Maybe We Can't Afford to Have Another Baby (& Clothe It)?

Ok - the easier version is to read this article: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-thrift2-2009jan02,0,2083247.story

But, you can certainly read what the government has to say about the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act: http://www.cpsc.gov/ABOUT/Cpsia/cpsia.HTML#timetable

When I look at how much of Isabel's toys & clothes are used, I know a second child who have far (FAR!) fewer.

I read a few articles online about this and I thought the LA Times article was the best written.

I first want to say that I am in support of have regulations that are monitoring lead levels of newly created products.

But what happens to all the used toys & clothes that are now deemed toxic, whether they have lead in them or not, just because someone can't prove that they are not toxic.

And if the current regulations stay as they are, it sounds like every thrift store will have to stop selling anything to do with kids, both toys & clothes. You can't sell used toys & clothes ANYWHERE!

What kind of consequences does this have on our landfill system that will now be filled with kids toys & clothes? Am I really supposed to throw everything away? The thought just sickens me on so many levels.

What happens to the thirft stores that only sell kids stuff? Are they literally forced out of business on February 10th?

What happens to the small manufacturers that can't afford this testing? Are they now forced out of business?

Will we see the cost of kids clothes & toys increase tremendously as companies try to offset the cost of this testing and as stores try to make up for inventory they have to throw away on 2/10?

In a time that business are laying off left & right and closing their doors, it seems like the government is doing a disservice by having these regulations be so broad that thrift stores are forced out of business, that people are not allowed to -resell their used baby items.

So, should I find a sitter for the day on February 9th (it's a Monday), so that I can run around to every store I can find and try to purchase clothes they have very deeply discounted so that they don't have to pay additional trash removal costs in addition to losing all the money ona product. I have a big house, I can stock up on clothes until she is 13 (the regulations are for clothes for kids under 13). I can't say that she would be happy with the style of something that was up to a decade old.

I suppose if we can guarantee we have a girl, we can at least afford to outfit them in clothes up to a size 4T (3T is getting too small, even though 4T is still a little big, but we go with 4T now.) But what happens with that 50% chance that I have a boy. My child is stuck wearing the few gender neutral clothes I have for the first 6 months and then I have 2 children to have to buy new clothes for all the time.

Guess it's a good thing I bought that new sewing machine. I'm going to have to start using it. I'll really have to start using it if we are ever blessed with another child.

Can our country really afford to throw all this stuff in the landfills?

Can our country really afford to no reduce, reuse, recycle?

I am by no means saying I am in support of high lead levels or any lead levels for that matter. But from my understaning, the regulations are too strict as they are written currently and who is going to take the time to pay to test lead content in used clothing & toys? No one, they get throw away. And many of used items may have no lead in them at all, but unless someone proves it they are considered toxic.

Anyone want to join me for a shopping spree at Babies'r'Us on Monday, February 9th?