Re: I really can't... - Page 2

Former_Member · ‎04-10-2009

I really can't sell one of my squirrel pull toys until I pay for third party testing for the lead in paint rule. The stay doesn't apply to paint.

I'm just sick.

It's Americana acrylic paint. Non-toxic. The squirrel in my avatar has 7 colors.

I think I've been in denial.

Former_Member · ‎04-11-2009

Yes, you should be a martyr, then everyone would be exposed to the silliness of it (I mean, I like that products will be safe, but to have to prove certification over and over again is ridiculous- why can't the manufacturer just have to prove it to begin with and have that be good enough? And if the manufacturer can't prove it then they can't bring it into our country? But I know this has all been said)

Former_Member · ‎04-11-2009

And I assume that if I send off a squirrel for lead paint testing, and then I use the exact same paints to paint an elephant pull toy, that I'd still have to send off the elephant for lead paint testing. Redundant! And if another seller used the same paints, he/she would have to also get them tested! It doesn't make sense! Acrylic! Nontoxic! Like Donknits said!

AAAAAH!

CrimsonetClover, thank you. I'm afraid I'd have a hard time convincing the CPSC that they weren't for kids. Maybe if I charge $200 I could pass them as collectors' items? Hahaha.

craftsfromtheheart · ‎04-12-2009

I don't think you have to send every product to be tested. Notify your local congressman and have his/her assistants look into it for you.

Former_Member · ‎04-12-2009

Matsutake - congrats on the baby. I'll be happy to buy one of your "toxic" toys when you come back. I LOVE the squirrels. :) Added you as a favorite to see when you're back in stock.

Former_Member · ‎04-12-2009

I admit I don't know a lot about this, but I would think that if you used a product that you can buy in any store that there'd be some way of piggybacking onto that product. Meaning if you buy a name brand craft paint it's already been tested and okay'd by that company and there's some record of it?

Former_Member · ‎04-12-2009

Thats just awful. Your items are beautiful. :( I would list. I don't think we will get in any trouble just yet. The law is not clear enough...

Former_Member · ‎04-12-2009

This is just plain wrong. Do we have to have an underground for handmade toys? It reminds me of the prohibition - only worse in a way because alcohol actually CAN harm you....

WRONG.

Former_Member · ‎04-12-2009

Oh yes - I like the idea of labeling for adult / sculptural use only.

Former_Member · ‎04-13-2009

definately for adult use, i would buy!

maddyandme · ‎04-13-2009

it all makes me sick to my stomach.... cspc should leave those of us that are trying to make a good thing in a better way alone.

btw matsu - love your toys!

Former_Member · ‎04-13-2009

Yes, the for adult use only is a good way around it. You could say something like - "built to robust and exacting toy safety standards - for adult use only", so that people will understand that it WOULD be safe to give to their children if they so choose.

You could also sell your toys unpainted with a kit of sealed acrylic paints for people to paint themselves, along with a little guide book to show them how.

Or, surely you could contact the paint manufacturers and get a safety certificate from them stating that the paints are certified lead free? Or would that not be enough for these little hitlers?

What's next? Will you have to send away your work rooms for testing - just incase they have any lead in them that might contaminate the toys you're making? What about your tools? Or even yourselves? After all, you might sneeze near one of the toys you're making, and if you contain traces of lead, you might contaminate the toy.....

I'm being silly now. I apologise. ;)

ksewingbasket · ‎04-13-2009

I vote for the name EtsyU for those of us who still wish for handmande. *wink* *wink*

Former_Member · ‎04-13-2009

This law clearly states that if the item is or ever was intended for use by a child 12 or under it must meet the NEW requirements. The law also states that disclaimers are useless....

It is not the agency that has to enforce this law that we need to be angry with, it is the PIRG and our politicians they back who wrote this law, passed this law and are refusing to alter anything about it.

Nancy Nord, the acting head of the agency, is being asked to resign by many of these politicians, because she granted the very limited one year stay on testing required by the law.

Former_Member · ‎04-13-2009

Don't close down - if we all let the government handle us this way and no one fights back, things will continue to get worse.

Make sure your products are safe for your intended audience - obviously the vast, vast majority of us do this already - and beyond that I say stick it to the man.

I have started designing some kids stuff BECAUSE of these intrusions, to be honest, because it boils my blood to see the government acting this way.

We are the government - and the federal government is NOT empowered by the Constitution to get this involved in our day to day lives, as producers OR consumers.

PrairieDogPaperCo · ‎04-13-2009

matsutake, I don't get it. Do your items have to be considered play toys? To me they look like collectibles to put up to decorate in a home with and not necessarily for children.

PrairieDogPaperCo · ‎04-13-2009

Okay, so now I've skimmed through the thread and see that my point was already asked. Your work isn't something I'd give my grandson to play with cause I'd not be happy to have him banging it up. To me it would be a purchase for me. An adult. If I think that, why wouldn't it work with CPSIA?

NeedlefulThings · ‎04-13-2009

Although I don't make items for children, I too was wondering if one could identify an item as collectible/for display only/not for children etc. in a way to be able to still sell the same products and fly under the radar. Could you include a disclaimer that the product is not for children and leave it up to the discretion of the buyer whether that item actually ends up in the hands of children?

Former_Member · ‎04-13-2009

Your creations are so wonderful! I had to stop painting too..and find it rather stupid that I do.

I use the same brand paint..and one other and I KNOW they are non-toxic.

Former_Member · ‎04-13-2009

Hasn't this been postponed while congress now has to go back and make legislation that 1. Works, 2. is enforceable, and 3. has personnel to implement regulations.

I think there will be many changes coming, and items made of wood and certified lead free paint obviously would be exempt...

I agree, the regulations, as written, are ridiculous and excessive, but there's just no way they can really let it stand, as written.

Is everyone writing their congressmen and senators?

Former_Member · ‎04-13-2009

First - as has been stated, if you are using Americana NON-TOXIC labeled paints you have no problem right now with testing. You just need to document that the paint is non-toxic per the manufacturer.

Second - There has not been lead in any house paint since 1979. Children are not being poisoned by lead paint - but they are being poisoned along with adults by drinking water which results in the highest number of lead poisoning cases in the US today.

Third - Do not be so sure that this law will be changed. The amended bills have been buried in committee and there has been no action to get them out or that hearings will be held about them. Commissioner/Acting Chair of the CSPC has asked to be replaced by a permanent chairperson and this would be the necessary third member of the commission. Unfortunately, others are also calling for this third member and are proposing people from the groups who championed CPSIA as it stands. When this happens you will see the stay of enforcement removed along with all of the exemptions that have allowed many to continue selling their children's crafts. While the stay was a temporary good for us also it resulted in all of the momentum in demand for the change of CPSIA to stop. All of the work that was done to make Congress feel our urgency has gone. Yes, write to Washington. Get the fervor that once existed going again. If not, then there will be no going back again.

Former_Member · ‎04-13-2009

Matsu...

Go organic. Use fruit dyes instead of paint. Yeah, the colors will be a bit different but if crushing berries keeps you in business....

Former_Member · ‎04-13-2009

pastperfect says:........
Second - There has not been lead in any house paint since 1979. Children are not being poisoned by lead paint - but they are being poisoned along with adults by drinking water which results in the highest number of lead poisoning cases in the US today.
*****************

You would be correct if you said there has been no lead in house paint MANUFACTURED after 1979, but to say there's no lead in house paint is false.

If you live in an area where the housing stock is older- there most certainly IS lead in that paint. Google "Rhode Island lead paint" and you'll get about 3000 hits. My house is covered in lead paint. If my kids had been younger when we moved in, we would have had an abatement done. As it is- we use due diligence in our projects, and know how to deal with it on the advice of people I work with. (I work in residential construction)

And lead poisoning *still* occurs from that source. And it's not about bad parents letting their kids chew on paint chips. It's the dust, and residue that gets on the kids hands. It comes from friction on doors and windows. It leaches out of solder in the pipes of older homes. And yes- the occaisional window sill chewer.

Lead paint in homes is absolutely still a problem.

The CPSIA regulation is over-reaching for sure, but please don't throw around that kind of mis-information. It really helps no one.

Former_Member · ‎04-13-2009

teegee says:
pastperfect says:........
Second - There has not been lead in any house paint since 1979. Children are not being poisoned by lead paint - but they are being poisoned along with adults by drinking water which results in the highest number of lead poisoning cases in the US today.
*****************

You would be correct if you said there has been no lead in house paint MANUFACTURED after 1979, but to say there's no lead in house paint is false.

If you live in an area where the housing stock is older- there most certainly IS lead in that paint. Google "Rhode Island lead paint" and you'll get about 3000 hits. My house is covered in lead paint. If my kids had been younger when we moved in, we would have had an abatement done. As it is- we use due diligence in our projects, and know how to deal with it on the advice of people I work with. (I work in residential construction)

And lead poisoning *still* occurs from that source. And it's not about bad parents letting their kids chew on paint chips. It's the dust, and residue that gets on the kids hands. It comes from friction on doors and windows. It leaches out of solder in the pipes of older homes. And yes- the occaisional window sill chewer.

Lead paint in homes is absolutely still a problem.

The CPSIA regulation is over-reaching for sure, but please don't throw around that kind of mis-information. It really helps no one.
Posted at 8:16 am, April 13 2009 EST - Report this post
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
There is plenty of lead paint in houses. Old paint is covered over by it, it is on windowsills, window blinds, and all of our yards in this section of the city are being tested for lead and dug up so many inches and re-done because all of our soil is contaminated by a lead smelting plant that closed years ago, and the lead is then tracked into the house. How about everyone who lives in houses that were built before 1979?

Former_Member · ‎04-13-2009

I watched a show the other day where a kid died from eating paint chips off a porch. She would play there and eat them when her mom wasn't looking. The landlord knew about the paint, and falsified this woman's signature on a paper saying she was informed about it and was waiving it, and they did a signature analysis, because for one thing this woman was from some foreign country like Uganda or something and couldn't even write, and the landlord got sued and I believe went to prison. This happened in Virginia or Maryland, I noted it because I have family there.

Former_Member · ‎04-13-2009

If people know as much about the CPSIA as they seem to know about all the stuff they compare it, too, I would suggest just stopping right here and now because if you are writing to congressmen and stuff and including this kind of stuff, it will be dismissed and probably rightly so.