Starting Feb 10th, the CPSIA law meant to protect our children from lead and other harmful things will make many small businesses and especially thrift stores and resale shops almost unable to operate.
The law has a good intent. It makes items sold for use by children under the age of 12 be tested for lead and pthalates. But the items have to be tested at the retailer level, with fines of $100,000 for each incident.
Thrift stores and resale shops will basically have to test every item for kids under 12 for these chemicals. This will mean that thrift stores won't be able to sell toys, blankets, books, clothing, strollers, high chairs, car seats, etc.... So many of the stores we go to in order to afford the items our kids need will go out of business.
I think this law has good intentions, but needs to be modified. I think that resale shops and charity based thrift stores should be exempt. I could see MAYBE making resale shops follow it and giving thrift stores who give profits to charity exempt.
I know this will create a financial hardship for my family. And for my brother. We both clothe our families almost totally from thrift stores.
The testing of products is intended to be done at a retailer level. And this is where it is a problem. Retailers cannot depend on the manufacturer's certification that the products are in compliance with the law.
OH, this law as it stands does seem to apply to garage sales also. So if you wanted to sell some outgrown clothes or toys, you won't be able to. Even passing clothing or equipment to a friend for their child to use is a violation of this law. Or this is what I can interpret it to mean and what everything I have found online about this law says.
Moderators, if this is too political I will understand and delete it or you can delete it.
The law has a good intent. It makes items sold for use by children under the age of 12 be tested for lead and pthalates. But the items have to be tested at the retailer level, with fines of $100,000 for each incident.
Thrift stores and resale shops will basically have to test every item for kids under 12 for these chemicals. This will mean that thrift stores won't be able to sell toys, blankets, books, clothing, strollers, high chairs, car seats, etc.... So many of the stores we go to in order to afford the items our kids need will go out of business.
I think this law has good intentions, but needs to be modified. I think that resale shops and charity based thrift stores should be exempt. I could see MAYBE making resale shops follow it and giving thrift stores who give profits to charity exempt.
I know this will create a financial hardship for my family. And for my brother. We both clothe our families almost totally from thrift stores.
The testing of products is intended to be done at a retailer level. And this is where it is a problem. Retailers cannot depend on the manufacturer's certification that the products are in compliance with the law.
OH, this law as it stands does seem to apply to garage sales also. So if you wanted to sell some outgrown clothes or toys, you won't be able to. Even passing clothing or equipment to a friend for their child to use is a violation of this law. Or this is what I can interpret it to mean and what everything I have found online about this law says.
Moderators, if this is too political I will understand and delete it or you can delete it.
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