Sunflower Faith

Think this is just a concern for those who make and sell handmade crafts? Think again.

Part of the reason I’m posting about this is that as a private citizen and a parent, it’s a concern because this affects all of us and it also affects our economy. Times are hard enough for everyone but it helps to even just be aware what is going on out there so if you want to have a voice, you can have an informed voice.

Something else to think about…as homeschoolers, it affects us because this also affects books geared for children.

It means small book publishers could go out of business. It affects getting manipulatives, supply kits, books, anything associated with children.(ref: bookshopblog.com/2009/01/04/book-burning-on-feb-10th-2009-due-to-cpsia/)

But that is just a blog post you may say.

True but here it is straight from CPSIA:

Does the new requirement for total lead on children’s products apply to children’s books, cassettes and CD’s, printed game boards, posters and other printed goods used for children’s education?

In general, yes. CPSIA defines children’s products as those products intended primarily for use by children 12 and under.

Accordingly, these products would be subject to the lead limit for paint and surface coatings at 16 CFR part 1303 (and the 90 ppm lead paint limit effective August 14, 2009) as well as the new lead limits for children’s products containing lead (600 ppm lead limit effective February 10, 2009, and 300 ppm lead limit effective August 14, 2009).

If the children’s products use printing inks or materials which actually become a part of the substrate, such as the pigment in a plastic article, or those materials which are actually bonded to the substrate, such as by electroplating or ceramic glazing, they would be excluded from the lead paint limit.

However, these products are still considered to be lead containing products irrespective of whether such products are excluded from the lead paint limit and are subject to the lead limits for children’s products containing lead.

For lead containing children’s products, CPSIA specifically provides that paint, coatings, or electroplating may not be considered a barrier that would render lead in the substrate inaccessible to a child.

There is no go around.

As Baby Cheapskate said on their post,

“You will no longer be able to place used children’s clothes or toys into the “stream of commerce” unless you can prove that they’ve been tested for lead and pthalates. As I and others understand it, that means no selling items without such proof on ebay, Craigslist, yard sales, and church/organization consignment sales.”

There is a new law that will come to pass on February 10, 2009 that has many people worry and not just those who create handmade crafts for kids.

Already, a German based company has ceased production of toys geared for children due to the inability to afford the cost of testing that would be required before parents are able to buy from them.

• unplugyourkids.com/2009/01/03/our-last-selecta-toy/

What is CPSIA, you may ask?

CPSIA stands for Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. To read what is at issue here are some links:

The full text of the law is here: HR 4040 or if you prefer a PDF, here.

Check out the CPSIA frequently asked questions (FAQ) list at cpsc.gov/about/cpsia/faq/105faq.html.

That can’t be too bad and we need regulation particularly if it affects our children you may say, but before you make a quick judgment, it helps to take the time to read what they are planning to do and who it does affect and the fact that as great as it may sound…there are “NO” exemptions that even the very textbooks and school kits that homeschoolers and public schools use will be under this scrutiny.

No big deal you say?

Considering that they (companies that produce these and other items) have to test EACH INDIVIDUAL part, this gets expensive and will put a lot of small businesses out of business and no one can sell on e-bay, amazon or other sites, including yard sales, garagle sales, etc.

So even the average joe who sells their used children clothes will be held under scrutiny.

Still no big deal one would say.

It goes like this. If the said item does not have a certificate stating it was tested and approved for sale, it can’t be sold and is now illegal.

Still chuckling what is the deal?

Not many people can spend $1,000 per item to be tested; No batch tests; It has to be tested, INDIVIDUALLY.

Still in disbelief; Here is a touching blog post of how far reaching this affects the average person:

• weblog.xanga.com/GloryQuilts/688416985/my-longest-blog-post-ever—and-the-most-angry.html

Sadly, the people it affects is everyone.

You, me, the small businesses, homeschoolers, yes, even public schools, moms who work from home, low-income families, our economy, everyone.

Not just one small group-everyone, and violation isn’t a slap on the hand-It’s going to be a felony.

They can’t enforce this you say,it’s easy; People without this certificate or can afford the cost of testing can’t sell.  No business means no money means no business thus business goes…well, out of business. Economics.

To sell-is illegal. Simple.

Shaking your head?

Here are some touching posts from not only people who are going to be affected but will be affected:

If you just google “CPSIA” and even “CPSIA and homeschooling” or “CPSIA and handmade crafts”, you’ll be floored by the response and affect this will have.

Mark Riffey of the “Flathead Beacon” wrote an interesting article not only outlining CPSIA but how it would affect his local community and it’s not pretty.

He also explained in this excerpt from his article that,

” I have to wonder if anyone in Congress even considers the impact of laws on small businesses and home businesses. Why? The combined House and Senate votes on this legislation yielded only three “No” votes. “

Want details? The House vote is here, the final Senate vote is here.

He even goes into exactly everyone who will be affected:

flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/legislating_montana_small_businesses_out_of_business/7197/

Change.org had this to say about CPSIA:

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 (CPSIA) in August 2008.

Among other things, the CPSIA bans lead and phthalates in children’s products, mandates third party testing and certification, and requires manufacturers of all goods for children under the age of 12, to permanently label each item with a date and batch number.

All of these changes will be fairly easy for large, multinational companies to comply with. Large manufacturers who make thousands of units of each item have very little incremental cost to pay for testing and updating their systems to include batch labels.

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.

Anyone who produces or sells any of the following new or used items will be required to comply with the law: toys, books, clothing, art, educational supplies, materials for the learning disabled, bicycles, and more.

Any uncertified item intended for children under the age of 12 will be considered contraband after February 10, 2009.

It will be illegal to sell or give these items away to charities, and the government will require their destruction or permanent disposal, resulting in millions of tons of unnecessary waste, and placing an enormous strain on our landfills.

Still think this won’t affect you or anyone else?

Read here: thedomesticdiva.wordpress.com/2008/12/21/cpsia-what-childrens-clothing-designers-and-manufacturers-need-to-know/ The amount of people affected is startling." >thedomesticdiva.wordpress.com/2008/12/21/cpsia-what-childrens-clothing-designers-and-manufacturers-need-to-know/

The amount of people affected is startling.

To participate in a petition to ask for amendments, reforms, something to not only save our small businesses that do affect all of us, but to have a say, here’s what YOU can do:

1. Contact your state representative about this and voice your opinion; Another way of doing that is going here: capwiz.com/americanapparel/issues/alert/?alertid=12274476

As Life on the Road encouraged, If you have a blog, twitter or facebook, post about it on your blog, email groups, fellow friends, discuss it, keep inform and help others keep inform about it.

© 2009, Sunflower Faith. All rights reserved.

Sunflower Faith is a quiet, sometimes silly, sometimes sarcastic, sometimes serious, follower of Christ sharing words of devotion, encouragement and hope that is always about our Father in Heaven. So grab a cup of coffee and join Sunflower Faith in words of growth, hope and more all in the spirit of 2 Peter 1:5-8.

Sunflower Faith

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