"Unacceptable"

I admit to a small degree of willful ignorance when it comes to current events, especially of the political variety. Usually I'll have some vague awareness of news headlines, it is unavoidable really, even without a TV... i.e. my iGoogle homepage has a Top Headlines widget in the sidebar and sometimes at the end of a surfing spree I'll hit up foxnews.com or something.

So I had seen mentions of the CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act), particularly from the twitter's of an author of a "design entrepreneur" book I own, K. Fasanella at fashion-incubator.com. However I wasn't really curious about what it was all about until I saw a fellow thrifty flickr contact mention that she wasn't allowed to buy a child's toy at her local Salvation Army due to the CPSIA. I was like "wait, what?" and looked into it. As usual, my interest wasn't piqued until I realized what effect it might have on me me me.

The first bit I found was a snopes.com article saying that it was "false" that the CPSIA prohibits all resale of used children's products. It went on to describe the CPSC's Jan 8th clarification which specifies that:

The new law requires that domestic manufacturers and importers certify that children’s products made after February 10 meet all the new safety standards and the lead ban. Sellers of used children’s products, such as thrift stores and consignment stores, are not required to certify that those products meet the new lead limits, phthalates standard or new toy standards.

The new safety law does not require resellers to test children’s products in inventory for compliance with the lead limit before they are sold. However, resellers cannot sell children’s products that exceed the lead limit and therefore should avoid products that are likely to have lead content, unless they have testing or other information to indicate the products being sold have less than the new limit. Those resellers that do sell products in violation of the new limits could face civil and/or criminal penalties.-- http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml09/09086.html

The next bit that struck me was the uproar in the craft/small business communities... particularly on etsy.com and then by children's products manufacturers in general. Many crafters/toymakers and other small manufacturers stand to suffer greatly due to the cost of testing items and/or because of advance purchases they've made that will have to returned, etc.

I am still trying to sort it all out, but from what I can gather, in late January, a "stay" was granted which puts the real enforcements off another year. However the "lead law" with reduced limits is still valid as of this past February 10th. I have nothing against the reduction in limits, if the new limits are more safe. But I am against the side effects these regulations have.

Okay, so I'm not a toymaker, nor have I gotten around to handmaking or screenprinting any children's clothing for resale (has crossed my mind at various times). But I AM a parent and a thrift shopper that has picked up a few children's toys and pieces of clothing now and then.

Plus I've finally started sorting through all our "stuff" and had already accumulated one large garbage bag of children's clothing and two boxes of toys, with the intention of donating it all. Even though resellers are not required to test children's products, they are still not allowed to sell items over the lead limit and are cautioned to avoid suspicious products. Therefore, several thrift stores have pulled the majority of their children's products off the shelves and are no longer accepting donations of that kind.

I called my local Goodwill and was told that they will accept children's clothes, but not toys.

Of course I am concerned about the health of my children and other's. I realize the ill effects of lead poisoning and have even been paranoid about it myself, considering we will in a 100 yr old house with chipping paint, etc. The kids have had their levels tested, Cyrus who was born and raised here, passed the test. I even asked about it at Milo's 18 month check when the Dr. didn't mention it... he said they generally do that at 24 months. I was given the option to test him early but knowing I'd have to sit up in the lab with both boys, I opted to wait. Now I'm wondering if I should have followed my intuition.

However it is also my intuition that drives my opinion of these new enforcements, which is that they are big brotherish and overkill. Generations of parents have successfully raised their kids without the government watching their every move, holding their hands. There are of course, several common sense ways to avoid lead poisoning and other dangerous chemicals.

So where will those two boxes of "unacceptable" toys go? ...and I'm sure there are many more in my situation... My guess is a landfill, having never been allowed to be reused, or secondhand. Perfect solution! Just what we need.

PS - regulations also apply to children's books printed pre-1985. So that new "old" favorite of the boys' I mentioned in my last post is now considered suspect. Luckily I don't let them chew on it.