Green Options » CPSIA http://greenoptions.com/tag/cpsia Posts tagged 'CPSIA' Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:00:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 en Recall-Prone Mattel Skates By Third-Party Toy Testing http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/09/04/recall-prone-mattel-skates-by-third-party-toy-testing/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/09/04/recall-prone-mattel-skates-by-third-party-toy-testing/#comments Fri, 04 Sep 2009 11:00:20 +0000 Cate Nelson http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/09/04/recall-prone-mattel-skates-by-third-party-toy-testing/ Mattel. The name is no longer only synonymous with Barbie, Hot Wheels, and Polly Pocket. Now when you hear “Mattel”, it’s flashback time: to lead-laden, choketastic toys.

When the Consumer Products Safety Commission was charged with implementing the new CPSIA, designed to make toys safer, fans of handcrafted goods worried: would we still be able to get our beloved natural toys? After all, toy testing for lead and phthalates has a price tag attached that is harder on the small business owner than it is on corporate giants like Mattel.

Turns out, it’s especially easy for Mattel, as the toy manufacturer gets to use “independent” in-house testing instead of submitting its toys to third-party testing like everyone else, as the AP reports,

The Consumer Product Safety Commission recently, and quietly, granted Mattel’s request to use its own labs for testing.

Although I’d love to not be too cynical on this, guess what? Coincidentally, Mattel spent $1 million last year in lobbying costs.

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]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/09/04/recall-prone-mattel-skates-by-third-party-toy-testing/feed/ Senator Evan Bayh Responds to My Letter Protesting the CPSIA of 2008 http://craftingagreenworld.com/2009/07/16/senator-evan-bayh-responds-to-my-letter-protesting-the-cpsia-of-2008/ http://craftingagreenworld.com/2009/07/16/senator-evan-bayh-responds-to-my-letter-protesting-the-cpsia-of-2008/#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:59:27 +0000 Julie Finn http://craftingagreenworld.com/2009/07/16/senator-evan-bayh-responds-to-my-letter-protesting-the-cpsia-of-2008/ writing to Senator BayhWaaaaaaaay back in December, you might remember I wrote my representatives a letter about the CPSIA of 2008. As a small crafter of children’s items and a consumer of handmade goods for myself and my children, I was extremely worried about the stringent testing requirements called for in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act. Specifically, I envisioned a future in which only a few huge manufacturers (the same ones, perhaps, whose outsourcing caused the lead scandals in the first place?) could afford to put children’s items on the market, and in which thrift stores and libraries were cleared out of children’s items entirely. Considering I only buy handmade or second-hand, that’s a problem for me.

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]]> http://craftingagreenworld.com/2009/07/16/senator-evan-bayh-responds-to-my-letter-protesting-the-cpsia-of-2008/feed/ Jewelry Baby Can Play With: Oh Plah! http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/04/16/jewelry-baby-can-play-with-oh-plah/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/04/16/jewelry-baby-can-play-with-oh-plah/#comments Thu, 16 Apr 2009 19:49:56 +0000 Jamie Ervin http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/04/16/jewelry-baby-can-play-with-oh-plah/ Oh Plah! is French for “Here you go!”.  This nifty bracelet is a colorful addition for a fashion forward Mama and does double duty as a toy to entertain a fussy baby.  Oh Plah! is free of lead, PVC, BPA, and phthalates.

My kids were always wanting to play with whatever was attached to my body and sometimes we ran out of the house without stashing a toy or two in the bag, so wearing a safe toy would have been a great help in our world.

There are no small or movable parts on this bracelet… it is one piece of durable, flexible material.  The bands are designed to stand up to lots of bending and chomping.  It can be cleaned up simply by washing in warm, soapy water.  In addition to being free of nasty chemicals, this bracelet meets or exceeds all CPSIA regulations and it is made in the U.S.A.

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]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/04/16/jewelry-baby-can-play-with-oh-plah/feed/ Big Company Rips Off Indie Crafter: Oilily versus Rosa Pomar http://craftingagreenworld.com/2009/03/27/big-company-rips-off-indie-crafter-oilily-versus-rosar-pomar/ http://craftingagreenworld.com/2009/03/27/big-company-rips-off-indie-crafter-oilily-versus-rosar-pomar/#comments Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:49:13 +0000 Julie Finn http://craftingagreenworld.com/2009/03/27/big-company-rips-off-indie-crafter-oilily-versus-rosar-pomar/ Oilily Spring/Summer Baby Collection Press ReleaseWhile checking out my blog list waiting for the coffee to brew, I found the following post on Whip Up–Rosar Pomar + Oilily: Blatant Ripoff?

Basically, a new product line from big company Oilily looks suspiciously similar, from fabric to shape to the smallest facial features, to an old product line that independent small crafter Rosa Pomar has been lovingly producing on her own for years.

The photo to the left is from the Oilily Summer of Love baby girl layette. The doll shown here is shockingly identical to the beautiful dolls that Pomar has been creating for years–see here for examples of her dolls from 2007.

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]]> http://craftingagreenworld.com/2009/03/27/big-company-rips-off-indie-crafter-oilily-versus-rosar-pomar/feed/ Congressman Baron Hill Replies to my Letter Protesting the CPSIA of 2008 http://craftingagreenworld.com/2009/03/14/congressman-baron-hill-replies-to-my-letter-protesting-the-cpsia-of-2008/ http://craftingagreenworld.com/2009/03/14/congressman-baron-hill-replies-to-my-letter-protesting-the-cpsia-of-2008/#comments Sat, 14 Mar 2009 17:18:12 +0000 Julie Finn http://craftingagreenworld.com/2009/03/14/congressman-baron-hill-replies-to-my-letter-protesting-the-cpsia-of-2008/ Comic Book Pinback ButtonThe dust has settled down for just a little while, but you might remember that I did my best to do my part by writing letters to my representatives protesting the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). Senator Lugar replied quite a while ago, and I haven’t heard a peep out of Senator Bayh, but at long last, I have received my reply from Representative Baron Hill. Here it is:

February 25, 2009 

Dear Mrs. Finn, [I specifically signed my name as “Ms.”–harumph)

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]]> http://craftingagreenworld.com/2009/03/14/congressman-baron-hill-replies-to-my-letter-protesting-the-cpsia-of-2008/feed/ Court Upholds Congressional Ban on Toxic Toys http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/05/court-upholds-congressional-ban-on-toxic-toys/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/05/court-upholds-congressional-ban-on-toxic-toys/#comments Thu, 05 Feb 2009 19:25:42 +0000 Kristen Chase http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/05/court-upholds-congressional-ban-on-toxic-toys/ CPSC Loses CaseYet another victory and more good news for toy safety happened to day, with a judge ruling that toys and baby products with pthalates must be removed from the shelves.

“Today’s victory gives parents the certainty Congress tried to provide in the first place – that their children are safe from harmful chemicals in their toys,” said Aaron Colangelo, NRDC attorney. “This is a big win for children’s health and consumer safety.”

The NRDC filed a lawsuit against the CPSC in December after a loophole had been proposed to allow companies to continue selling pthalate-laden products so long as they were made prior to the ban date.

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]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/02/05/court-upholds-congressional-ban-on-toxic-toys/feed/ Breaking News - CPSC Votes for One Year Stay on CPSIA http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/30/breaking-news-cpsc-votes-for-one-year-stay-on-cpsia/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/30/breaking-news-cpsc-votes-for-one-year-stay-on-cpsia/#comments Sat, 31 Jan 2009 01:55:39 +0000 Kristen Chase http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/30/breaking-news-cpsc-votes-for-one-year-stay-on-cpsia/ Handmade Baby HatTo quote Dora - “WE DID IT!”

The CPSC has granted a one year stay for the CPSIA mandatory testing requirements that were going to make February 10, 2009 Bankrupt Day for probably hundreds of thousands of businesses in the United States, as well as forcing many European distributors out of the country.

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]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/30/breaking-news-cpsc-votes-for-one-year-stay-on-cpsia/feed/ Consumer Product Safety Information Act Update: Eco Child’s Play Makes ZapRoot http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/22/consumer-product-safety-information-act-update-eco-childs-play-makes-zaproot/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/22/consumer-product-safety-information-act-update-eco-childs-play-makes-zaproot/#comments Fri, 23 Jan 2009 02:24:33 +0000 Jennifer Lance http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/22/consumer-product-safety-information-act-update-eco-childs-play-makes-zaproot/ Click here to view the full post.

We are honored to be featured on ZapRoot for discussing the Consumer Product Saftey Information Act (CPSIA); however, we have new information to share.  Today, members of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce submitted a letter to chair Henry Waxman requesting a hearing to explore how CPSIA will affect small business, according to Z Recommends.

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]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/22/consumer-product-safety-information-act-update-eco-childs-play-makes-zaproot/feed/ Save Handmade from the CPSIA - Last day to vote at Change.org http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/15/save-handmade-from-the-cpsia-last-day-to-vote-at-changeorg/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/15/save-handmade-from-the-cpsia-last-day-to-vote-at-changeorg/#comments Thu, 15 Jan 2009 14:52:09 +0000 Kristen Chase http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/15/save-handmade-from-the-cpsia-last-day-to-vote-at-changeorg/ Save Handmade!If you’ve got a spare minute, please hop over to Change.org and vote for the Handmade Toy Alliance’s proposal “Save Small Businesses from the CPSIA.” The top 10 ideas will be presented to the Obama Administration, and considering how many people this act effects, we need all the help we can get.

Simply place your vote digg style, and consider spreading the word with links on your blog, or emails to friends and family. This act affects handmade artisans of toys, clothes, and other children’s items, as well as resale, consignment, thrift shops, heck even eBay.

Surprisingly, media coverage has been quite slim on this issue, and many manufacturers and distributors (read: the ones with some major power to make some changes too) are unaware of the CPSIA and how it’s going to affect them next month.

If you’d like to learn more about the CPSIA, you can visit the Cool Mom Picks Save Handmade resource page, and listen to the Healthy Child, Healthy World podcast today at 1pm PST.

Related Posts:

Proposed Exemptions to CPSIA

New Law Will Make Handmade Toys Illegal

Don’t Make February 10, 2009 Bankrupt Day

]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/15/save-handmade-from-the-cpsia-last-day-to-vote-at-changeorg/feed/ New Consumer Product Safety Information Act Could Ban Children From Libraries http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/10/new-consumer-product-safety-information-act-could-ban-children-from-libraries-2/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/10/new-consumer-product-safety-information-act-could-ban-children-from-libraries-2/#comments Sat, 10 Jan 2009 23:58:27 +0000 Jennifer Lance http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/10/new-consumer-product-safety-information-act-could-ban-children-from-libraries-2/ Unless tested, children\'s books may be banned from libraries under CPSIA

From gently used clothing to handmade toys, we’ve raised our concerns about how the new Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) will negatively affect green families and businesses.

This law designed to protect our children is so poorly written, it will actually benefit big business and harm resale shops and natural toymakers.  As Stephen Lamar, executive vice president of the American Apparel and Footwear Association explained to the Redding Record Searchlight, “The law introduces an extraordinarily large number of testing requirements for products for which everyone knows there’s no lead.“  An exemption has been proposed for clothing and toys made from natural materials such as wood and wool, but what about library books? Yes, LIBRARY BOOKS!

Taking effect on February 10, 2009, the CPSIA will require all products for children under 12 be tested for lead, including books.  That means in order for a library to admit children under 12, they must test all of their children’s books or ban children from the library.

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]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/10/new-consumer-product-safety-information-act-could-ban-children-from-libraries-2/feed/ Senator Lugar Can Hear Me! A Response to My Letter Protesting the CPSIA of 2008 http://craftingagreenworld.com/2009/01/10/senator-lugar-can-hear-me-a-response-to-my-letter-protesting-the-cpsia-of-2008/ http://craftingagreenworld.com/2009/01/10/senator-lugar-can-hear-me-a-response-to-my-letter-protesting-the-cpsia-of-2008/#comments Sat, 10 Jan 2009 23:24:07 +0000 Julie Finn http://craftingagreenworld.com/2009/01/10/senator-lugar-can-hear-me-a-response-to-my-letter-protesting-the-cpsia-of-2008/ My letter wasn't this longSo you may remember that a few weeks ago I looked up my representatives and wrote a letter each to Senator Richard G. Lugar, Senator Evan Bayh, and Representative Baron P. Hill about the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA for short).

On Wednesday, Senator Lugar wrote me back. Here is his reply:

Dear Ms. Finn,

Thank you for sharing with me your concerns about legislation that was recently enacted to modernize the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC).  I appreciate knowing of the difficulties individuals such as yourself and other small toymakers expect to face in complying with this new law.

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]]> http://craftingagreenworld.com/2009/01/10/senator-lugar-can-hear-me-a-response-to-my-letter-protesting-the-cpsia-of-2008/feed/ Geppetto in Peril http://craftingagreenworld.com/2008/12/14/geppetto-in-peril/ http://craftingagreenworld.com/2008/12/14/geppetto-in-peril/#comments Sun, 14 Dec 2008 18:19:56 +0000 Autumn Wiggins http://craftingagreenworld.com/2008/12/14/geppetto-in-peril/ Image courtesy of Hasenpfeffer Incorporated on Flickr

CPSIA Legislation May Put Crafters Out of Business 

 

The CPSIA(Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008) states that even a simple wooden toy maker will be required to have a third-party lead test every different variation of marionette he makes, costing upwards of $2000 a pop. While well intentioned in the wake of numerous recalls of imported products for lead and toxic chemical content,  CPSIA ignores the financial constraints and mostly excellent track records of domestic toy manufacturers. It means that as of February 10th, 2009, if you offer for sale any items marketed to, or for use by children under age 12 that have not gone through an expensive beaurucratic rigmarole, then my friend, you are a criminal.  

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]]> http://craftingagreenworld.com/2008/12/14/geppetto-in-peril/feed/ Save Handmade - Don’t make February 10, 2009 Bankrupt Day http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/12/14/save-handmade-dont-make-february-10-2009-bankrupt-day/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/12/14/save-handmade-dont-make-february-10-2009-bankrupt-day/#comments Sun, 14 Dec 2008 14:31:44 +0000 Kristen Chase http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/12/14/save-handmade-dont-make-february-10-2009-bankrupt-day/ Save HandmadeRecently, Eco Child’s Play editor Jennifer Lance wrote about the CPSIA that will go into effect on February 20, 2009, thus decimating the thousands of handmade mom and pop run businesses in this country. Without the ability to sell their toys, hair accessories, clothing, and shoes (yes, it’s not just toys!), these families will be gravely affected - as will the many children and parents who have enjoyed these safe handmade toys and goods.

In response to the pending act, parents, small business owners, and online websites have joined together as a means to have their voices heard and encourage government officials to make changes to the act before it puts so many folks out of business.

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