PA's Craftsmen Guild respond to CPSIA

[HappyOldCro]

If you sell, make or give children's items, this may be of interest to you. Especially PA crafters...

 

Link to PA Guild information

[allieliz]

I am ashamed to say that I was completely unaware of this extremely broad law that is about to be enacted. I will certainly do more research about it. Thank you.

[darski]

It would seem that the Nanny State will do just about anything it can to destroy initiative and industry in our countries. do me a favour and don't tell Canada about this ...ok?

[Yarnluver]

I read the document but didn't go to any of the links (after all, I don't live in PA...) but if anyone would be so kind to explain to me what this is really about I'd appreciate it, one never knows when/how our own state could be next.

[misssmaggie]

:mdustThanks for the link...

[stitchgirl]

I read the document but didn't go to any of the links (after all, I don't live in PA...) but if anyone would be so kind to explain to me what this is really about I'd appreciate it, one never knows when/how our own state could be next.

 

The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act is not just for Pennsylvanians. Happy OldCro mentioned PA because her link takes you to the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen who are trying to do something about this law that is to go into effect in Feb. I guess the way the law is currently written it would put extreme restrictions on homecrafters who make childrens' items.

[Yarnluver]

Thank you for the info. I have another question, do you know what kind of restrictions they would be? I ask because I've been thinking of making amigurumis to sell, I didn't intend for them to be for children really but people may decide otherwise.

[bgs]

Thank you for the info. I have another question, do you know what kind of restrictions they would be? I ask because I've been thinking of making amigurumis to sell, I didn't intend for them to be for children really but people may decide otherwise.

 

This thread has a link to an article concerning the law.

http://www.crochetville.org/forum/showthread.php?t=93149

[Craw]

Personally, I don't think the law will be able to be enforced except for the larger manufacturers or where the impact would be the greatest. There are too many small business to keep an eye on all of them and they just don't have the man power to do it. Once they realize this - in, oh, maybe a HUNDRED OR SO YEARS - the law will be changed.

 

I read somewhere else that a manufacturer of light bulbs for microscopes was planning to go out of business. Their customer base was light bulbs in microscopes for school use. Because the light bulb contained a small amount of lead (probably necessary for conducting electricity) they could no longer make the bulbs for the microscopes that were used in schools. This also puts the manufacturer of the microscopes in a bad spot. He has the microscope but no way for anybody to use it without the bulb. Apparently kids will no longer be able to have microscopes in the science labs. Whoever put that law together didn't think it through very well but then I don't suppose they care. They get paid either way.

[HappyOldCro]

I posted this thread so that all handicrafters would be aware that it is NOT just large businesses being affected. You need to contact guild's, craft makers, small mom and pop businesses and have everyone you can send letters, petitions or whatever, to make your opinions known.

This is the link to the main thread that addressed this issue first. I have seen many other threads started on this subject, and the general idea everyone seems to have is it won't impact on them.

EVERYONE will be impacted, sellers and buyers, big and small. Who do you think is going to wind up paying for this testing? Manufacturers will pass the costs on to the consumers. Big companies will figure out a way to absorb or pass on the expense, but us little guys will pay through the nose or go out of business, not to mention charity problems.

NOT just a LEAD issue, it is also about plastics and other materials containing chemicals that are being banned.

The link I posted to the PA guild of craftsmen is because I get mail from the Guild in PA, and the language used isn't as technically challenging as the CPS site with the original law. Visit some of the Craftsmen guilds and sites for toys and apparel for children in your own states, and find out what is going on there.

I am all for regulation when it comes to children, Lord knows I have enough in my family. But what is apparent here is the law wasn't clearly written, nor was thought given to the economic impact this would have, especially in this day and age. We don't need more people going out of business, or charities unable to obtain material donations. Little by little the govt is starting to realize the law needs some changes, thanks to all those who recognized the implications from the get-go, and took the time to write to their state reps. Please take the time to think about what it really means to all of us.

[misssmaggie]

I added the following to my form to my congresswoman and both state senators.

This also means charities will suffer less donations of handmade items being offered. There are so many programs out there that depend on the donations of handmade items such as: blankets, hats, scarves, gloves and mittens, small stuffed animals and much more. Some of these items go to neo-natal units, homeless shelters, abuse centers for children and adults just to name a few. If these charities are no long able to accept these donations, they will not be able to fulfill their obligations to aide those in need.

 

I must add that my concerns go far beyond the previous mentioned here. Much of the problem, I believe, began with NAFTA. Since the act was passed, so many American companies have moved the manufacturing of their products to Mexico and other foreign countries. Thus, creating a lack of employment in our own country. They are also employing workers that are extremely underpaid and producing poor quality and unsafe products.. If our American companies brought back the industry that we so desperately need, it would boost our economy and cut back on the unemployment rate. Our people would regain the pride of saying, “Made in the USA”.

Being a family in the trucking industry, we have felt the financial strain post NAFTA. We have seen the decline of revenue. Unfortunately, we had to file bankruptcy, loosing our truck, trailer and home and vehicle. We went from owning our own business to working for the company we were leased to. We see only a small amount of the commerce transport going in and out of our country through our employer. But when it is considered on a national scale, it is plain to see our country needs to bring the industry back home.

[darski]

here is the beginning of an article about this subject at World Ned Daily...

 

the full article is here

 

 

Thrift stores exempted from 'financial doomsday'

Announcement released after WND documents potential disaster

Posted: January 08, 2009

10:55 pm Eastern

 

By Chelsea Schilling

© 2009 WorldNetDaily

 

 

The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced today that a new government regulation scheduled to take effect next month will not force thrift and consignment stores to adhere to strict lead and phthalate testing or declare their merchandise hazardous material.

[eurolyons]

I heard about this act from another site and at the time (about a month ago) the act would impact even garage sales, etc...so I'm very pleased that exceptions are now being made, like thrift stores and certain materials like wool, cotton and so on...

 

Still, this act is pretty extreme...and as a member from my other site said, paraphrasing, "Sure our children need to be protected, but this is ridiculous. Especially in this economy."

[Yarnluver]

I would like to write to protest but when I tried reading that act it threatened to give me a headeache (as all legal documents do...) so I gave up. I didn't really see where/how crocheted items would be included but those things are too hard to interpret anyway and I didn't read every single monotonous word of it so I don't know what I could do...

[Yarnluver]

That at least is encouraging.

[texasredhead]

I have read the CPSIA rules so far and they have stated that this law does not include cotton, wool, silk, and gemstones. Yarn is not a hard surface that could contain lead. Our yarn should not be affected by this law. The law also doesn't include childrens bedding and clothing. Only hard surfaces are included in this law. I don't think we have to worry about crocheting for our charites. But, this type of law really bothers me. If the Chinese were sending in toys with lead...punish them....not our business who weren't doing that. Our Government either doesn't do enough or goes overboard with silly laws. They are punishing their own citizens who have done nothing wrong. The USA outlawed lead paint years ago...so we wouldn't be using it. First big business sends our jobs overseas, and now our own country is trying to close down the small business people. This is crazy!!

 

You wait....once testing begins and they add on to the price of the toy for that...we won't be able to afford to BUY the toys!!!

[Lisaizme]

Exactly. I'm beginning to wonder if there's collusion between the drafters of this act and the major toy companies to drive the smaller concerns out of business.

 

I just recently found a huge discussion on another site and this is part of one of the discussions: (I paraphrased what they posted)

 

.. the poster had spent a few days in Washington DC and met with one of the people responsible for defining the rules of the CPSIA.. and after that meeting they didn't know of ANY child's product producer who wasn't devastatingly affected. The person they met with made it clear they didn't care who was making the item or what the item was made out of.. they were going to be highly aggressive in implementing the rules.

 

http://www.fashion-incubator.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=3384&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=&sid=da0e827309f9abb9ffc546aee5ff7323

 

So, I'm sorry to disagree with you, TexasRedHead, but I do think that yarn and items made from yarn that would be intended for children 12 and under IS affected. I wish you were right.

[Craw]

Yup, yarn IS affected. It's not only the lead they're worried about, there is also phthalates testing to be done. Lead may not be in yarn but I think they worry about it being present in the dyes. Phthalates are very much a concern in the acrylic yarns, as well as lead in the dyes. This leads me to believe that eventually, yarn companies will be forced to do their own testing. Nobody really wants that garbage in their yarn so they'll have to prove it's not there or people will have to buy only the organic kind. Eventually it will hit them in the pocketbook.

[Lisaizme]

I'm very much for getting phthalates out of our homes.. one reason I will NOT make anything with Yarn made from recycled plastic bottles.. geez..what WAS that yarn company thinking??

 

While there's still some debate about whether phthalates are really harmful.. I'd rather err on the side of caution.

[Craw]

I'm very much for getting phthalates out of our homes.. one reason I will NOT make anything with Yarn made from recycled plastic bottles.. geez..what WAS that yarn company thinking??

 

I KNOW!! If I could afford to test yarn, that would be the first one I would, just so I can say to the company, "Your yarn is dangerous. Please label it as such so people don't use it around children."

[Yarnluver]

I'm very much for getting phthalates out of our homes.. one reason I will NOT make anything with Yarn made from recycled plastic bottles.. geez..what WAS that yarn company thinking??

 

While there's still some debate about whether phthalates are really harmful.. I'd rather err on the side of caution.

 

Oh man, are you serious? I mean, how did you find out plastic bottles have phthalates? I'd like to avoid them myself! If you have more info on this I'll appreciate you passing it on.

[Lisaizme]

 

Oh man, are you serious? I mean, how did you find out plastic bottles have phthalates? I'd like to avoid them myself! If you have more info on this I'll appreciate you passing it on.

 

phthalates are plasticizers and are commonly used in water bottles. In fact, the more you reuse a water bottle, the more phthalates are leached into the water you drink.

 

http://www.allaboutwater.org/environment.html

 

Of course, the huge concern was about the use in baby bottles, but phthalates are very very common and used in huge number of things. Like cosmetics, perfumes, vinyl flooring.

 

http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/NEWSCIENCE/oncompounds/phthalates/phthalates.htm

 

Some of what you will read is subject to question, but as I said, I'd rather err on the side of caution.

 

This is an interesting article:

 

http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview/id/744739.html

 

 

Edited to add: I found out because I've been following the news about BPA which can mimic estrogen in the body and since my cancer was estrogen driven.. I pay attention to stuff like that when it's in the news.

[Yarnluver]

I'd heard about them years ago in a hair forum I used to go to (I'm a licensed Cosmetologist) and at the time did some reading but mostly regarding hair products and other cosmetics. After posting I entered a search and looked at what Wikipedia had to say, and it did say it's in plasticizers which are used to make plastics more flexible so what came to mind was small sort of rigid water bottles that I've reused but I'd momentarily forgotten about the gallon water bottles I've been refilling (as they last, which isn't long...) at a machine because I can no longer have a faucet mounted filter in the kitchen sink like I used to, and although my children bought a "Pur" pitcher I don't like the taste of the water so I continued with my bottles. It's a good thing I take supplements that promote liver/body cleansing, maybe that helps, I'm also hoping what Wikipedia said about the U.S. (and Canada) phasing them out is true!

 

Thanks for the links, that's a lot of info and I'm just going to skim through it because to be honest, at this point I'm only willing to go to "reasonable" lengths to protect myself as it's impossible to avoid all the bad stuff that's thrown at us. Since I've been into holistic nutrition/health for many years I've had plenty of opportunities to freak out about a LOT of stuff (pesticides, fertilizers, preservatives, air pollution, etc.) and even have been obsessive about it in the past, but all it got me was to feel "doomed and down" so now I worry a bit less about all that and do the best I can.

 

 

[Wiste]

It's important to note that containers specifically meant for holding food are made out of a plastic with very low amounts of phthalates and that the risk is mainly to children. I'm not saying it's all good but it's nothing to panic about. Water bottles that are single use items shouldn't be reused and reusable containers shouldn't be exposed to high temperatures so don't leave them in the car in the summer and hand wash them instead of putting them in the dishwasher. They will also need to be replace periodically. If you look at the recycle symbol you'll see a number 2 on plastics meant for containing beverages. If I remember correctly, it's the plastics marked with a 4 that are the most dangerous and should never be used to store food or drinks.

[HappyOldCro]

It's important to note that containers specifically meant for holding food are made out of a plastic with very low amounts of phthalates and that the risk is mainly to children. I'm not saying it's all good but it's nothing to panic about. Water bottles that are single use items shouldn't be reused and reusable containers shouldn't be exposed to high temperatures so don't leave them in the car in the summer and hand wash them instead of putting them in the dishwasher. They will also need to be replace periodically. If you look at the recycle symbol you'll see a number 2 on plastics meant for containing beverages. If I remember correctly, it's the plastics marked with a 4 that are the most dangerous and should never be used to store food or drinks.

Read about this along time ago, and was concerned with the baby bottles and also food heated in microwaves. I try to avoid heating food that way, but after years of just throwing a container from fridge to microwave, I have to really make sure I think about it before hand, and transfer the food to another bowl or heat it in a pot.