.  Environmental Services & Solutions Corporation (Essco Safety Check), a Redmond, WA based company steps up to the government’s challenge by:

• Proposing the creation of thousands of jobs. 
• Helping to stimulate business; especially small businesses impacted by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA).

The CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act) is a law that regulates the amount of lead and other harmful toxicants in children’s products.  There are approximately 700,000[1] manufacturers, importers, wholesalers and retailers that are impacted by this current legislation; approximately 40%[2]of these businesses have 0-4 employees working for them.

Currently, XRF testing is not a government approved testing method.  Current approved testing methods are destructive in nature; which means the tested product must be destroyed during the testing procedure.  This method of testing is very costly and the test results could take weeks to obtain.  In addition, products can only be tested by a select group of government approved testing laboratories worldwide.

XRF testing equipment is completely portable; it can be easily transported to the testing site.  Testing using XRF is non-destructive, low-cost, fast and an accurate way to determine if elements (including those regulated by the CPSIA) are present or not present in virtually anything.  If XRF technology becomes a government approved screening process, it is estimated that thousands of jobs could be created nationally.  These jobs include certified consumer product inspectors, support staff and office positions.

A direct result of XRF screening is to prevent potentially harmful products from reaching the retailer’s shelves and eventually the homes of consumers. 

By utilizing XRF analyzers to screen consumer products, businesses could save money on government mandated testing expenses and be able to get products to market faster.  For example, traditional testing is destructive in nature, very expensive and time consuming; it costs, on average, $100 per test (each product may need 5 tests) and can take weeks for results.  XRF testing costs on average $2 to $7 per test and usually provides results within 48-hours.

Hypothesis:  If XRF Analyzers and technology are approved for screening heavy metals in children’s products and with a conservative estimate of 5 million products that need to be tested with an average of 5 tests per item, over $3.7[3] billion dollars can be saved.  However, research has suggested that there are literally tens of millions of products that are potentially impacted by the CPSIA regulation and, with that number in mind, there could be savings in the tens of billions of dollars for business all while creating thousands of jobs.

ESSCO-Safety Check proposes that by using XRF technology:
• Thousands of jobs can be created.
• Businesses will be in compliance with CPSIA regulations.
• Mandatory testing expenses are reduced for business.
• Products get to market faster.

It’s a win-win situation for consumers, the environment and business.
www.essco-safetycheck.com

[1] www.naics.com North American Industrial Classification System
[2] www.census.gov  U.S. Census Bureau
[3] http://handmadetoyalliance.blogspot.com/2010/02/allowing-xrf-testing-for-cpsia.html Handmade Toy Alliance Blog – Cross Post from Essco Safety Check

The CPSIA is a law that regulates the amount of lead and other harmful toxicants in children’s products.  There are approximately 700,000 manufacturers, importers, wholesalers and retailers that are impacted by this law and approximately 40% of these businesses have 0-4 employees working for them.  Current approved testing methods are destructive in nature, very costly and time consuming from only a select group of laboratories worldwide.  XRF is a mobile, non-destructive, low-cost, fast and accurate way to determine if elements (including those regulated by the CPSIA) are present or not present in virtually anything. 

In over two years of business operations I hear the same four scenarios over and over from small business owners who are impacted by the CPSIA.

1. They will try and test using approved testing methods to the best of their ability.  However with the cost of this destructive testing method, they will have to reduce the number of products that they make because they can’t afford to pay for all the required testing.
2. They are going to wing it and get as much information from the manufacture/supplier of the components that they use; they can’t afford to do any testing.
3. They are not going to test at all; too expensive
4. They are going to use XRF as their “reasonable testing” method and use the results to be in compliance and create the GCC (General Certificate of Conformity) regardless of the laws.

How is the CPSIA impacting you and your decisions about the products you manufacture or purchase?