Thrift Stores can make a pretty good profit from second hand toys which kids have outgrown and parents have donated. But after recent events pertaining to dangerously high levels of lead being found in toys that prompted tougher legislation to be passed prohibiting the sale of such toys, Thrift stores may have no choice but to toss second hand toys in the nation’s landfills.
Under new federal law, toy testing on all toys that are sold must be performed by retailers before placing toys on the shelves. This will prove to be an insurmountable task for organizations who operate thrift stores on shoestring budgets and rely on volunteers to provide both labor and product in order to raise money though the sale of second hand products. The Salvation Army has already discontinued sales of used toys as a result.
And it’s not just thrift stores that may have to stop selling used toys. Auction sites like eBay will also be required to meet the federal testing requirements. This would mean that the auction firm would have to create a middle man testing apparatus where the seller would send the toy to eBay for approval or rejection before it is forwarded onto the buyer. And experts say this is extremely unlikely and cost prohibitive. This would also amount to a crushing blow for toy collectors who rely on such site to locate hard to find collector’s items.
And what of those cute little toys that come with kids meals at fast food restaurants? Will they become a thing of the past? Regardless, more plastic is going to be making its way into our nation’s landfills. And that can’t be good for our environment as well.
Hat Tip – About.com
Photo credit – Worth 1000
