Posted on 01/09/2009 8:32:55 PM PST by christianhomeschoolmommaof3
Barring a reprieve, regulations set to take effect next month could force thousands of clothing retailers and thrift stores to throw away trunkloads of children's clothing.
The law, aimed at keeping lead-filled merchandise away from children, mandates that all products sold for those age 12 and younger -- including clothing -- be tested for lead and phthalates, which are chemicals used to make plastics more pliable. Those that haven't been tested will be considered hazardous, regardless of whether they actually contain lead.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Here is a copy of the email I received alerting me to this.
I am forwarding this informtion sent by a friend regarding Congress signing a law that does not allow the resale or even donation of kids clothes, toys, etc. See details below. Here is a link to the story the LA times wrote about the issue:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-thrift2-2009jan02,0,2083247.story
It is possible, even likely at this point, that all children’s consignment sales and opportunities to recycle children’s items will be illegal as of February 10, 2009. Please read the below information, and take action if you feel led.
Last year, Congress quietly passed a law, HR 4040, dubbed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), with the intent of fixing the “toxic toy” problem. In theory, this is great. Unfortunately, the
wording is so broad (and RETROACTIVE, thus the problem with consigments and thrift shops) that the negative ramifications are far-reaching. The act requires expensive testing of every
component of every item that is designed for, or may reasonably be
anticipated to be used by, children under 12, and of every batch of
the resulting products. The regulations go into effect on February
10th, and most people don’t even know about them! If nothing is
changed, the following things will happen:
-You will no longer be able to sell your children’s toys, books, and
clothes at yard sales as they outgrow them, donate them to thrift
stores, put them on consignment, or give them away on freecycle
-Many thrift and consignment stores will go out of business. Some may
be able to continue operating without selling children’s products, but
these are a big draw for thrift stores.
-Artists who handcraft toys will go out of businesses.
-WAHM’s who make cloth diapers will go out of business.
-Seamstresses, knitters, etc. who make children’s clothing or bedding
will go out of business.
-Used bookstores will have to stop carrying children’s books.
-Ebay, and similar auction sites, will be greatly crippled.
-Out-of-print children’s books will no longer be available anywhere in
the U.S.
-Small manufacturers and retailers who already have stock, and thrift
stores, will have to dispose of tons of perfectly good product,
overloading the landfills and just generally being wasteful (not to
mention expensive).
-The big companies, like Mattel, who are notorious for providing
tainted toys imported from China, will probably just pay fines for
violations and go about business as usual.
All of this means that:
-Our children will be able to wear only clothing that we already own,
or that which is available at large retailers. Every bit of it will have to be purchased new, as consignment sales will be non-existant, and yard sales and thrift stores will no longer have anything available for sale.
-We will no longer be able to purchase quality, handmade toys of
natural materials, being left only with “corporate-giant” plastic
“junk” options. Many of these toys may still be unsafe, given the big
companies’ abilities to pay fines and keep going. Thus, we will no
longer have safe options.
The good news is, the Consumer Product Safety Commission does,
according to the law, have the authority to draft exemptions for
certain products, categories, etc. But they are demonstrating
themselves to be a bit clueless. Please take action on this! If they
exempt certain materials known to be generally safe (for instance,
cotton), this will not only help protect the small companies, it may
even encourage the larger ones to use higher-quality materials. Other
exemptions or adaptations would help small companies as well, such as
being able to test a fabric, and then use it for the manufacture of
ten different products, without having to test each one separately.
Talk to your Congressmen, talk to your local news, talk to the CPSC,
talk to your friends. But do something, because our entire economy and culture could be drastically different a month from now if we don’t do something.
If you wish to sign a petition, here is one site, and I’m sure there are others.
http://www.rallycongress.com/make-second-hand-kids-clothes-legal-/
Perfect timing with this economy. Brought to you by the Libs.
Ping...
Done and forwaded...
Just mark them “for 13 and up only”.
The Cat in The Hat becomes a powerful new figure in organized crime. Numerous arrests made as crates of “footy-jammies” are confiscated from a secret loading dock behind an abandoned warehouse.
Lead in American made consumer products has not been a problem for almost 40 years.
The only reason this has become a problem is because we are importing contaminated junk from China. Stop buying chinese junk and dispose of everything made in China is a better solution.
Penalizing good standing American business people is an outrage.
STOP BUYING CHINESE CRAP!
Why not just collect everything made in China? (and Mexican candy)
Amen to that!!!!
Better for impoverished children to go naked than to risk even the microscopic possibility of that old pair of jeans or t-shirt containing nearly unmeasurable traces of lead.
Don’t you just love liberals? You know - they are always passing laws “for the children”...
Look at all that gaming companies like EA are doing to try to stop the resale of used console games - what I am trying to say is I don’t think this is a mistake.
They large makers of such items appear to think that if used sales go away they will sell that many more of what they are selling.
I hope that is true but several other things will be affected as well. Small businesses who cant afford to have all their stock inspected will have to throw out everything made before February 9th. The retroactive language in the law needs to be taken out. Please sign and pass the message.
Your Tax Dollars AT Work:
The federal Government - Destroying America one small business at a time.
That is what my husband thought as well. The large retailers can afford to break the law and pay the fines and the little guy goes out of business. We should get this news out to all the environmentalist we know. At least we can all agree on this, to throw away good childrens clothes and toys is ridiculous.
The law of unintended consequences. Thanks Libs!
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