Don't let this slide - CPSIA

What's going on you ask? If you haven't already heard the buzz around the net then you are in for some SHOCK. What do you think of the following quotes?

{ What is the CPSIA?}

"It is so wide-spread that it also includes books and used clothes. Yes, that rare first edition copy of Alice in Wonderland that no child would ever be allowed to touch? And the entire inventory of children's products in every thrift store, consignment store, Goodwill?"  - Blessed Nest

"According to the actual scope and wording of this bill (H.R.4040), as of Feb. 10, 2009, all products made and/or marketed to children under the age of 12 will have to comply with mandatory lead and phosphate testing for each component of each product they sell or face felony charges and hefty fines."  via interview on Rocks In My Dryer (a great interview here with detailed information).

"With this act going into effect February 10 2009 so many people we love will be affected: Moms who sew beautiful handmade waldorf dolls out of home, artists who have spent decades hand-carving trucks and cars out of natural woods, that guy at the craft show who sold you the cute handmade puzzle--even larger US companies who employ local workers and have not once had any sort of safety issue will no longer be able to sell their goods." via Cool Moms Picks

"Congress Bands Kids from Libraries" - Via The Boston Phoenix article.

"We feel this is an important national story with many angles. Just a few include the horrendous impacts on:
-thrift stores
-work at home moms/crafters
-hand made & natural toys, clothes & other similar children's products
-small & medium sized businesses
-sarbanes-oxley implications for larger companies
-special needs populations, and other community groups, including scouting programs
-the environmental impact of mass destruction of perfectly good inventory
-free enterprise & entrepreneurship (or the end thereof)
-collectors of children's products"
via Rob Wilson of CPSIA Central

"Like many people, I was deeply concerned by the dangerous and poisonous toys that large Chinese toy manufacturers have been selling to our nations families. And, I was very pleased that Congress acted quickly to protect America's children by enacting the CPSIA. "

However, I am very concerned that the CPSIA's mandates for third party testing and labeling will have a dramatic and negative effect on small toymakers and crafters of children's products whose safety records have been exemplary." - via the Petition for Save the Small Business from CPSIA

Do I have your attention? I'm not directly affected by the handmade toy association in my business, but I am effected directly in my support of the handmade community, vintage toys, vintage books, thrift store shopping, my library and my own children.

The least you could do is tell others in your community about it. Take it further by visiting & signing the petition . Better yet, contact your local and state media. This will affect so many of the hardworking entrepreneurs and small business owners that we love so much today. We stand for quality here, we stand for safe products for our children but we don't stand for the small business owner taking the brunt of the Big Box big toymakers faults. 

Do you have any further resources, information for small business owners and buyers? Please feel free to post them in the comments section below.

Comments

[A Thrifty Mrs]

I've heard about this from a few people and it is mindblowinly crazy.

[Geralyn Gray]

I never heard of this....I was a department manager for toys, and childrens clothing up until October. I was dealing with a lot of recalls. Where this merchandise is coming from I can only say we should continue testing what comes into this country. What happened to buyer beware. We as parents trust these items are being tested. The control is getting too great. We need to be careful, but we have to get back to buyer beware. Parents have to be the judge when they buy something for their child not the government.

[Sparklyscotty]

How could they possibly enforce this? Might it be one of those laws that only affects imports or huge manufacturers? What local cop is going to raid a school fundraise and start demanding paperwork? Maybe there will be a way for local craftspeople to easily have their work monitored?

I make handmade jewelry and have always had to have public liability insurance, but no one has ever checked. I also sell in Spain where every jeweler must register their brand and display it on each piece, but again, no one has ever checked.

I think there needs to be some delegates from the communities that will be affected to talk through these issues with the politicians, rather than just a point blank petition, no?