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Marketplace:  New Government regulations H.R. 4040- the CPSIA  |
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pumpkinhaus
Farmgirl in Training
21 Posts
Dani
South Bend
IN
USA
21 Posts |
 Posted - Dec 06 2008 : 10:23:42 AM
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I am not sure if this is under the right heading or not~ But it applies to all and anyone selling their wares to children ages twelve and under....
The government passed new regulations on lead/phthalate testing for any product that would come in contact with a child 12 or under. The testing is expensive and essentially anyone with an on-line store/etsy store/etc that sells products for children under 12 (and also quite a few clothing items for adults as well) will more than likely be breaking the law come February.
Much much outrage over it - except, it seems on etsy stores and moms and garandmas who are making things and selling on-line. I think many don't even know what's coming.
A couple links:
http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/
http://www.fashion-incubator.com/archive/national-bankruptcy-day/
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/economicimpactsofCPSIA/
This is going to essentially put many many indepentant cottage industry sellers out of business. I know a couple people who know after February they are dead in the water.
C&P from MsCwick (thank you!):
This is no joke. Since I sell ONLY american made toys, I have been getting emails from my toy distributors, and even comfirmations of testing that is being done on my last shipment of wooden toys. I highly suggest that you copy and paste this into the suggestion section on www.change.org and let our president elect know how you feel!
Here is one of the emails:
In 67 days mandatory safety testing will be required for all toys sold in the United States under a new law through the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). If the law as currently written is not modified, handmade toys (and other children’s items) made by small crafters, and even niche products from larger companies will no longer be legal in the United States; Craftsbury Kids and countless other retailers who rely on handmade products in the children's industry will be left with a dismally limited product range to offer customers.
In 2007, large toy manufacturers who outsource their production to China and other developing countries violated the public’s trust. They were selling toys with dangerously high lead content, toys with unsafe small parts, toys with improperly secured and easily swallowed small magnets, and toys made from chemicals that made kids sick. Almost every problem toy in 2007 was made in China .
The United States Congress rightly recognized that the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) lacked the authority and staffing to prevent dangerous toys from being imported into the US ; so they passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act in August 2008. Among other things, the CPSIA bans lead and phthalates in toys, mandates third-party testing and certification for all toys and requires toy makers to permanently label each toy with a date and batch number.
All of these changes will be fairly easy for large, multinational toy manufacturers to comply with. Large manufacturers who make thousands of units of each toy have very little incremental cost to pay for testing and updating their molds to include batch labels.
For small American, Canadian, and European toymakers, however the costs of mandatory testing will likely drive them out of business, or prevent them from doing business with the US.
:: A toymaker for example, who makes wooden cars in his garage in Maine to supplement his income cannot afford the (up to $4,000) fee per toy that testing labs are charging to assure compliance with the CPSIA.
:: A work at home mom in Minnesota who makes dolls to sell at craft fairs must choose either to violate the law or cease operations.
:: And even the handful of larger toy makers 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.
The CPSIA simply forgot to address the class of toys that have earned and kept the public's trust: Toys made in the US, Canada, and Europe. The result, unless the law is modified, will be small, innovative companies that typically make niche products, will be forced out of business, or forced to narrow their product range and sell to the mass market. Product availability and selection will diminish. Ironically, we will be primarily left with imported plastic toys from China.
What can be done to help?
Toy stores, Toymakers and others in the industry:
Join the Handmade Toy Alliance- http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org
Parents, grandparents, and concerned citizens:
Write to your United States Congress Person and Senator and the CPSC to request changes in the CPSIA to save handmade toys. You can find a sample letter with links to representatives here-
http://www.handmadetoyalliance.org/how-you-can-help/
Discuss this issue in forums and on your blog. It isn't just our businesses that are at risk, it is the very nature of the toys and products our children and grandchildren will have access to in the future.
http://www.pumpkinhaus.etsy.com
http://pumpkinhaus.blogspot.com
http://hyenacart.com/pumpkinhaus |
Edited by - pumpkinhaus on Dec 10 2008 12:40:45 PM |
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pumpkinhaus
Farmgirl in Training
21 Posts
Dani
South Bend
IN
USA
21 Posts |
Posted - Dec 06 2008 : 10:50:46 AM
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Here's a list of names and fax numbers of the members of the Subcommittee on Commerce that will be meeting:
Bobby L. Rush, IL, Chairman
Fax: 202-226-0333
Jan Schakowsky, IL, Vice Chair
Fax: 202-226-6890
G.K. Butterfield, NC
Fax: 202-225-3354
John Barrow, GA
Fax: 202-225-3377
Baron P. Hill
Fax: 202-226-6866
Edward J. Markey, MA
Fax: 202-226-0092
Rick Boucher, VA
Fax: 202-225-0442
Edolphus Towns, NY
Fax: 202-225-1018
Diana DeGette, CO
Fax: 202-225-5657
Charles A. Gonzalez, TX
Fax: 202-225-1915
Mike Ross, AR
Fax: 202-225-1314
Darlene Hooley, OR
Fax: 202-225-5699
Anthony D. Weiner, NY
Fax: 202-226-7253
Jim Matheson, UT
Fax: 202-225-3013
Charlie Melancon, LA
Fax: 202-226-3944
John D. Dingell, MI (Ex Officio)
Fax: 202-226-0371
Ed Whitfield, KY
Fax: 202-225-3547
Cliff Sterns, FL
Fax: 202-225-3973
Charles W. “Chip” Pickering, MS
Fax: 202-225-5797
Vito Fossella, NY
Fax: 202-226-1272
George Radanovich, CA
Fax: 202-225-3402
Joseph R. Pitts, PA
Fax: 202-225-2013
Mary Bono Mack, CA
Fax: 202-225-2961
Lee Terry, NE
Fax: 202-226-5452
Sue Wilkins Myrick, NC
Fax: 202-225-3389
John Sullivan, OK
Fax: 202-225-9187
Michael C. Burgess, TX
Fax: 202-225-2919
Marsha Blackburn, TN
Fax: 202-225-3004
Joe Barton, TX (Ex Officio)
Fax : 202-225-3052
http://www.pumpkinhaus.etsy.com
http://pumpkinhaus.blogspot.com
http://hyenacart.com/pumpkinhaus |
Edited by - pumpkinhaus on Dec 08 2008 11:50:18 AM |
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pumpkinhaus
Farmgirl in Training
21 Posts
Dani
South Bend
IN
USA
21 Posts |
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Mumof3
True Blue Farmgirl
3890 Posts
Karin
Ellenwood
GA
USA
3890 Posts |
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oldfashioned girl
True Blue Farmgirl
2391 Posts
monica
oatman
az
USA
2391 Posts |
Posted - Dec 06 2008 : 8:26:59 PM
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Dani, This is outrageous! I need to go back and read it again, but if I am catching what it's saying it will sink many businesses! I know of a lot of companies who started with the sole purpose of making safe toys and safe alternatives to all of the garbage from China! I would post a "Please read this" topic under the stitching and crafting forum to get more ladies attention! I am going to contact my senator and whoever else I can get a hold of!
Monica
farmgirls rule!
www.justducky48.etsy.com
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pumpkinhaus
Farmgirl in Training
21 Posts
Dani
South Bend
IN
USA
21 Posts |
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LindaEllen
True Blue Farmgirl
275 Posts
Linda
Missouri
USA
275 Posts |
Posted - Dec 07 2008 : 5:16:04 PM
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Ok so what about furniture, kids under 12 use chairs , sofas, beds etc. How about cars, they ride in cars and busses. Then you got your TV sets, most 12 year old and younger (2yrs) can turn on a TV. Everything that an adult comes into contact daily a child does to, so then everything needs to be tested. This is about as loony as they can get, but I bet it will get even worst. Its all about control.
Linda
Farmgirl Sister #343
Locust Trail Homestead
http://www.homesteadblogger.com/walkabout/
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pumpkinhaus
Farmgirl in Training
21 Posts
Dani
South Bend
IN
USA
21 Posts |
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pumpkinhaus
Farmgirl in Training
21 Posts
Dani
South Bend
IN
USA
21 Posts |
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Mother Hen
True Blue Farmgirl
604 Posts
Cindy
Peck
ID
USA
604 Posts |
Posted - Dec 08 2008 : 11:37:18 PM
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Dani, Thank you for your post of very disheartening information. Although I don't make anything at this time for children, I want to preserve my rights to do so if I wish. I, for one, have copied the letter and will fill in the blanks with my congressman and representatives' information and send it to them directly. This is yet another outrage, of many lately, that the government is trying to pull!
I hope everyone that reads your post will send the letter and tell all their friends about it also. I plan on making copies of the letter and handing them out to my friends to fill in their names/addresses and mail.
Way to go girl!! If you hear of anything else, keep us informed!
God Bless you.
I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalms 34:1 |
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pumpkinhaus
Farmgirl in Training
21 Posts
Dani
South Bend
IN
USA
21 Posts |
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MsCwick
True Blue Farmgirl
775 Posts
Cristine
Farmville
Virginia
USA
775 Posts |
Posted - Dec 10 2008 : 10:10:13 AM
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So that email above is from one of my toy distributors. This is serious. Let's just hope that someone opens their eyes and realizes it's not american toys causing the problems. I think they should enforce terrible tarrifs on imported crap.
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Edited by - MsCwick on Dec 10 2008 2:31:32 PM |
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MsCwick
True Blue Farmgirl
775 Posts
Cristine
Farmville
Virginia
USA
775 Posts |
Posted - Dec 11 2008 : 3:11:20 PM
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Hi Cristine Wickizer,
Thanks for submitting your idea for change in America titled:
URGENT! Toy Safety in America
To build momentum behind your idea, the next step is to let your friends know about your idea and encourage them to vote for it. The top 10 ideas are going to be presented to the Obama Administration on Inauguration Day and will be supported by a national lobbying campaign run by Change.org, MySpace, more than a dozen leading nonprofits after the Inauguration. So each idea has a real chance at becoming policy.
To ask your friends to vote for idea, just forward the following link:
http://www.change.org/ideas/view/urgent_toy_safety_in_america
We've also pasted sample text below that you're welcome to use when forwarding the link to your friends:
----------------------------------------------------
Hey,
I wanted to see if I could get your quick help. I'm not sure if you've heard, but there's a movement of citizens inspired by the presidential campaign who are now submitting ideas for how they think the Obama Administration should change America. It's called "Ideas for Change in America."
I've submitted an idea and wanted to see if you could quickly vote for it. The title is: URGENT! Toy Safety in America. You can read and vote for the idea by clicking on the following link:
http://www.change.org/ideas/view/urgent_toy_safety_in_america
The top 10 ideas are going to be presented to the Obama Administration on Inauguration Day and will be supported by a national lobbying campaign run by Change.org, MySpace, and more than a dozen leading nonprofits after the Inauguration. So each idea has a real chance at becoming policy.
Thanks for the support,
Cristine Wickizer
----------------------------------------------------
Thanks for being part of the moment for change in America. And good luck!
- The Change.org Team |
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pumpkinhaus
Farmgirl in Training
21 Posts
Dani
South Bend
IN
USA
21 Posts |
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Marketplace: New Government regulations H.R. 4040- the CPSIA |
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New Government regulations H.R. 4040- the CPSIA
