The LA Times reported recently that new federal guidelines mandate that all products sold for those age 12 and younger — including clothing — be tested for lead and phthalates, chemicals used to make plastics more pliable. The newspaper reports that those items that haven’t been tested will be considered hazardous, regardless of whether they actually contain lead.

The regulations take effect Feb. 10, and resale shop owners say it may force them to close down or throw truckloads of merchandise away. According to the story:

The new regulations take effect Feb. 10 under the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, which was passed by Congress last year in response to widespread recalls of products that posed a threat to children, including toys made with lead or lead-based paint.

Supporters say the measure is sorely needed. One health advocacy group said it found high levels of lead in dozens of products purchased around the country, including children’s jewelry, backpacks and ponchos.

Lead can also be found in buttons or charms on clothing and on appliques that have been added to fabric, said Charles Margulis, communications director for the Center for Environmental Health in Oakland. A child in Minnesota died a few years ago after swallowing a lead charm on his sneaker, he said.

But others say the measure was written too broadly. Among the most vocal critics to emerge in recent weeks are U.S.-based makers of handcrafted toys and handmade clothes, as well as thrift and consignment shops that sell children’s clothing.