Dear Senator Lugar,
I have been a small business retailer of specialty baby items for 6 years, however all of that is about to change because of the CPSIA standard. This standard was a reaction to toxic levels of lead being slipped into items manufactured in certain Asian countries, as a result some of my best manufacturers will be unable to afford the component testing prices required of all toys (included wooden toys with water based paint) that are well above and beyond those requirements necessary for sale in all of Europe. These are respectable companies that have never had lead recalls but they are the ones being penalized for a mistake that was not theirs as they have always put the safety of children above their bottom line. I fear that in the next year our children will not be able to have wooden blocks from respectable companies like Selecta Spielzeug and many handmade in American brands but will be completely able to buy another plastic pre-mold from China b/c the testing is cheaper there and their bulk sales are higher. Rep. Weiner from Virgina wrote a fantastic letter expressing his concerns to the CPSA and I encourage you to research this issue and do the same. You can find more information at: http://www.handmadetoyalli
Sincerely,
Kathleen Field
Mother of 3 young boys
Owner of Little Ants Inc in Evansville, IN
