CPSIA lead testing

[#1]

I'm writing to every lab that the CPSC recommends for lead testing, to ask them for a price quote for testing my baby booties. I don't hold out much hope that Congress will do something about the CPSIA since they're all so busy deciding which of their cronies gets the next billion dollar bailout and picking out their clothes for the inauguration, but I'm hoping I can cover at least half my @$$ by testing one type of booties, if I can afford it. I will post when I get price quotes back, maybe tomorrow.

There was one lab that had prices on their website:
http://elementalresearchlab.com/sub_HO_TestKitOrder.htm
They said they offer a test for $65 but I got the impression they test water for lead, so I wrote to them to see if they can test products (the CPSC website said they could). If I hear back from them I'll pass along the info.

[Former_Member]

ChildsPlayCrochet, my understanding is that lead can be in dyes and fabric finishes, or can get on textiles if they are contaminated with lead-containing soil (some soil naturally contains lead). However it's unlikely that textiles have high enough levels of lead to make them toxic.

Lead is more likely found in plastic and paint, where lead compounds are used as colorants, and in metal where lead is added to alloys to affect its strength, hardness, or ability to conduct heat and electricity.

[Former_Member]

Here's a list of media outlets that could be contacted. Maybe if enough of us write to them they may see this as a serious story to be covered. Hopefully as seriously as the report last week about toxic toys or last night's report on Wal Mart jewelry having 30 % lead content.

The links where compliled by Painted Bull at ETSY.



" http://www.politico.com/lobbying/

http://townhall.com/issues/Issue.aspx?id=1

http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/TWSFPView.asp

editor@...

http://gretawire.foxnews.com/

ontherecord@...

http://theamericansentinel.com/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/opinions/biographies/charles-krauthammer.html

foxreport@...

hannity@...

americas-talking@...

oreilly@...

http://money.cnn.com/smallbusiness/

Mary, these are a few of the ones I could find, I have to go, the kids just got home from school.

I do not know about Rush Limbaugh or Neal Boortz but they have big mouths and would love to talk smack about the government and its regulation of small businesses…

Hope it helps.

Ciao!

- JJ & Painted Bull"

[Former_Member]

Here are the ones that didn't copy right first time because they are emails.
editor @ weeklystandard.com
ontherecord @ foxnews.com
foxreport @ foxnews.com
hannity @ foxnews.com
americas-talking @ foxnews.com
oreilly @ foxnews.com

[Former_Member]

Everyone should contact their local stations too and suggest how nice it would be for them to be the first to break the story.

[Former_Member]

Another quote has come in, this one from Environmental Monitoring and Technologies. They quote $45 per test for my booties and recommended that I get more than one color tested because lead might be used in the dyes. This is the lowest one so far.

[Former_Member]

Curious, I was told by one lab that I needed to submit all colors of the same fabric and all different fabrics and thread for separate XRF tests. Suppose it's still cheaper but ouch.
-------------------
Also, everyone PLEASE go read the new blog post over here titled CPSIA and SMALL MANUFACTURERS--very important! : http://www.fashion-incubator.com/blog/

[Former_Member]

Curious, I can't say how much I appreciate you checking into all these labs.

[Former_Member]

Good morning ... marking

[Former_Member]

Send something to Hong Kong for testing? I don't think so!

curious, did they give you any info on how many samples you would need to provide? Also, I notice your booties have two colors. So is it priced per color, so if it is two colors, do you need to double that price? Also, what happens when you use a new skein of yarn?

[Former_Member]

geeze- that sounds loke a load of crap if you ask me!

[Former_Member]

My polka dot squirrel pull toy has 14 components that would need to be tested. Oh the string, too (which is food grade baking twine). That's 15. Ouch.

Curiousworkmanship, thanks for sharing all these quotes. It's great to get actual numbers and not go on hearsay or rumors.

[bobbinalong]

Please continue to stand firm on your God-given right to create and sell. It is our American right, we will be protective of it. The CPSC shouldn't be able to put their thumb on us and push.

Where is Nancy Nord? What is she taking responsibility for? For all the lost jobs and occupations after February 10? For all the fear and tenseness she has put in artisans?

[Former_Member]

Not only our right to create and sell but the rights of parents to choose alternatives to mass-produced items.

[bobbinalong]

Amen, LittleDickens! And the right to raise their children as they see fit.

[RachelRose]

Maybe we should all just open home based lead testing companies???:/

[Former_Member]

Awesome blog about cost of testing with actual bids -- http://www.happypandababy.com/blog/2008/12/16/cpsia-testing-research-for-happy-panda/

[Former_Member]

Marking

[wigglysee]

marking for later

[StebbyLeeStudio]

wow.
very thorough and informative.
Thanks curious,
for all tne footwork!

[JillMichelles]

ok, I am confused. I make diaper cakes and totes and fleece blankets. I get all of my products to make these things from the stores and shouldn't these products be tested anyway before they get to the stores. Not sure why we have to do our own testing. If that is true then we are all in big trouble.

[bobbinalong]

MJ, now you understand why we are so upset!

[Former_Member]

"These are not the leaded/phylated toys you are looking for..."

I feel like a Jedi now!

[art2theextreme]

I blogged about this.... Please read!
http://art2theextreme.blogspot.com/2008/12/save-handmade-learn-about-cpsia.html

[art2theextreme]

I blogged about this.... Please read!
http://art2theextreme.blogspot.com/2008/12/save-handmade-learn-about-cpsia.html

[Former_Member]

so... maybe our next question is how to become certified labs...

(so theoretically we can test our own, or each other's stuff...)