13 responses so far ↓

• 1 Scott D. // Jan 4, 2009 at 9:27 am

  What, do people feel it would NEVER be something near and dear to them that would be affected by yet another law? Does being able to smoke in a tavern sound familiar? Ya see folks, all along it wasn’t public enemy #1 Bush causing all of your problems. It’s the government you’ve all selected over and over. Trial lawyers are huge donators to which political party again? Hint: it doesn’t begin with an “R”. So if you feel one of these “wacky laws” will never ever come close to having any affects on your family you’re sadly mistaken. The more a government does FOR one, the more it can do TO one. Does a business ever pay taxes? Or is it their customers? Communism isn’t “progressive”.

• 2 Tiktok // Jan 4, 2009 at 4:49 pm

  Oh, it’s all “the government is DESTROYING ME!!!” until a few kids get sick, and then it’s all “ZOMG! THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!”

  If all the junk toys are banned, kids are still going to want to play with something, and toy stores will stock those things. It’s not the local store that has to do the testing.

• 3 Nubbee // Jan 4, 2009 at 10:37 pm

  Please read up on this law. It is POTENTIALLY the local store that will have to do testing. All of our wonderful consignment shops and second hand stores will need to test products for lead. This could even affect freecycle and craigslist. I believe the fine for violations is 100,000!! The CPSIA legislation is NOT something to be taken lightly!

  http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/economicimpactsofCPSIA/index.html

• 4 tom // Jan 5, 2009 at 12:41 am

  This is bullshit. The lead testing stuff is cheap and widely available. Quit selling cheap Chinese shit in your stores, how about that?

  I’m going to have to side with the children and not the whiney, greedy store owners this time, I’m afraid.

• 5 aballardparent // Jan 5, 2009 at 7:00 am

  If this bill goes through as written there will be nothing but cheap chinese “stuff” to sell. Cheap lead testing kits are nothing but cheap “stuff” from China and are not accurate, don’t fool yourself.

  This is not about toys, this is about ALL items for kids 0-12 years of age.

  And oh, yes, we all know how much money those greedy store owners are making while trying to keep their doors open and their lights on so their customers don’t have to shop at Walmart!

• 6 EnduroDriver // Jan 5, 2009 at 9:56 pm

  I know that the big box stores could care less about our health so long as they make a buck, the only thing keeping them from killing us outright is it would cut into profits. That being said I know our neighborhood stores don’t have such a mindset, Top Ten Toys clearly goes out of their way to delivery high quality, safe toys to challenge and inspire our children and I am grateful they do it.

  Based on the number of CPSC recall notices I see each week it’s pretty clear that China is shipping lead infested products into our country pretty much unabated.
  You can’t argue that the problem doesn’t exist or that the lead does not present a hazard to us. Although stopping trade with China would be a fun idea on many levels, can you imagine the chaos, it’ll never happen.

  So what are some solutions? How do we prevent these toys from reaching our shelves?

• 7 Cliff // Jan 5, 2009 at 10:40 pm

  Much ado about nothing

  I am neither lawyer nor legislator, but my reading of this law suggests that MANUFACTURERS have to comply with it, not retailers or second hand stores. The news article and blog post lead you to believe that poor Wendy must test each $2 sock puppet. That is an unlikely interpretation of the law.

  Sounds to me like the Manufacturer of said sock puppet must make the test information available to Wendy at her request, if the sock puppet was manufactured after a certain date.

  ‘The importer or U.S. manufacturer is required to “furnish” the certificate to its distributors and retailers. The Commission’s rule states that this requirement is satisfied if the importer or U.S. manufacturer provides its distributors and retailers a reasonable means to access the certificate.’

  http://www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/cpsia.html

• 8 Nubbee // Jan 5, 2009 at 10:53 pm

  Correct. MANUFACTURERS. This means that the shops on places like etsy.com and hyena cart that sell handmade goods for children will have to test their products. So yes, poor Wendy will have to test her sock puppets, diapers, t-shirts and what have you. This does affect the little guy.

• 9 Tiktok // Jan 5, 2009 at 11:06 pm

  This is horrible–what’s next, requiring that people who make and sell food to children follow Health Department standards? What has the world come to?

• 10 EnduroDriver // Jan 6, 2009 at 12:24 am

  I’ve been picking on China but local manufacturers are just as capable of producing dangerous products. Knowingly? I seriously doubt it but we also have to take into account that many of the raw materials used to produce products in this country come from questionable sources. Sure Suzy Homemaker knit the hat herself but where did the yarn come from, what was used to dye it and what about the cute butterfly button, what’s its story.

  Before somebody goes on a rant and tells us about their vegan sheep that live in a yurt near a sacred waterfall and give up their wool voluntarily via telepathy, hey I get it. There are some wonderful artisans out there doing all the right things. How, as a consumer, do we know what we are getting? I don’t have time to form a trusting bond with every vendor I see at a street fair so I can learn if they made it or just uncrated it.

• 11 aballardparent // Jan 6, 2009 at 6:52 am

  the law is very complex and multi-faceted. Yes, the manufacturer of items produced after feb. 10th must test, however this act was determined to have retroactive intent. Therefore anything on the shelf after Feb. 10th which does not meet the new limits can not be sold. The interpretation of this, is to either landfill the item or risk a $100,000 fine by selling an untested product.

  These aren’t recalled products. Johnny buys said jacket on feb 9th, that is fine, but on feb 10th the jacket can no longer be sold. Or said toys is perfectly safe on Feb. 9th for my Sally to play with for years, but on Feb. 10th same toy is a federally banned hazardous substance? There are already laws about excess lead and reducing it farther is necessary, but tossing out perfectly safe product lacks common sense.

  retroactivity, which is a very unusual interpretation is the concern for the 2nd hand market

• 12 Nubbee // Jan 6, 2009 at 12:19 pm

  I apologize for previously posted links, this is cut and paste from another board I belong to. This issue is very important, and not some “much ado about nothing” PLEASE PLEASE take it seriously.

  Here’s some ways you can help fix this:
  What can you do?
  1) Email or call the CPSIA – the office of the CPSC ombudsman 888-531-9070.
  http://www.cpsc.gov/cgibin/newleg.aspx
  Comments on Component Parts Testing accepted through January 30, 2009.
  mailto:Sec102ComponentPartsTesting@cpsc.gov.

  2) Email or snail mail your representatives.
  http://capwiz.com/americanapparel/issues/a…lertid=12274476

  3) Call your representatives. For their contact information just enter your zip code.
  http://capwiz.com/americanapparel/dbq/officials/

  4) Make your voice heard by voting on this issue. The top 3 in each category will be presented to President-elect Obama.
  http://www.change.org/ideas/view/save_hand…_from_the_cpsia

  5) Sign the petition.
  http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/economi…PSIA/index.html

  6) Spread the word! Write about this on your blog. Tell others about this issue and encourage them to do the same.

  7) Join others in fighting this cause.
  Facebook group
  Twitter search
  http://cpsia-central.ning.com/notes/Notes_Home

  Join the etsy community in the virtual chat with CPSIA Small Business Ombudsmen or send a handmade children’s item that will become “hazardous goods” as of 2/9/09 to Bobby Rush, founder of H.R. 4040.
  http://www.etsy.com/storque/craftivism/han…nsumer-pr-3056/
  Etsy Thread

• 13 pioggia // Jan 12, 2009 at 11:18 am

  FYI the feds hace said that second hand stores will be exempt from testng requirements. http://wenatcheeworld.com/article/20090111/NEWS04/701129998/1001/rss1001

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