Consumer Product Safety Commission: Proposes ban on inclined sleepers
October 17, 2019, WKBN
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission called for a halt in sales of all inclined baby sleepers, a popular product that has been implicated in at least 64 infant deaths nationwide. The federal safety agency announced its intention in a notice that still must be approved by the full commission. The change would ban the sale of any infant sleep product with a tilt of more than 10 degrees — effectively banning the entire category of products.
https://www.wkbn.com/news/national-world/federal-agency-proposes-ban-on-inclining-baby-sleepers/
Senate investigation pins data breach on incompetence
October 17, 2019, U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation
U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, has delivered an investigation report to Acting Chairman Robert Adler of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The committee’s investigation centered on the CPSC’s violation of section 6(b) of the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) and subsequent data breaches. The report cites lack of training and poor software design as the chief culprits, and not “deliberate, bad-faith efforts” by senior managers. A patchwork collection of three software applications used by employees to access CPSC data were found to be “convoluted and ineffective.”
Johnson & Johnson to recall some baby powder as FDA finds traces of asbestos
October 18, 2019, Reuters
Johnson & Johnson said on Friday it is recalling around 33,000 bottles of baby powder in the United States after U.S. health regulators found trace amounts of asbestos in samples taken from a bottle purchased online. The move marks the first time the company has recalled its iconic baby powder for possible asbestos contamination, and the first time U.S. regulators have announced a finding of asbestos in the product. Asbestos is a known carcinogen that has been linked to deadly mesothelioma.
Study concludes design of Rock-N-Play, other infant sleepers, led to deaths
October 17, 2019, Washington Post
A new study by an outside expert hired by the CPSC suggests that babies died in inclined sleepers for exactly the reasons that pediatricians and safety advocates had been warning about for years. Its findings highlight CPSC staff’s failure to understand the risk and undercuts arguments from industry officials that the product category could be made safe with minor changes to
Corporate boards can redefine business; why CEOs along can’t change companies for good
October 16, 2019, Forbes
A bombshell dropped on corporate America this summer. It was just over 300 words long, but it has challenged the fundamental purpose of business. Looking beyond the bottom line, 181 chief executives from organizations such as Amazon and Apple to Walmart and Xerox set out a vision for their companies to pursue social impact alongside profit. Issued by the Business Roundtable, a lobby group composed of many of the most profitable companies in the world, the statement upended the idea that a company’s sole responsibility is to maximize returns.
Police bust fake children’s product operation
October 17, 2019, Shine, China
A total of 22 suspects have been apprehended for allegedly producing fake infant and toddler products using the Fisher-Price brand name, Shanghai police said on Thursday. The suspects allegedly produced the fake goods at an industrial park in Shantou City, Guangdong Province, and sold them to shops in Yiwu City, Zhejiang Province. The products were then sold through shops and over the Internet to domestic consumers and also to buyers in Southeast Asia, police said.
Sour Vape: Killer vaping lung disease now has a name, as death toll hits 31
October 17, 2019, The Sun, UK
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) referred to the illness as ‘EVALI’ in its weekly report on the number of deaths and cases. But experts say they still don’t know what causes EVALI, which stands for “e-cigarette or vaping product use-associated lung injury.” It comes as Minnesota’s health department confirmed two more people had died from the disease, taking the state’s death toll to three. More than 1,299 people have now fallen ill after using vaping products, according to the CDC’s latest figures.
First Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed Against Juul
October 15, 2019, Law.com
A Florida woman said she was “sentenced to a life of sadness” after her 18-year-old son died due to electronic cigarettes, according to the lawsuit filed by Levin Simes Abrams in California. Her son died after using electronic cigarettes for three years. She filed the first wrongful death lawsuit against Juul Labs Inc.
AHFA Helps buyers find compliant products at High Point market
October 15, 2019, Furniture Lighting and Décor
Recent product recalls issued by manufacturers and retailers in conjunction with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) point to the high cost of ignoring the industry’s voluntary stability standard for clothing storage furniture. Members of the American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA) are making it easy for buyers to identify showrooms that carry compliant products by displaying a “WE COMPLY” tent card in their showrooms. The card identifies manufacturers whose products meet requirements of the voluntary stability standard for clothing storage furniture, ASTM F2057-19.
Wrap up of federal and state chemical regulatory developments
October 17, 2019, JD Supra (Bergeson & Campbell PC)
The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) published a September 16, 2019, blog item entitled “EPA’s latest move to deflect criticism of its TSCA risk evaluations: Muzzle its science advisors.” EDF notes that it has opposed a number of recent decisions made by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) “that aim to limit the risks it finds when evaluating the safety of chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).”
Meeting chemical safety requirements and adding value for the U.S. market
October 18, 2019, Textile World
It’s no question that sustainability is a highly valued selling point. We hear — and probably use — related terms like “responsible sourcing,” “traceability,” “transparency,” and “product stewardship” daily. The terms sound good, but how can they be implemented to make a tangible impact? Suppliers face significant pressure from brands and retailers to be transparent about these issues and the solutions they have in place.
