http://archive.greenpeace.org/pressreleases/pvctoys/1999dec8.html
Glance at that article and look at the date 1999!!!!!!!

What kind of a government regulates harmful products 10 or more years after the fact of knowing about it???
Will my kids grow up with kidney disease or cancer because toys are made with toxic chemicals???
I don't want etsy sellers or other crafters to be penalized, but I do want my kids safe - why wasn't this crap dealt with properly years ago when the problem was known - why now? Now it is just totally out-of-control - its like things had to get completely out-of-control before something was put into act, and then hastily done...

Basically all mass-produced toys are crap because they are harmful - OK maybe 95% of mass produced toys, I'll give it that.
Former_Member
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

LMAO VintageEmbellishment

That being said a lot of these things are new. We don't use lead in our pipes anymore because we know better. We don't use asbestos anymore either. I think in 20 years this may be looked at the same way. While most of the people that grew up with these things were ok we know better than to keep using them today.

I don't think that toy makers should have to test their toys however. I think they should have to provide proof that the materials used are all child safe. There should be a label or something on the packaging for the materials. If you can't find it you call the manufacturer and have them fax you something. Paying for expensive tests raises the prices of the toys and puts a handicap on the free market of toy manufacturing.

I understand why they want to focus on all toys, but instead of forcing people to test them maybe there should be an "ingredients" list so to speak on toys. Even wood can be bad for you if it's finished with a toxic varnish. This whole thing just seems a little blown out of proportion.

That all being said I also have to put in my two cents that I don't like the fact that my food contains mercury even in small doses. Sure you played with it as a kid, even I did that and it wasn't considered safe then. But playing with mercury once or twice is one thing, eating it on a regular basis for years is something entirely different to me.
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Former_Member
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

VintageEmbellishment, I love your comments! LMAO!
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Former_Member
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

The bottom line with any of this is as parents we do our best to keep our children safe, we rely on knowledgeable agencies to guide us & make us aware of dangerous or hazardous products, but do we really want gov'ts to take away all our rights to choice?
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

MyTheta says:
http://archive.greenpeace.org/pressreleases/pvctoys/1999dec8.html
Glance at that article and look at the date 1999!!!!!!!

What kind of a government regulates harmful products 10 or more years after the fact of knowing about it???
Will my kids grow up with kidney disease or cancer because toys are made with toxic chemicals???
========================
The same government that knew how harmful asbestos was and did nothing about it for 30 years, allowing men in the navy and those who worked in the naval ship yards to handle it in large quantities on a daily basis for years. Now all these men, like my dad, are suffering from a horrible cancer of the lining of the lung called mesothelioma. There is no cure. Most have 12 to 24 months after diagnosis.
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

high fructose corn syrup = death.
Now that is some stuff that needs to be pulled from the market!!
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Former_Member
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

It isn't good for consumption even without mercury. Sadly, many processed and packaged foods contain it.
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Former_Member
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

Years ago we were told eggs & peanut butter were harmful, now they say it's ok. There are contradictions everywhere. Studies show this or that & 10 years later they show something different. The world is ever changing, conditions are ever changing. There are no guarantees in life (except death & taxes!)
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birdylegs
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

Yeah, peanut butter is safe now--as long as it doesn't come from a certain plant in Georgia that knew they had a problem with salmonella as long ago as last September.

There was an interesting piece on NPR today about what is now being used in place of phthalates. One of the compounds has undergone pretty extensive testing in Europe, but the other not so much. In moderate doses it has caused liver and kidney damage in rats. So, yes, now phthalate-free flexible plastic toys may be considered safe, but in ten or twenty years we may find out that that isn't really the case.
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Former_Member
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

littlethingsboutique - there was a lot of cover-up stuff going on in '67 - lol!
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Former_Member
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

hmmm...EU makes people jump, and they better say "how high?" Unfortunately, I bet Mattel still uses the same old recipe for the toys sold stateside.
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Former_Member
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

something to think about: antibiotics were once the magic cure all. In the 80s and 90s, I remembered many doctors handed them out like candy...even if they didn't exactly know if the illness was bacterial, the basic mindset was an antibiotic couldn't do any harm. Couple the heavy reliance upon antibiotics in the medical field with the public obsession with antibacterial everything: soap, lotions, hand gel, etc. and you have where we are today. Now many of the same doctors will only prescribe and antibiotic for a definite bacterial infection and overall there's much more of a "let your body ride it out" They've also come to realize that antibacterial everything isn't such a good thing. It turns out that the human body needs some exposure to bacteria in order to build up resistance because bacteria don't go away, they simply become stronger.

I truly believe that is what will occur when we start legislating ourselves away from every possible danger. Possible exposure to toxic substances won't become null and void, in fact we more than likely will expose ourselves to something worse in our attempt to avoid something. Plus the human body is much more resilient than we think, but we risk weakening that resilience by trying to protect ourselves from every thing.
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Former_Member
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

well said ittybitty!
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Former_Member
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

Great points, ittybitty.

Creating an atmosphere of fear and suspicion over any and every children's product is outrageous and irresponsible. But it's funny how one of the proven dangers has hardly garnered more than an occasional mention during all this CPSIA buzz: namely, the use of lead-laden swarovski crystals (and other rhinestones) in kids' jewelry and clothing. I'm curious how it is that anyone feels comfortable marketing Swarovski *anything* for kids. All sorts of 'baby bling' abounds (here and elsewhere). Seems extremely dangerous and chancy. Not only is there danger from lead contamination, but there is a potential choking hazard as well.

And, according to the link provided in this post from another thread, an exemption for swarovski crystals is being sought: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=6040707&page=3#post-34994438

I think the CPSIA is largely a piece of unfocused, knee-jerk legislative crapola. It needs to be scrapped and an intelligent, sensible bill drafted in its place. But, in the meantime, I certainly hope that the requested exemption is denied. Makes more sense to exempt books - which to my knowledge have never sickened, or resulted in the death of, any child (or adult for that matter).
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Former_Member
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

Totally agree ittybittyrevolution,
Too much of a good thing no matter what it is doesn't make for a healthier environment. Overprotecting children isn't the solution.
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

wowza, I just did a search for Baby Bling. I am shocked at how much stuff is being sold here. I would be afraid, very afraid, to sell some of what I saw even if we didn't have the CPSIA.
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Former_Member
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

It's the parents' responsibility to see that what they buy for their child is appropriate for that child by taking into consideration the age & development of that child. Whether it's advocated or regulated by the CPSIA or other souces of Consumer Guidance or not, it's still a parent's responsibility to know what is appropriate for their own child. Common sense should still be used & people should not have to have gov't agencies dictate everything in the name of "safety" for children.
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StoryBlox
Inspiration Seeker

Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

The issue with choking on swarovski crystals and such was made a big deal last year on here and elsewhere, there was a HUGE recall and the CPSC was in touch with etsy and etsy sellers about it.

Items that were sold for children under 3 (inc. pacificerc, etc) with glued/epoxied crystals were in direct violation of the small parts laws that existed long before this CPSIA came out.

Unfortunately, the CPSC never has had the kind of funding/manpower to crack down on people who kept selling them even after they were warned - and there's never been any effort to get safety information out to small manufacturers and home based crafters.

As far as the lead in the crystals though, the petition to the CPSC claims that the amount of lead that can be extracted (by the breakdown of the crystals by stomach acids) by the ingestion of a large number of crystal beads is far less than the daily intake amount that the FDA has considered safe for food (almost all foods have a small trace amount of lead in them, it's impossible to get rid of all lead completely).

I kinda doubt the CPSC will grant that waiver, but everything I've ever read has suggested that most of the lead in crystal/glass is chemically inaccessible.
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MyTheta
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

This website is interesting - you can get a glimpse of the bigger picture and what is yet to unfold. my opinion only ;)
see the chemical list
here is a start
http://www.healthytoys.org/chemicals.mercury.php
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StoryBlox
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

ugh, there's mercury in polyurethane? I'm suddenly glad I switched to using shellac for everything
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Former_Member
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

Pulled from the link kindly provided by MyTheta:

When possible choose plastic-free toys such as fabric teethers, unpainted wooden toys or cloth and plush toys. Polycarbonate plastic (#7 plastic) should also be avoided. For a guide to safer plastics, see: http://www.iatp.org/ foodandhealth/
*********************
Funny (not ha-ha). We're providing products made from fabrics and wood and still we're being required to test for phthalates.

Granted, I'm taking information from that website with a grain of salt, as they direct you also to check out PIRG's and Kids In Danger's websites, two groups who helped to sculpt the masterpiece that is the CPSIA. So, they're telling us to buy wood and fabric items for our children, while in the next breath they're practically giggling with glee that they *saved* all children by forcing crafters, cottage industrialists, yadda yadda, to test these very (incredibly low-risk) materials that they have recommended! *scratching my head*

When are people going to be worried about the mercury in CFL bulbs (the use of which Congress has mandated on our behalf, I believe)? Heaven forbid one breaks in your home or someone who doesn't know better (like, all of us) throws the used ones in the trash so it can get into the ground.

My point is, it's really hard to find any UNBIASED information so that we may actually educate ourselves without the spin of one or another group's political agenda. Frankly, it's phenomenally frustrating! (ooh, the alliteration...) We're all just muddling our way through this whole parenting thing. But we as parents need to be responsible for our kids; don't expect Congress to swoop in and save the day. As one pundit says, "the government will fail you every time." So keep it small so as to minimize the damage.
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StoryBlox
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

Good point about the light bulbs. I won't switch mine for that reason (I already have nerve damage, exposing myself to extra mercury is a very big no-no for me), and I'll be extremely ticked when I can no longer get regular bulbs.
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Former_Member
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

I remember when they banned mercury in thermometers (80s?) because they were getting into landfills and contaminating water tables. Apparently, we're headed down that path again.
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Former_Member
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

My mother bought some CFL bulbs, was shocked when I pointed out the blurb on the box that said they contained mercury and used bulbs should not be disposed of in the regular trash!
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Former_Member
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

LoveLaurie says:

The same government that knew how harmful asbestos was and did nothing about it for 30 years, allowing men in the navy and those who worked in the naval ship yards to handle it in large quantities on a daily basis for years. Now all these men, like my dad, are suffering from a horrible cancer of the lining of the lung called mesothelioma. There is no cure. Most have 12 to 24 months after diagnosis.

****

So sorry to hear about your dad. My dad died of mesothelioma. :(

<<hugs>>
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Former_Member
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Re: IT IS ALL CRAP

Jenmaestre-

I am sorry about your father. My husband works in the naval shipyards...that's scary. That's real scary.
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