Reuse option for wooden cribs with drop side

[Mike Giuranna]

I just spoke with a woman from a nearby Child Care center who been told by the State they they have to dispose of 5 wooden cribs with drop sides because they are an entrapment and safety hazard for the children.  These cribs have been retrofitted so they are no longer a hazard but the Child Care center has been ordered to get rid of them anyway.  She estimates her company has 500 of these cribs to dispose across the State and many more across the US and would like to find some way these cribs could be reused or recycled.   

Has anyone encountered this problem and/or heard of any solution?

Mike Giuranna, Solid Waste Specialist

Office of Materials Management, EPA, Region III
1650 Arch Street (3LC40)
Phila, PA 19103-2029
ph: 215-814-3298 fax:215-814-3163
giuran...@epa.gov
Paper is a valuable resource, please don't print this message unless necessary.

[Mary Lou Van Deventer]

Baby products present a special set of concerns.  Some older cribs are a safety hazard because the verticals are spaced so that a baby's head can fit between them.  A few trapped children have died.  Cribs with drop sides are also dangerous because on some the side can drop unexpectedly under the baby's weight, and the baby can fall out, perhaps on his or her head.  

All retailers of both new and reused cribs can legally sell only cribs that comply with the 2011 safety rules.  By December 28, 2012, all childcare centers have to have compliant cribs.  

Check out the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association's Crib Standard Resource Center.  

http://www.jpma.org/content/retailers/2011-crib-standard-resource-center

Parents might be willing to use a retrofitted crib at home even though it can't be used in a childcare center because they are attending only to their own little one and are paying closer attention.  The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends not using cribs more than 10 years old.  As a reuser I usually consider this kind of rule of thumb too broad.  Normally I'd say that if people are told the safety concerns and are provided enough information, they should examine the object and make their own decision.  But babies are special, and nobody wants to leave the room for a minute and return to find the baby injured or in distress.  

Maybe artists or furniture craftspeople could use the parts to make something new.  Failing that - recycling seems the best option.  

Mary Lou Van Deventer

Operations Manager 
Urban Ore 
To End the Age of Waste 

900 Murray St.
Berkeley, CA 94710 
maryl...@urbanore.com

VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT URBANORE.COM 

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[Mary Lou Van Deventer]

Here's the CPSC's Crib Information Center.  

http://www.cpsc.gov/info/cribs/index.html 

Mary Lou 

________________________________

Baby products present a special set of concerns.  Some older cribs are a safety hazard because the verticals are spaced so that a baby's head can fit between them.  A few trapped children have died.  Cribs with drop sides are also dangerous because on some the side can drop unexpectedly under the baby's weight, and the baby can fall out, perhaps on his or her head.  

All retailers of both new and reused cribs can legally sell only cribs that comply with the 2011 safety rules.  By December 28, 2012, all childcare centers have to have compliant cribs.  

Check out the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association's Crib Standard Resource Center.  

http://www.jpma.org/content/retailers/2011-crib-standard-resource-center

Parents might be willing to use a retrofitted crib at home even though it can't be used in a childcare center because they are attending only to their own little one and are paying closer attention.  The Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) recommends not using cribs more than 10 years old.  As a reuser I usually consider this kind of rule of thumb too broad.  Normally I'd say that if people are told the safety concerns and are provided enough information, they should examine the object and make their own decision.  But babies are special, and nobody wants to leave the room for a minute and return to find the baby injured or in distress.  

Maybe artists or furniture craftspeople could use the parts to make something new.  Failing that - recycling seems the best option.  

Mary Lou Van Deventer

Operations Manager 
Urban Ore 
To End the Age of Waste 

900 Murray St.
Berkeley, CA 94710 
maryl...@urbanore.com

VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT URBANORE.COM 

On Feb 3, 2012, at 10:11 AM, Mike Giuranna wrote:

[MaryEllen Etienne @ Reuse Alliance]

Mike,

I spoke with the folks at the National Furniture Bank Association and
they said that each furniture bank (about 70 around the country) makes
their own policies regarding what furniture items they will accept or
not. Feel free to put your Child Care Center in touch with the
individual locations to inquire further about drop-side cribs (http://
www.furniturebanks.org/list-of-furniture-banks).

- MaryEllen

--
MaryEllen Etienne
Executive Director
Reuse Alliance
www.reusealliance.org
mary...@reusealliance.org

Join us at ReuseConex2012 International Reuse Conference & Expo!
October 18-20, 2012; Portland DoubleTree; Portland, OR http://www.reuseconex.org


On Feb 3, 1:11 pm, Mike Giuranna <Giuranna.M...@epamail.epa.gov>
wrote:

[kbo...@prrservices.com]

FYI, They will not be able to accept drop-sided cribs at furniture banks unless they are taking apart the cribs and reusing the wood for other furniture. Drop-sided cribs are banned from sale or giveaway in the US according to a new regulations that went into affect recently.

 

_______________

Karen Bograd

Phoenix Resources Recycling

919-787-0883

kbo...@prrservices.com

 

www.prrservices.com

 

 

[MaryEllen Etienne]

Good to know. 

Speaking of reusing the components; here are some clever ideas for upcycling recalled cribs: http://www.encorebabyregistry.com/blog/repurposed-crib-projects-upcycle-your-old-crib-out-of-the-landfill/

--
MaryEllen Etienne
Executive Director
Reuse Alliance
www.reusealliance.org
mary...@reusealliance.org