This is what has been coined for February 10, 2008. I am still far from understanding exactly what the CPSIA is going to entail, but the more I learn the more concerned I am. For all of us. Big, little. WAHM, CEO. All manufacturers of children’s products no matter the size are going to be hit incredibly hard. All retailers that sell children’s products no matter the size will also be hit hard. I think that the smaller businesses will likely not survive this. European companies may choose not to sell in the U.S. as Selecta has already done.
There are a great many people out there writing about this. Whether you can believe everything you read is something else altogether. This is not a fight against the big manufacturers/retailers. This is absolutely not a fight against strengthening our laws to protect children from harmful products and substances. We need to believe in the products we buy for our children. I am convinced this is not the way to go about ensuring product safety.
On December 10, members of the sub-committee will meet to review implementation of the CPSIA. If your representative is on the sub-committee, it is imperative that our voices be heard. Here is a link for suggestions for talking with your representative. Remember that we all want safer products for our children, we just don’t want anyone going out of business needlessly.
If you are here you likely prefer to buy natural, specialty, and/or handmade products for your babies. Unfortunately, the ability to buy toys, infant carriers, and possibly even clothing and cloth diapers from small businesses, work-at-home-moms, or craftspeople will be much more difficult.
The intention of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 was to prevent another debacle from some of the biggest toy manufacturers that have outsourced everything to China which helped allow for our children to be given access to lead paint among other things. This is obviously great. No one wants unsafe toys.
The unintended, at least I hope it’s unintended, consequences are that the small manufacturers and makers of handmade toys and infant carriers, among other products for children, here in the U.S., Canada and Europe are going to be affected greatly by the additional costs to get every product tested. Without these small businesses, work-at-home-moms, craftsmen, and the like, all we will be left with are the giant corporations that are the root cause to begin with.
People with stores on etsy that make children’s products will struggle. People that create unique and specialty toys for retail or craft fairs might be out of business. I read an analogy somewhere that if this were food, farmer’s markets would be banned and we would only be left to the giant food conglomerates. I know we wouldn’t want that and I know we don’t want this. I don’t think enough people realize what is happening.
So that brings me to how you can help:
1) Get the word out any way you can!
2) Sign a petition
Links for more information:
Love it, hate it, indifferent? Regardless, it’s here. While I am not one for rampant consumerism, if you shop conscientiously there are some amazing deals to be had. Especially this year. Take care in what you buy and from whom. Shop green, shop local, shop online.