second hand childrens clothes illegal?

the simple dolloar ^ | 01/04/09 | megben

[Megben]

Trent Hamm at thesimpledollar.com writes in his January 3 entry (excerpted) : "For those of you who haven’t heard the news yet, on February 10, 2009, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act comes into effect. One of the major changes that this program will bring into play is a mandate that everything sold for children 12 and younger will have to be tested for lead and phthalates, and anything that isn’t tested (or that fails) will be considered hazardous and cannot be sold. Read more about the CPSIA at the L.A. Times and some interesting blog commentary from the fashion industry. Where things get interesting is with used products. Consider your local resale and thrift shop. Currently, all of their secondhand children’s clothes will have to be tested for lead and phthalates. Given that many such stores aren’t high-income operations - many are nonprofits - these shops simply cannot afford to do the testing on the children’s clothes on their shelves.

So what happens? Most thrift shops are currently not accepting any children’s clothing at all. Sometime in the next month or so, all thrift shops will have to clear all of their children’s clothing from the shelves … and send them to the landfill. (It’s worth noting that the Consumer Product Safety Commission is considering a reprieve for products made from natural materials, which would exempt some clothes, but not nearly all clothes"

From reading the whole article, it appears that this will apply to used/new products that are sold at garage sales, thrift stores, ebay, etc. The discussion that follows the blog posts lists going to the sites of the National Bankruptcy Day or the Handmade Toy Alliance Site to write your congressman/woman.

[grellis]

I’m intending to reply to all but not sure if it’s working or not.

I'm not aware of any function that does that.

[houeto]

Americans have accepted federally mandated low-flow showerheads and 1.6 gallon toilet tanks.

Mine flushes 6 gallons and the showerhead is full force. Modifications took five minutes each.

[TenthAmendmentChampion]

So stores that give cash for used video games will have to have signs that say, these games not intended for use by children under 12. Even the baby and preschool games. Idiocy.

[RikaStrom]

I wonder when stuff like this is going to go into other arenas. Right now it is clothing that we can’t purchase and a thrift store, but what about when it goes to books.

I know, I know, completely off topic and no lead law about books, but it got me thinking.

I puchased an electronic book yesterday, and one of the first screens was a “cannot be resold, given, etc. to anyone”. Obviously so that the author would not lose money by having her books redistributed without rebuying. But, what about all the used book stores? And giving my neighbor a book that I’ve finished and no longer want?

[WrightWings]

Better not let ‘em play said games or CPS will take your kids away and you’ll be charged with child endangerment...

[AmericanChef]

They have all their form letters ready to reply! I think there was one letter written by someone and each rep got a copy of it. Morons! My own rep has the same one.

There are many groups protesting this monstrosity now, and finally it’s “hitting” - A BIT LATE, but no one knew anything about this until a couple months ago. I’m thinking it was a mistake to bring attention to ourselves (the handmade kids stuff arena) when we could easily have gone about our lives in ignorance; no one local I’ve talked to knew anything about this stuff.

If anyone wants to “do” something, go to [url]http://www.nationalbankruptcyday.com[url]
Fashion Incubator [url]http://www.fashion-incubator.com/phpbb/viewforum.php?f=32[url]
Handmade Toy Alliance
[url]http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/[url]

If you think this stops at kids stuff, you are dead wrong! Monsters like the Consumers Union are all united to make life and everything lead free, among other things. Instead of supporting alternatives and changing the market, they would rather spend their time in punishment for ALL. They know nothing about business and don’t care.

[AmericanChef]

Nuts, I can’t make the links work for some reason. Well, copy and paste, folks!

[MayflowerMadam]

A thought... since thrift shops are generally tied with charitable groups, they chould actually BE charitable and give away the clothes for children and make their money on other items of which there are plenty. If they’re not willing to be charitable in that way, then they’ve lost the reason for their existence and tail begins to wag the dog at that point.

[Just another Joe]

Frankly, I am ashamed of this government (not of America). Everything they do is about controlling the masses and taking their hard-earned money (and that goes for both parties); not liberating them.

the true patriotism, the only rational patriotism, is loyalty to the Nation ALL the time, loyalty to the Government when it deserves it. - "The Czar's Soliloquy"

[Brad’s Gramma]

http://nationalbankruptcyday.com/
http://www.fashion-incubator.com/phpbb/viewforum.php?f=32

http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/

[Zechariah_8_13]

But it appears that big corps used the tainted products from China as an excuse to pass legislation that is designed to destroy small business and especially folks making craft-type items in their home and selling them online.

Exactly. All this leaves us with is Chinese cr@p, while putting everyone else out of business. Several major German toy companies that have already announced they're pulling out of the US Market.

This is backlash from the Chinese companies who suffered (and continue to suffer, rightly so) last year with the lead and dangerous plastics issues.

It's honestly one of the worst pieces of legislation I've ever heard of. Unbelievable.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

I think we've seen the answer to this. The next wave is going to be based on this absurd notion of “third-hand smoke.” When they talk about the heavy-metal accumulation left behind from cigarette smoke, they are trying to raise the same fears associated with lead and mercury. If they can convince people that items that were exposed to “third-hand smoke” are tainted, this will lead either to requiring they go through some approved cleaning process before they can be sold, or the destruction of the market of used items (ebay, for one).

This is designed to accomplish many things. First, to eliminate the reselling of used goods, thus forcing people to support newly manufactured goods. This also guarantees more sales tax. It will also require another major expense in having houses to be sold cleaned by approved outfits along with all the regulatory fees that will be attached to such a ‘toxic cleanup.’

It's all about money, behavior control, and helping super big business over small business and the individual crafter and reseller.

[Arrowhead]

I agree! I cannot in good conscience remain loyal to a government that robs the very people entrusting them with the power they wield. Loyalty is worthy only upon a basis of moral fortitude. Yet despite it all, I would still jump in a foxhole and fight a foreign enemy to protect the rights of our people, even for the array of worthless slobs on the Hill. He He

[OldBlondBabe]

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09086.html CPSC Clarifies Requirements of New Children�s Product Safety Laws Taking Effect in February Guidance Intended for Resellers of Children�s Products, Thrift and Consignment Stores

[RGSpincich]

http://cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09086.html

Thrift shops exempt from testing requirement. Must consult published lists of recalled items.