CPSIA- USED now ABUSED by NEW LAWS- WCAX Vermont 01-21-09
Michelle Ertle has always been diligent when it comes to safety and the items she offers for sale at her Trading Post for Little Folks consignment shop located in Essex, Vermont. She keeps current on recalled items and makes sure they don’t end up in the hands and homes of her customers and their children. Although the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act which will go into effect on February 10, 2009 does not require second-hand shops like hers to lab test children’s clothing, books and toys for lead, she is afraid for the future of her business because the laws state that she will still be legally responsible should anything she sells violate the new lead laws. Video from CBS3 WCAX- Burlington, Vermont Copyright WCAX All rights reserved Please visit the WCAX website to comment- www.wcax.com
As of August 14, 2009, Public Law 110-314 will go into effect. What this means to thousands upon thousands of American Small Businesses is that they won’t be able to afford the mandatory-third-party testing for their products. And this is understandable, since the average testing cost will be ~$500 per test.
There are people who make handmade kids toys that really care, and put so much love into it. It also pays their bills and helps pay for food when the economy is in such upheaval. I hope this doesn’t become law in my country. I am sorry to all the people affected by this in the USA.
I can see how this has come about, as we in the West have allowed an influx of cheap imports over the past few decades and with that will ultimately will come some rather suspect, dangerous childrens products, combine that with a ‘Let’s Sue For All We Can Get’ culture and the two gets Governments and Big Industry/Insurers running scared.
THIS IS NOT THE ANSWER! PARTICULARLY AT A TIME WHEN THE ECONOMY IS IN SUCH A BAD STATE AND UNEMPLYMENT IS AN ISSUE!
This kind of blanket lesgislation could so damage many small operators, more importantly it will affect
those who care enough to make beautiful individual things and use their own particular skills and prior knowledge to do so.
this law is crazy
I wonder if CPSC really cares? Ahhhhhhhh, no they don’t. But they will be happy to follow this new CPSIA Law.