New Law to Affect Selling of Used Kid's Clothes

[reportertype]

Well, they certainly painted part of an issue with a broad brushstroke, didn't they (congress).

You know, the thing that burns my butt about this is that if we (U.S.) didn't import every darn thing we do and got back to actually manufacturing and producing the products we use there are regulations/laws already in place to make sure those chemicals are not in those products and this would not be an issue. To top it off, neither would jobs be an issue; because we'd have industry again.

The kicker... they'll confound the works, so to speak, with this new law and they will still allow the import of those trinkety toys from China and other places as well as all the larger plastics items to boot. So, how, exactly, are they protecting anyone?!

The more we "progress" the further behind the 8-ball we are anymore, it seems.

I agree with your post!

 

[Blue_Dolphin308]

Thats why there is Freecycle

 

[mae]

*Nodding ... understand.*
I can only hope/wish that a law that will have little reaches into so many aspects of our lives would be a catalyst to bringing industry home. They're always talking about "creating" jobs. We destroyed so many with outsourcing and such... it's time to reconstruct what we once were.

Snowme, you don't even know. I know so many people who are work at home parents who sew or craft and sell their stuff. Heck, look how many sellers there are on etsy. It will have devastating effects. It's such a bad idea. I get the intent, but it's not the way to handle it. So many small businesses are going to be affected.


Something that has been circulating:
http://www.change.org/ideas/view/save_handmade_toys_from_the_cpsia

 

[mae]

it would definitely take more manpower (which they are always shorthanded) to attempt accomplishing in my local thrift shop.

From what you posted, mae, maybe.. maybe.. maybe, dare we hope ... that in the back of someone's mind/s there is the idea that outside items/imports are too hard to track and test and therefore some industry needs to be brought back home! heh, I am breaking my eyeballs trying to find the silver lining! ;-)

My friends who sell handmade items have said that there is a licensing process that is too expensive for most small businesses to be capable of doing. I think it's like $10,000. I need to find a source on the numbers, but I get the impression it's going to deeply effect those who sell handmade items. I will look for a link.

From the link in my previous:
"Small businesses however, will likely be driven out of business by the costs of mandatory testing, to the tune of as much as $4,000 or more per item. And the few larger manufacturers who still employ workers in the United States face increased costs to comply with the CPSIA, even though American-made toys had nothing to do with the toy safety problems of 2007."

I need a better reference though. Anyway, this was my point.

 

[snowme]

hmm, well, I think I'm back to thinking this just sucks and there is no silver lining to be found. I understand what you're saying. To be honest, I had not even thought of just how many there are out there trying to make an income that way - from home or home-based.

Thinking about it this way, it almost seems down-right mean-spirited. Intentionally targeting "not the enemy". It's beginning to feel like they want our hands tied behind our backs. I don't care what their smiling faces say, it's beginning to feel like that.

My friends who sell handmade items have said that there is a licensing process that is too expensive for most small businesses to be capable of doing. I think it's like $10,000. I need to find a source on the numbers, but I get the impression it's going to deeply effect those who sell handmade items. I will look for a link.

From the link in my previous:
"Small businesses however, will likely be driven out of business by the costs of mandatory testing, to the tune of as much as $4,000 or more per item. And the few larger manufacturers who still employ workers in the United States face increased costs to comply with the CPSIA, even though American-made toys had nothing to do with the toy safety problems of 2007."

I need a better reference though. Anyway, this was my point.

 

[mae]

Everyone should send in their opinions!
http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/ComponentPartsComments.pdf

1/30 is the deadline. Tell them what you think!


"Comments must be received by the Office of the Secretary no later than January 30, 2009.
Comments may be filed by email to Sec102ComponentPartsTesting@cpsc.gov. Comments
may also be filed by facsimile to (301) 504-0127 or by mail or delivery to the Office of the
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Room 502, 4330 East-West Highway,
Bethesda, Maryland, 20814. Comments should be captioned “Section 102 Mandatory Third-
Party Testing of Component Parts.” Interested persons will also have additional opportunities
to comment following publication of any notices of rulemaking proceedings in the Federal
Register which are commenced under this section. "


They have questions as well.

 

[SeriouslySearching]

So wait...let me get this straight.

While the government is taking steps to protect our children from lead products which do harm to our children...people want places like Goodwill and thrifts shops to be exempt from having the products to be resold to the people who cannot afford to probably research to know the products are unsafe?

 

[snowme]

I hadn't logged in for several days and missed this. I hope others did see it tho. Thanks Mae.

Everyone should send in their opinions!
http://www.cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/ComponentPartsComments.pdf

1/30 is the deadline. Tell them what you think!


"Comments must be received by the Office of the Secretary no later than January 30, 2009.
Comments may be filed by email to Sec102ComponentPartsTesting@cpsc.gov. Comments
may also be filed by facsimile to (301) 504-0127 or by mail or delivery to the Office of the
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Room 502, 4330 East-West Highway,
Bethesda, Maryland, 20814. Comments should be captioned “Section 102 Mandatory Third-
Party Testing of Component Parts.” Interested persons will also have additional opportunities
to comment following publication of any notices of rulemaking proceedings in the Federal
Register which are commenced under this section. "


They have questions as well.

 

[snowme]

So wait...let me get this straight.

While the government is taking steps to protect our children from lead products which do harm to our children...people want places like Goodwill and thrifts shops to be exempt from having the products to be resold to the people who cannot afford to probably research to know the products are unsafe?

Not necessarily. What's irking me about such a thing is that while the government will do this here within the country they won't be taking the same stance against importing the stuff to begin with - which is how it gets to places, down the chain of purchase, use, and donate to, charity of choice, church, etc.

If an item is manufactured within this country it is under regulations and guidelines that prevent lead levels or other things to be in excess to begin with.... so the problem lies within import and acceptance at port of items that would not be allowed to pass if made here.

This wouldn't stop the problem at the source, once and for all ... it would be a constant, burdensome, stopgap solution at best that allows the original problem to continue.