Used toys like ones seen here in the window of a charity shop will no longer be legally available...
Credit: Jimmy Wales | ©www.commons.wikimedia.org
New U.S. Safety Regulations to Eliminate Sale of Used Children's Products
If you are a parent concerned about your child's safety, and especially one living on a tight family budget, read on. You may be concerned to learn your ability to purchase second-hand children's items from your local thrift store may soon be a thing of the past. This would include all baby items, children's clothing and shoes as well as used children's toys.
According to Adele Meyer, executive director of the National Association of Resale and Thrift Shops, "They'll all have to go to the landfill." She was quoted in a Los Angeles Times article by Alana Semuels earlier this week expressing her concern about the future of used children's clothing sales. Read the full LA Times article here.
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 is the newly enacted U.S. government's safety regulations scheduled to take effect on February 10, 2009. Once enforcement takes effect, the new safety regulations will cause thousands of thrift store owners to throw their inventories of children's clothing and other used children's items away. Many used clothing retailers that sell children's clothing fear they will be forced to close their doors and declare bankruptcy.
Parents who consign their children's outgrown clothing at retail consignment shops are also concerned they may no longer be able to do so. They will end up loosing this source of additional income to their family's clothing budget.
Could this be a case of over-protective government regulations gone too far? You decide. . .
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 is posted here.
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 was passed by the U.S. Congress last year in response to widespread product recalls of items felt to pose a danger to children. These recalled items included Chinese toys contaminated with lead or lead-based paint. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 also reauthorized and modernized the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
According to Adele Meyer, executive director of the National Association of Resale and Thrift Shops, "They'll all have to go to the landfill." She was quoted in a Los Angeles Times article by Alana Semuels earlier this week expressing her concern about the future of used children's clothing sales. Read the full LA Times article here.
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 is the newly enacted U.S. government's safety regulations scheduled to take effect on February 10, 2009. Once enforcement takes effect, the new safety regulations will cause thousands of thrift store owners to throw their inventories of children's clothing and other used children's items away. Many used clothing retailers that sell children's clothing fear they will be forced to close their doors and declare bankruptcy.
Parents who consign their children's outgrown clothing at retail consignment shops are also concerned they may no longer be able to do so. They will end up loosing this source of additional income to their family's clothing budget.
Could this be a case of over-protective government regulations gone too far? You decide. . .
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 is posted here.
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 was passed by the U.S. Congress last year in response to widespread product recalls of items felt to pose a danger to children. These recalled items included Chinese toys contaminated with lead or lead-based paint. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 also reauthorized and modernized the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Comments
That is good to hear. I couldn't understand how they could make this law retroactive. I can't imagine trying to test everything on a store shelf...to the tune of thousands of dollars.
Good news, everyone! (^;^) Since this article was first published,the Consumer Product Safety Commission has decided to interpret the new government regulations more leniently and allow most second-hand items to be classified as exempt. My follow-up article will be posted shortly. Thanks so much to everyone for staying on top of this important issue. So many parents desperately depend on thrift stores to purchase children's items and with the economy what it is at present, this could have had devastating effects for many lower-income families.
Excellent article, much more information than I included in mine on this subject. By now I'm sure you know that exemptions have been made for secondhand items.
I hadn't heard of this. I think an easier solution would be to not buy things from China since that's where all the bad stuff is coming from. We try to avoid buying anything that comes from China as much as possible.
good info... hadn't heard about this...
ELizabeth Wilder
(Guest)
(Guest)
01/10/2009
Did anyone consider the many church craft groups that work year round making children's items for sale at fairs that support the church and missisons?
With the economy in the rut it is in, can we see this as feasible? NO! This is simply going too far!!!! Excellent article and one that should make people take action! I know I will!
Thanks, great article, Rebecca!:)
Thanks for everyone's comments. I just wanted to get the word out and raise awareness of what I feel to be an important issue for many parents. Everything I have read thus far indicates regulations will be enforced on retail sales of children's products, hopefully, nothing should prevent giving away used children's items by churches, shelters, etc.
Excellent article! I do see the reason behind this, as lead contamination and other safety issues in children's products has gotten way out of hand. However, it may be going a little too far. It seems there could be a better solution than disallowing the sale of all used children's items. I doubt they are all contaminated and there are many low-income people who cannot afford new items. I wonder what they will do. I will have to go read up on that some. I hope shelters and other places that serve to the needy can hand out used items that have been tested.
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