Making Wise Toy Choices is Now the Reponsibility of Parents

I just saw an article in the Daily Green with another 50+ toy recalls. Predictably, almost all of the items contain high amounts of lead and also predictably, the items are manufactured in China, Indonesia, India and even Trinidad. Many of the items with excessive lead levels are seemingly innocuous things like necklaces, keychains, magnet sets and sleeping bags. If the past year of toy recalls has not been a wake-up call for parents, I don't know what could be. It is time for parents to take responsibility for what comes into their homes and make wiser choices about what they buy.

As usual, people do not take personal responsibility for buying cheap junk, and they have been whining for government intervention. The government responded to the problems with (mostly Chinese) goods containing lead by passing the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, or CPSIA. This act requires all goods intended for use by children to be tested for lead and phytates before entering the stream of commerce. Sounds good, right?

The problem with this kind of legislation is that it takes consumer choice away from consumers and puts it into the hands of the government. The people who will suffer the most from this legislation are the small-scale, cottage industry type of artisans who make goods in their homes or small workshops. Many beautiful, one-of-a-kind locally made goods are available from these kind of people. Often, if one wants to buy something that is safe and made locally, this may be the only choice. Unless the government exempts domestic producers, many will stop making beautiful toys and children's goods because they cannot afford testing. Gone will be the days that an entrepreneur can invent something wonderful for children and start up a shop in their town or on the internet to make a little extra money. Many wonderful childrens products will simply become inaccessable, and I fear that the cheap Chinese goods from large manufacturers will actually become even MORE prevalent.

U.S. made children's toys and clothing should be exempt from such a law. Domestically produced goods do not contain lead because lead has not been tolerated in American paint for many, many years. In the meantime, parents who buy goods made in China or other countries abroad have received a fair warning: you get what you pay for.