CPSIA Law, Huh?
I'm not a lawyer, but I play one in my home.
But putting those law-speaking and law-interpreting skills aside, I am not knowledgeable enough to yak on and on about the new CPSIA law that was passed last August.
What I do know about it is this:
As of February 10, 2009, all products made for children under the age of 12 must be tested for lead and phosphate, otherwise the seller faces hefty fines and charges.
It all sounds well and good, but the testing is required for every component of an item, and the testing is time-consuming and very expensive.
That may be fine for the large corporations, but for small businesses, it is not good news at all. Think Etsy, eBay, and any number of the mom-and-pops making and selling quality goods for kids.
I urge you to read Shannon's post which spells out more of the details, and also provides links for signing an online (legit) petition and other ways to help. Within those links is a sample letter to send to your congressman or senator and the place to e-mail the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Please take a few minutes to support the people who make and sell quality handmade items in our country. In this economy, we don't need another reason for our friends to have to close the doors of their businesses.
But putting those law-speaking and law-interpreting skills aside, I am not knowledgeable enough to yak on and on about the new CPSIA law that was passed last August.
What I do know about it is this:
As of February 10, 2009, all products made for children under the age of 12 must be tested for lead and phosphate, otherwise the seller faces hefty fines and charges.
It all sounds well and good, but the testing is required for every component of an item, and the testing is time-consuming and very expensive.
That may be fine for the large corporations, but for small businesses, it is not good news at all. Think Etsy, eBay, and any number of the mom-and-pops making and selling quality goods for kids.
I urge you to read Shannon's post which spells out more of the details, and also provides links for signing an online (legit) petition and other ways to help. Within those links is a sample letter to send to your congressman or senator and the place to e-mail the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Please take a few minutes to support the people who make and sell quality handmade items in our country. In this economy, we don't need another reason for our friends to have to close the doors of their businesses.
2 comments:
I heard on NPR that they clarified the law to exempt re-sale and thrift shops.....unless they intentionally sold lead-filled objects. I haven't heard if there's any more clarification for small shops and toy and clothing makers like on Etsy. I sure hope there isn't a negative impact on the small mom and pops.
Emails have been flying in my circle, as we all LOVE second-hand stores. Here's the latest I've heard- http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09086.html
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