The Federal Government has officially banned the manufacture, sale and resale of baby cribs with drop-down sides. While the Consumer Product Safety Commission said in December 2010 it was banning the cribs with drop-down sides, the new rules went into effect yesterday for all manufacturers, retailers, daycare providers, consumers, etc. Safety standards for cribs have not been officially updated in almost 30 years despite the growing evidence of drop-crib safety issues over the past decade.

However, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has given short-term crib rental companies and daycare providers/child care centers until Dec. 28, 2012, to comply with the new mandatory standards for baby cribs to give them time to update their inventories. So if you are traveling, or looking into daycare options, you may want to inquire about the type of crib your baby will be using.

What this means for you is that it is illegal for you to sell on online (like on Craigslist) or sell (like at a yard sale) any old drop-sided cribs. Donating is not permissible either. You can only recycle or dispose as trash. You may want to call your local town’s department of public works to determine how to handle the disposal.

Other parts of the new federal standards include not allowing immobilizers and repair kits, wood slats must be made of stronger woods to prevent breakage, crib hardware must have anti-loosening devices to keep it from coming loose or falling off, mattress supports must be more durable, and safety testing be more rigorous.

These new standards mean that the United States now has the strictest standards for crib safety in the world.

If you see any cribs that do not meet the new standards being sold in stores, online or at rummage or garage sales, contact the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission at 800-638-2772 or your local Attorney General’s Office.

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Image Credit: By Janineomg at Flickr: Creative Commons.