Stupid, Stupid, Stupid..

The CPSIA (Consumer Produce Safety Improvement Act). Have you heard of this? I have been reading about this the past few days. Basically – a child swallowed a button and died from lead poisoning (which is awful and horrifying) but this -among other things I’m sure- has prompted this law that will make it a felony to sell any product intended for children [clothing/books/toys/dvds/videos/games/jewelry/etc…] that has not undergone expensive testing for lead content.

And it is retroactive. Any children’s items sold on or after February 10th, 2009 -new or used- MUST have undergone this testing or it will be a felony offense to sell it. Which basically will shut down the idea of buying or selling kids items on ebay/craigslist/garage sales/thrift stores/consignment stores etc… Oh, and forget buying a used kids book on half.com Or even checking one out of a library! Oh yes – all of the libraries in our nation (including SCHOOL libraries) will either have to pull all children’s books for testing or not allow children under 12 in the library. The American Library Association contacted the Consumer Product Safety Council with PROOF that books don’t contain lead and that SURELY libraries weren’t meant to be included in this law. To which their request to be excluded was DENIED!

Oh, and if you homeschool – don’t plan on ever being able to purchase a used book! And expect many small curriculum publishers to go out of business since they can’t afford the expensive testing on all of their products.

Love those little handmade wooden toys? Well, don’t plan to be able to find those anymore – since it will cost small business owners thousands more than they could ever afford to test each individual component of each item!

Many websites are referring to February 10th, 2009 [the day the law goes into effect] as "National Bankruptcy Day".

Let’s all be sure to load up our kabillions of perfectly good used children’s items and haul them off to the overflowing landfills everyone is so worried about! Since that will be all that it is now legal to do with them. We wouldn’t want to incur a felony offense, $100,000 fine and jail time from having a little yard sale.

Oh, the ramifications are endless… 

I have now written to both of my senators and my representative. I would encourage you to do the same! This is so ridiculous I can hardly think about it without raising my blood pressure. Just think – in less than a month – I get to buy EVERYTHING for my four children brand new at full price! (Of course – even many sellers of NEW children’s items will be out of business.)

Let’s count some of the things that I have previously been able to purchase used but will no longer be able to:

1. A bicycle
2. bunkbeds
3. soccer cleats
4. shoes
5. winter coats
6. snow pants
7. board games
8. skateboards
9. Christmas dresses
10. Boys suit jacket
11. Costumes
12. Ballet slippers
13. Homeschool curriculum
14. DVDs

I have to stop there – I’m getting too upset. Here is a website that goes into more detail and has a ton of links to the various kinds of businesses that will be affected: handsandhearts.com/index.asp

Perhaps jjumping will let me hold a garage sale at her house up in "Oh, Canada"…