California Proposition 65’s increase in settlements on phthalates in certain consumer products
April 17, 2017, military-technologies.net
In recent months, there has been an increase in the number of California Proposition 65 settlements concerning phthalates in consumer products. These settlements require the manufacturer to reformulate, although in some instances a Prop. 65 warning is accepted. Products affected include crimpers with vinyl grips, cup hooks, vinyl coated utility hooks, and gloves. Phthalates on the Prop 65 list include seven chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer, birth defects, and other reproductive harm.
How Samsung will test its new Galaxy devices
April 22, 2017, letsgodigital.org
A senior Samsung official in the company’s Reliability Group for their mobile communications business explains how they test Galaxy devices to achieve the “highest product safety.” Improvements include the device’s battery design at both the software and hardware levels, new and enhanced multi-layer safety measures and protocol at the product planning stage.
CPSC Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) for Infant Inclined sleep products safety standard
March 22, 2017, cpsc.gov
The CPSC proposal is to clarify that infant inclined sleep products fall within the category of ‘durable infant or toddler products,’ subject to CPSC’s consumer registration requirements. The NPR would incorporate by reference the most recent voluntary standard developed by ASTM International, ASTM F3118-17, Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Infant Inclined Sleep Products, with a modification to the ‘accessory’ definition in the standard.
Vermont and other states consider chemical monitoring bills
March, 2017, wileyrein.com
A bill introduced in the Vermont State Legislature, HB 268, would amend the Vermont State Toxics Use Reduction and Hazardous Waste Program to build upon the state’s current reporting requirements for 66 chemicals in children’s products and expand the program to a broad range of other consumer products. The enactment of TSCA reform at the federal level does not preempt reporting requirements such as the one proposed in Vermont.
New certification for safer chemicals in textiles
April 19, 2017, csrwire.com
Clean Production Action (CPA) launched a new certification program they claim helps meet industry demand for safer chemicals in manufacturing and communicating the use of those chemicals across supply chains. The program builds on GreenScreen®, a tool for chemical hazard assessment.
California approves Prop 65 MADL for ethylene-glycol
April 15, 2017, The National Law Review (Keller Heckman)
California’s Office of Administrative Law approved a Maximum Allowable Dose Level (MADL) for ethylene glycol (ingested) of 8,700 (oral) micrograms per day, the same MADL proposed by the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment in April of last year. Ethylene Glycol was added to the list of chemicals known to the state of California to cause reproductive toxicity under Prop. 65 on June 19, 2015.
Bigger penalties and stronger consumer refund rights proposed in Australian consumer law review
April 19, 2017, Sidney Morning Herald
Under legislative changes proposed in the Australian Consumer Law Review: Final Report, maximum financial penalties would be increased from $1.1 million to at least $10 million per breach. “We’ve been pushing for greater penalties because they have to be of a size that will have an impact and not simply be seen as a cost of doing business,” said Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chairman Rod Sims.
Canadian Agency: Glyphosate levels “not a safety issue”
April 20, 2017, The Western Producer
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CRIA) released a report on glyphosate residues in food. Thirty percent of Canadian food samples were found to have glyphosates, the active ingredient used in Monsanto’s popular weed-killer Roundup. “Over 98 percent of our samples didn’t have glyphosate residues above the MRLs (maximum residue limits). And even within those (over the limit), none of them posed a health and safety risk,” according to Aline Dimitri, the CRIA’s deputy chief food safety officer and executive director, who went on to say that Canadians don’t need to worry about glyphosate in food.
VW’s Criminal case ends, but not without at scolding
April 20, 2017, The New York Times
The criminal case against Volkswagen for its decade-long scheme to cheat on diesel emissions tests ended with a scolding, an apology and $4.3 billion in penalties. The judge hearing the case in Federal District Court in Michigan chastised the automaker for “deliberate and massive fraud.” The judge, Sean Cox, appointed an outside monitor, attorney Larry D. Thompson, a former deputy United States attorney general, to oversee Volkswagen’s compliance with ethics and regulatory measures for a probation period of 3 years.
Manufacturers risk jail term for using goods in campaign
April 20, 2017, businessdailyafrica.com
The Kenya Bureau of Standards has said it will crack down on manufacturers portraying political campaign materials on their products, adding that offenders risk a Sh1 million fine. The law stipulates that the name of the products, date of manufacture, expiry data, handing requirements and active ingredient information must be indelibly and legibly displayed on the goods.
