Members smudley Posted January 4, 2009 Members Report Posted January 4, 2009 I was reading the posts on another forum I belong to (flasah) on yahoo, when I came across this one about the government trying to pass a new law that makes it so ANY AND EVERYONE who crafts, manufactures, or makes anything that can be used by kids has to be tested for lead content!!!!!! I clicked the links and read the info provided, and it doesn't sound good at all for any craftsman/ artisan. If the law passes, we all will be driven out of our hobby or business as the case may be. After all I can't afford to spend $4,000 or so to have every piece I make tested, plus the additional cost of making a twin item, since the one tested will be destroyed!!!! I would invite and urge you to read this posting, copy the links, read the info provided, and do all you can to help us all!!! This is truely a case of one for all, all for one!!!! Jim P.S. I emailed Dennis to ask his permission to copy the post and put it here, but haven't heard back from him as of yet, and time is running out!! The vote is Jan 5th!!!! :wtf: -- On Fri, 1/2/09, Dennis Doaty <cowhide@doatyleather.com> wrote: From: Dennis Doaty <cowhide@doatyleather.com> Subject: [flasah] FW: I\'m looking for quick feedback from anyone in the know To: "Leather List" <iilg-leather@yahoogroups.com>, "Iilg-Members" <iilg-members@egroups.com>, "Flasah Group" <flasah@yahoogroups.com> Date: Friday, January 2, 2009, 5:50 AM I received this disturbing item from a Craft Show List that I am on. Seems like our government it at it again. They are trying to mandate lead testing on all products that come in contact with children. The below email is what I received. Dennis Doaty 162 7th Street New Florence, PA 15944-1103 ************ ********* ********* ********* * Dennis Doaty Leathercraft http://www.doatylea ther.com "mailto:cowhide@ doatyleather. com Member IILG Member PSLAC Member PA Trappers Assoc -----Original Message----- From: Louis@CraftLister. com [mailto:Louis@ CraftLister. com] Sent: Friday, January 02, 2009 03:08 To: cowhide@doatyleathe r.com ------------ --------- --------- ---- I\'m looking for quick feedback from anyone in the know on this matter: What is happening? HR 4040 This will mandate expensive lead testing on all individual products for children, including hand-made crafts. What you can do: Write to CPSC by Jan 30 th 2009: http://www.cpsc. gov/ABOUT/ Cpsia/ComponentP artsComments. pdf Vote on Jan 5 th 2009: http://www.change. org/ideas/ view/save_ handmade_ toys_from_ the_cpsia Recent messages to CraftLister: ------------ - I received your posting about the CPSC regs on lead and children\'s items. The scope of this situation is missing from your email. It is not just toys that are affected. ANY item that a child to 12 years of age might come in contact with must be tested. Saying that an item is for children over 12 is not sufficient. If they decide that an item can be used by a child under 12 it must have been tested. This includes not only toys but clothes, diapers, car seats (and covers), furniture, jewelry (even if not children\'s if usable by same), etc. The testing is estimated to cost thousands of dollars. Each lot, size, color must be tested individually (if one uses lumber, each board is a separate lot, fabric from different bolts is different lots). Even if one can afford to pay for the testing, the labs are not interested in working with small companies the size of most craftspeople. The item is destroyed in testing, so one of a kind items can no longer be made. Items in stock on the date this goes into affect, February 12, 2009 must meet the requirements or be destroyed. Under this law not only will most of us who make items remotely usable by children be out of business, the price of items sold same will skyrocket in price. It is urgent that implementation of this law be stopped. A good idea has gone ridiculous. ------------ -- I spoke directly with the CPSC at length on 12/31. It is not just importers, it is everyone who deals in ANY children\\\' s products. Crafters/artisans ARE considered manufacturers. There is a ballot vote being held on 1/5 to discuss natural materials such a wood, cotton, etc. for exemption. But only items that contain NO other materials would be exempt. So if you attach anything, paint the item, etc. it must be tested. Quote When I have a bad day, I remember that "Every day I can climb back up into my truck and drive is a GOOD DAY!" "A bad day tooling leather is better than a good day at work!" "I didn't screw it up. I found a different way of doing it right!" "I meant to do it like that." Member of Calumet Area Leathercrafters Guild
MADMAX22 Posted January 4, 2009 Report Posted January 4, 2009 Hurray for getting screwed again. Hell they cant even regulate the import crap that shows up in boat loads that is tainted with mass amounts of lead. Oh wait the economy is sucking, lets not suffer like the rest of the people trying to make a living well just tax them more so that we dont have to tighten our belts any more. Arg I am really tired of this. Thanks for the info and heads up. Quote
JohnD Posted January 4, 2009 Report Posted January 4, 2009 The links didn't work. Here they are again. http://www.change.org/ideas/view/save_hand..._from_the_cpsia http://www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/ComponentPartsComments.pdf The second link, for contacting the cpsc, seems to indicate that they are only interested in ideas or comments on how to ensure compliance. Another idea would be to write to your state reps and senators and let them know how you feel about this. John Quote (rdb):God looked down at the world, and said "See, right there in Witchita, next to the railroad tracks, I didn't put enough dandelions".
Contributing Member TwinOaks Posted January 4, 2009 Contributing Member Report Posted January 4, 2009 Well, there goes the neighborhood. Looks like big brother has found another way to push us towards socialism. At least the adult-oriented leather will be safe for a little while....maybe. Quote Mike DeLoach Esse Quam Videri (Be rather than Seem) "Don't learn the tricks of the trade.....Learn the trade." "Teach what you know......Learn what you don't." LEATHER ARTISAN'S DIGITAL GUILD on Facebook.
Members TexasJack Posted January 5, 2009 Members Report Posted January 5, 2009 Where were you during the last election? America wants socialism! They want someone to think for them, to take responsibility so they don't have to. Besides, when they get rid of the cows to protect us from global warming, there won't be any leather to work anyway! Quote
Members Windy Posted January 5, 2009 Members Report Posted January 5, 2009 Besides, when they get rid of the cows to protect us from global warming, there won't be any leather to work anyway! We will have all the chicken hides we can carve. WINDY Quote To all those who think ..........................
HorsehairBraider Posted January 5, 2009 Report Posted January 5, 2009 Well fortunately not everyone is an idiot. There have been lawmakers coming up with exemptions for small companies. Here's one article about it: Article and here's another: Story The stories don't give the full list of "natural products" that are exempt from the testing protocols. But it sounded like the law was about toys, not leather goods, and hopefully common sense will prevail with regard to viewing leather as a "natural product". Quote They say princes learn no art truly, but the art of horsemanship. The reason is, the brave beast is no flatterer. He will throw a prince as soon as his groom. - Ben Jonson http://www.beautiful-horses.com
Ian Posted January 5, 2009 Report Posted January 5, 2009 Funny thing is, they tested the paint on those old Tonka trucks we used to play with (the ones that used to be made in America). The lead content was much higher than the stuff from China that caused such a flap a couple of years back. This lead business is way overblown in my uneducated opinion. If one was to go by this new alarmist mentality we should all be dead by now. Considering that the people now in their 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's 80's and 90's all grew up in the era of almost no regulation. Have humans suddenly become so fragile in the past couple of decades? I agree with TexasJack. Obviously people want more and more federal control over their lives else they wouldn't vote the way they do. It used to be that constraints on freedom came so slowly that they were almost un-noticable. Now the ball is picking up momentum. What the end result will be, one can only imagine. As one wise man noted "the greatest threats to personal freedom are made in the name of public safety" Quote http://blackcanyonleather.net/
Members ChuckBurrows Posted January 5, 2009 Members Report Posted January 5, 2009 (edited) And another article not just crafters but all kinds of businesses.......http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-thri...0,2083247.story "do gooders" making the laws with a lack of common sense - also another way to make money for the guv'mint........this new bunch are REAL good at that..... Edited January 5, 2009 by ChuckBurrows Quote Wild Rose Trading Company Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.
HorsehairBraider Posted January 5, 2009 Report Posted January 5, 2009 And another article not just crafters but all kinds of businesses.......http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-thri...0,2083247.story"do gooders" making the laws with a lack of common sense - also another way to make money for the guv'mint........this new bunch are REAL good at that..... "New bunch"? Sorry, guess I don't understand... the newly appointed senators etc. don't take office for a few days yet... ?? I'm kind of dense, maybe I just don't get it, sorry! Quote They say princes learn no art truly, but the art of horsemanship. The reason is, the brave beast is no flatterer. He will throw a prince as soon as his groom. - Ben Jonson http://www.beautiful-horses.com
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