I have one word for this!

I found the following summation of H.R. 4040 on a forum I frequent:


"On Feb. 10th a new law comes into effect called the Consumer Products Safety Improvement Act. It is intended to limit the amount of lead other chemicals in children's clothing and toys. The target being those 12 and under. The act requires independent testing of products to prove they are free of lead and other harmful chemicals. It targets products imported by large corporations and those handmade by hardworking people in this country, and everyone in between. If you make and sell on Ebay or Etsy, it WILL affect you. WHY, because you will have to submit your products for testing and pay the hundreds to thousands of $$$ to have them tested. Most people who hand make toys, hats, bibs, bows, etc can't afford to have each lot tested. Their products weren't the ones coated in lead in the first place yet they will be treated like the big manufacturers. "Guilty until proven lead/phthalate free"

How else will you be affected? CLOTHING, BOOKS, FURNITURE, BABY PRODUCTS, TOYS. Since the law is retroactive, local resale and thrift shops will be forced to take all the merchandise to landfills unless they can have the items tested. Prices will rise and the landfill will fill up. The law needs to be fixed to that used items are exempt.

This law is needed to protect our children. But it needs to be written sensibly. Beginning Feb. 10th, if it doesn't have that label from the lab stating "lead/phthalate free" it will have to be thrown away(unless it's already in your house). I already started buying presents for this year and hiding them from my DD!!! The economy is already bad so lets make it worse by forcing more people out of work and throwing out millions of clothing, toys, books, baby/kids furniture, baby care items, etc that were manufactured a long time ago and will never be tested. As I see it, only the large corporations will survive this, unless something is done. Exempt handmade clothing/toy makers and make the act enforceable going forward with Feb 10th and not retro. I don't mind paying a bit more for my daughter's health and safety. She was worth the wait and she is worth it now. Lets just ask the lawmakers/CPSC to use their common sense when writing and enforcing laws that will affect us all including the toys our kids play with. Now you know why many refer to Feb 10th as "National Bankruptcy Day"."

I tell you....my opinion of this new law-RIDICULOUS!!!!

What say you, blogger friends?

If you, like me think this is ridiculous, here is a note can copy & paste & e-mail to your congressman/senator! My sister in law drafted it......giving credit where credit is due! :-) Might want to check/change some of her wording, since she says she's a homeschooling mom of five.

Dear Representative XXXXXX,

Like many people, I was deeply concerned by the dangerous and poisonous toys that large Chinese toy manufacturers have been making for America's children. And, I appreciated Congress's desire to protect our children by enacting the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (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 the resale market for used items, as well as small American manufacturers of children's clothes and other handmade goods for children.

Since the testing mandated in the law is costly, small businesses and crafters will no longer be able to sell their handmade items in venues such as craft sales, boutiques, and on eBay. Thrift stores such as the Salvation Army and Goodwill will not be able to sell used items for children. People like me will no longer be able to conduct eBay auctions or hold garage sales where items such as used children's clothing, toys, baby furniture, books, and other items are sold. And since there will not be garage sales and thrift stores and eBay auctions for these types of items, I will not be able to purchase them either.

I am a homeschooling mother of five children, so our family is supported entirely by my husband's income. We are better able to provide clothing and school curriculum for our children when we have the option of purchasing some of those items used. So this law will hurt our family in two ways. First, we will not be able to purchase items used because they will no longer be available. Secondly, we will not be able to sell our used items to help offset the cost of purchasing new. In both cases, our family loses money.

I urge you to quickly request the Consumer Product Safety Commission to make some reasonable exclusions in their interpretation of the law as they continue their rulemaking process. It seems unfair to punish Americans who sell used or handmade items because Chinese imports contained hazardous materials. This law is too far-reaching, and it is my hope that exclusions can be made that will protect Americans like myself.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,
Your name here


A frustrated & soon to be poorer Kim, signing off for the night! Let's tackle this, people!!!