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I want to draw your attention to an interesting problem created by the CPSC - manufacturers of products for children may go out of business due to inability to afford to comply with a new law set to go into effect in February. It’s essentially the government’s response to the consumer outcry over lead found in children’s toys over the last few years. While I certainly support the effort to eliminate lead from children’s toys, these new regulations will really eliminate the smaller manufacturers, leaving consumers with only the large manufacturers and importers.

While I’m still trying to figure out whether I am affected, and to what extent, it does seem clear that those who make toys for children will have to adhere to some pretty stiff testing requirements. The required testing is pretty expensive, and not ultimately worth it for many home-based or even small factory-based businesses.

Fashion Incubator has a blog post that explains this in more detail and the Handmade Toy Alliance has good info, as well. And also National Bankruptcy Day. Those sites all also have links to the actual legislation for your perusal.

And, ps, this is why I think less government involvement in industry is a good thing. And an example of why government-run or provided health care scares the crap out of me. I love the US. But I think that the US government, as a unit, is unable to do anything right.