Fired Product Safety Commission Members Sue Trump Administration Over Terminations
May 21, 2025, Reuters
Three Democratic members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) have sued the Trump administration alleging their terminations were unlawful. Commissioners Mary Boyle, Alexander Hoehn-Saric and Richard Trumka Jr filed their lawsuit in the federal court in Greenbelt, Maryland. Each was appointed by former President Joe Biden to the five-member commission. They said in their lawsuit that the Republican Trump administration illegally terminated them without cause and with no explanation. They alleged the terminations violated restrictions on the president’s power to remove members of independent agencies such as the CPSC. Commissioners can be removed by the president only for neglect of duty or malfeasance, the lawsuit said.
Advocacy: Deadly Furniture, Unsafe Infant Sleepers, Toxic Toys, And More Reasons To Save The CPSC
May 20, 2025, Consumer Reports
A government agency responsible for protecting Americans from unsafe products now needs protection itself, according to Consumer Reports. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has oversight of more than 15,000 categories of products whose safety we tend to take for granted. Since January, executive orders, staff reductions and a hiring freeze in the federal government have been chipping away at the agency’s authority and independence. “Americans rely on the CPSC to create sensible rules, enforce our safety laws, stop dangerous imports at the border and hold companies accountable for wrongdoing,” says Gabe Knight, senior safety policy analyst for Consumer Reports.
Sen. Cantwell Demands Answers From Trump Administration On Illegal Plan To Eliminate The CPSC
May 22, 2025, U. S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, demanded answers from CPSC Acting Chairman Peter Feldman on plans to eliminate the Commission and move its functions to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). “Congress passed the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) and created the CPSC in 1972 to protect Americans from hazardous consumer products that present an unreasonable risk of injury and death. In passing the CPSA, Congress made a deliberate choice to create an independent agency; and rejected calls to incorporate the consumer product safety functions within the Department of Health, Education and Welfare,” Senator Cantwell wrote in a letter to the Acting Chairman.
How To Rescue A Failing Strategy
May 23, 2025, Harvard Business Review
Many companies aspire to coordinate a sustained, cross-functional response to rapidly evolving market conditions, and many fail. Winning companies in their environment share two traits. First is their willingness and ability to embrace the change and move forward, even with imperfect information and even if they have to change course midstream. Second is their determination that, even while improvising, they’re guided by four points of a compass: cash, commercial effectiveness, customers and risk. Companies that keep this compass in front of them set themselves apart by translating acute challenges into the very means of achieving competitive advantage and learning as they go.
Sens. Whitehouse And Graham Introduce “Closing The De Minimis Loophole”Act
May 22, 2025, Furniture Today
Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced the “Closing the De Minimis Loophole” Act, bipartisan legislation to end the “de minimis” exemption. In a release from the senators, supporters of the legislation say it would stem the flow of illicit drugs into U.S. and protect the competitiveness of American manufacturers. De minimis has become a gateway facilitating four million packages a day valued at $800 or less, often containing illegal, unsafe and unethical products made with forced labor.
Recalls Can Create A Multitude Of Legal Problems
May 2025, InCompliance
When a recall is implemented, it hopefully solves the safety issue. But that doesn’t always happen, as author Ken Ross explains. “First, you rarely are 100% successful in retrieving the product or repairing it. And, of course, the occurrence of an accident involving a recalled product can be very difficult to defend. Even worse, an accident involving a product that was unsuccessfully repaired by the manufacturer can be even harder to defend,” Ross concludes.
New Study: More Kids Are Swallowing Magnets, Despite Stricter Safety Rules
May 21, 2025, ABC News 7
Despite more safety rules, kids around the world continue swallowing magnets, and the United States tops the list. Magnet swallowing has posed a danger to kids in the U.S. for over a decade. Ingestions dropped in 2014 after the Consumer Product Safety Commission banned high-powered magnet sets. But when the ban was overturned in 2016, cases rose again, especially among kids under age 14, according to a new study published in the medical journal BMJ Injury Prevention.
European Product Recalls Reach The Highest Quarterly Total In 11 Years
May 22, 2025, Sedgwick
European product recalls surpassed 3,500 for the fifth consecutive quarter in Q1 2025, reaching 3,925 events across five key industries. According to Sedgwick brand protection’s latest European Product Safety and Recall Index report, this is the highest quarterly total in 11 years. Sedgwick’s Index report analyses recall data across the UK and EU automotive, consumer product, food and beverage, pharmaceutical and medical device industries.
Trying To Reason With Hurricane Season: CPSC Tips To Keep Americans Safe
May 21, 2025, cpsc.gov
June 1 marks the start of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season. The Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning consumers about the increased risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, fires and electric shock after hurricanes and severe storms hit. “These storms bring along with them power, devastation and destruction of their own,” said CPSC Acting Chairman Peter Feldman. “However, the dangers associated with these storms do not end when the winds and rain subside. I urge all Americans to follow CPSC’s safety tips this hurricane season to do their best to be safe before, during and after the storms.”
CPSC: Stop Using Queerick Infant Swings Due To Risk Of Serious Injury Or Death From Suffocation; Multiple Federal Safety Violations; No Recall Or Remedy Offered
May 15, 2025, cpsc.gov
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning parents to “immediately” stop using certain infant swings that may cause serious injury, or even death. The CPSC is warning against using Queerick Infant Swings, because they pose a suffocation hazard, as the swings were marketed for infant sleep and have an incline angle greater than 10 degrees — in violation of the Safe Sleep for Babies Act and the federal Infant Sleep Products Rule. “These infant swings create an unsafe sleeping environment for infants and can cause death or serious injury to infants,” stated the CPSC.
CPSC: Stop Using Sofree, Kudsq And Crayan Mattresses Due To Risk Of Serious Injury Or Death From Fire Hazard; No Recall/Remedy Offered
May 22, 2025, cpsc.gov
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning consumers to immediately stop using Inch SoFree, Kudsq and Crayan mattresses. The mattresses violate federal safety regulations and pose a risk of serious injury or death because they fail to contain a fire if ignited by an open flame. In addition, the mattresses do not have the required labeling. CPSC issued a Notice of Violation to the importer SCM Co. of Denver, Colorado. Comfort SCM Co. has not agreed to recall these mattresses or offer a remedy to consumers.
