Following weeks of firing debate, Gov. Christine Gregoire of Washington signed the nation’s toughest regulation law Tuesday, banning toys containing lead and other harmful substances from being marketed in the United States.

The new law, called the Children’s Safe Product Act, follows the recall of millions of toys made in China last year, due to excessive levels of lead paint.

The CSPA bans products with certain levels of lead, cadmium and phthalates, which can lead to cancer, birth defects and brain damage in high enough concentrations. The bill states that any product made from children that contains more than .009 percent of lead, .004 percent of cadmium and .10 percent of phthalates cannot be made, sold or distributed in Washington state beginning in July 2009.

The bill also requires toy manufacturers to let the state Department of Ecology know which chemicals and substances are used in toys and allows the department to ban more substances.

“We in Washington are not going to wait to protect our children. The toys that pose a danger to our children are not welcomed here in Washington State. But we must make sure we do not throw out the good with the bad toys,” Gregoire said before signing the bill, according to the Seattle Times.

The bill would hurt small toy manufacturers and retailers because fewer toys would be bought, said Grant Nelson, governmental affairs director for the Association of Washington Business, who opposed the bill.

“I think the governor’s remarks today regarding how she intends to fix the legislation through rulemaking and an advisory committee really points out how bad of a bill this is for the citizens and businesses of the state,” Nelson said.

On the other hand, advocates welcomed the bill saying it will protect children from chemicals they should have never been exposed to in the first place.

Such a bill was also passed by California and other states are considering the same.