February 11th, 2009 | 
Author: So what is happening the day after National Bankruptcy Day?
Shoppers at 14 Kansas Goodwill stores are wondering "where are the kids toys and clothing?"
Video is below and Press Release is here. Report by The Wichita Eagle says, "Right now, though, shoppers — including many who see thrift stores as a way to stretch their dollars during hard economic times — are likely to feel the most effect."
"Internet Surveillance Police" according to KPTM Fox42 Omaha, NE, will be monitoring Internet Sites such as Ebay, Craigslist and others who may sell non compliant products.
Click here to see the Feb 9, 2009 article & Video. And, in case you are wondering who the surveillance police are.. they are your consumer groups and State Attorney Generals.
Stone Soup Consignment store rented their own XRF x-ray lead gun to test, a $1,500 cost to rent for a week which discovered enough to send 30% of their products back to their original owners. See News article & Video here.
St. Vincent Center in Union Gap, WA is pulling items too. They’ll be storing items until they decide how they can test them. Full Story here.
Thrift stores are not the only ones hurting from this law. Small manufacturers, retailers and crafters who make one of a kind items are finding it hard to comply to such stringent rules. Many believe that if the CPSC had been doing their job in the first place, monitoring more closely those manufacturers who import tainted products, force stricter penalties on repeat offenders, and basically just upholding our existing laws then it wouldn’t have come to this. But because of the outcries of the nation bashing the the Consumer Product Safety Commission for not doing what everyone thought was their job (to scan every product of every company and importer)…Congress passed a hastily, disorganized, complex law with such strict rules all in the name of protecting our kids that it hadn’t considered how it would impact, clothing manufacturers, library books, American toy manufacturers, the work at home mom who makes one of a kind items, motorcycle & ATV manufacturers, and yes..even thrift stores! If you want to see if you are inpacted..then read all about it here.
No one wants to see contaminated products sold to or used by our kids. And if there is an immediate danger I’d be the first to stand up. However when there is not an "immediate" danger, and if all parties involved could have had the chance to have input to this new legislation then together we could have resolved a solution that would have protected our kids while not forcing small business owners to close their doors, crafters to stop making wonderful one of a kind items, and thrift stores from serving our communities. Thank you Congress. You have just increased the unemployed, worsened the economy, and have forced many low income families and those who just like to recycle and buy second hand to continue to support other countries like China.
