This email was recently sent to me regarding the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. Please read it and do whatever you think may help regarding this issue—because believe it or not this is sure to affect all of us in some way or another because small businesses are what keeps our towns and cities surviving in this tough economy.
**In 2007, we learned that many of the toys our children are exposed to by some big companies are tainted with lead and phthalates. Large toy manufacturers outsourcing to China and other developing countries sold numerous products within the US that can make our kids sick.
Reacting to this, the US Congress cracked down on the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) and passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) in August 2008. This law requires mandatory safety testing for all toys and products geared towards children ages 12 and under. Which is a good thing except the law lacks specifics and without modification, the reality is that thousands of small businesses who produce handmade toys and children’s products will be forced to close their doors because the testing procedures are very expensive. Does this really make sense for the hand made artisan products found on etsy.com or the stay at home mom making baby blankets to help support her family.
On February 10, 2009 this law goes into effect, forcing small business owners to provide certification of thousands of dollars spent on third-party testing. Testing for chemicals that don’t exist in the materials that US based small businesses use. Now more than ever, with our economy hanging by a thread we need these small businesses who provide unique and SAFE products and help to keep our handmade in the USA industry thriving.
Here’s what you can do to help.
1. To help start by forwarding this information to everyone you know.
2. Vote for amending the law on Change.org. With enough votes it will be presented to President Obama in January!
3. Find your congress person and senators and write a letter like the sample here. Particularly if they serve on the House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection or the House Committee on Small Business.
4. Send an email directly to the CPSC or contact chairperson Nancy Nord at 301-504-7923.
5. Sign this petition, to be submitted to the CPSC.
6. Check out these additional resources: Facebook -Help Save Handmade Toys from the CPSIA and Handmade Toy Alliance
