Cary, N.C. — The U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission decided Monday evening that tough new testing requirements for lead in toys will not apply to thrift stores.

Thrift-store owners had complained that the anti-lead law that takes effect Tuesday was overly broad and could put them out of business.

"It could get very expensive and either cause us to drastically raise our prices or go out of business,” said Patrick Fish, with the Kid to Kid store in Cary.

Congress overwhelmingly passed the new lead limit last summer as part of a bigger product safety law. It applies to products made for children 12 and under. Toys and other kids' products that contain certain chemicals, called phthalates, over 1,000 parts per million also would be banned.

Lead poisoning can cause irreversible learning disabilities and behavioral problems. Phthalates have been linked to reproductive defects and other health problems.