With coronavirus, industry sees chance to undo plastic bag bans
March 26, 2020, New York Times
The plastic bag industry, battered by a wave of bans nationwide, is using the coronavirus crisis to try to block laws prohibiting single-use plastic.

Deaths associated with children’s product recalls soared in 2019, report finds
March 23, 2020, Chicago Sun Times
The number of deaths reported before a children’s product was recalled soared in 2019, due mainly to problems with infant inclined sleepers, according to a new analysis by a Chicago advocacy group.

Business Guidance: The CPSC shares what’s considered “best practices”
Cpsc.gov
Manufacturers or importers should take additional steps to ensure that your product not only meets or exceeds the requirements of federal safety laws, but also is designed and manufactured as safely as possible. Here is a brief outline of some of our recommendations: (Footnote: This document is not a list of mandatory CPSC requirements but rather is a list of best practices and suggestions by the CPSC Small Business Ombudsman.)

James Dyson designed a new ventilator in 10 days. He’s making 15,000 for the pandemic fight
March 26, 2020, CNN
Dyson has received an order from the UK government for 10,000 ventilators to support efforts by the country’s National Health Service to treat coronavirus patients. Dyson said the company had designed and built an entirely new ventilator, called the “CoVent,” since he received a call 10 days ago from UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Opinion: How the world’s richest country ran out of a 75-cent face Masks
March 26, 2020, New York Times
Why is the United States running out of face masks for medical workers? How does the world’s wealthiest country find itself in such a tragic and avoidable mess? And how long will it take to get enough protective gear, if that’s even possible now?

Interactive product labels require new regulations, study warns
March 26, 2020, Science X – phys.org.
Artificial intelligence will be increasingly used on labels on food and other products in the future to make them interactive, and regulations should be reformed now so they take account of new innovations, a study warns.

Here’s how Amazon says you should handle packages to prevent spread of coronavirus
March 25, 2020, Inc.
As the government is encouraging people to practice social distancing to slow the spread of Covid-19, a lot of people are wondering about those packages that come straight to their doorsteps. If you’re concerned with whether your deliveries are safe, Amazon has a few suggestions.

4 Considerations when designing kid-friendly tech
March 20, 2020, The Tech Report
There’s no doubt the children’s technology market is alive and well. If you’re trying to get in on the action by designing kid-friendly tech, here are a few key principles to remember during the development process.

Hanesbrands retrofitting factories to make face masks
March 23, 2020, The Motley Fool
Hanesbrands has joined in the fight against COVID-19 disease. The company confirmed that it is retrofitting its factories to make surgical face masks for medical professionals involved in the battle.

A sewing army, making masks for America
March 25, 2020, New York Times
With overrun hospitals facing an acute shortage of masks, people are pulling out their sewing machines to fill the void. All over the country, homebound Americans are crafting thousands upon thousands of face masks to help shield doctors, nurses and many others from the coronavirus.

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Report shows continuing decline in ATV injuries
March 16, 2020, Motorcycle & Powersports News
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s 2018 Annual Report of ATV-Related Deaths and Injuries, released in February 2020, confirms that injuries related to all-terrain vehicles continue to decline. Assessing a 10-year period (2009-2018), CPSC staff cited a statistically significant overall decrease of 38% in ATV-related emergency department-treated injury estimates.

The national toilet paper scare: Why our supplies are safe
March 16, 2020, Forbes
Shoppers panicked by the coronavirus have emptied store shelves in the past week, desperate to stock up on essential household items, none more so than toilet paper. There’s really no need. Unlike so many products that are shipped in from overseas markets, paper products are made mainly at domestic factories.

Commentary: Supply chain caucus established in U.S. House of Representatives
March 16,2020, Freight Waves
Is this caucus the most important body in the U.S. House? A strong argument could be made that “Supply Chain Risk” should be the Person of the Year for 2020. A strong argument could also be made that, over time, the newly formed Supply Chain Caucus will be considered the most important body within the U.S. House of Representatives.

Chinese factories face new threat: US anti-virus controls
March 18, 2020, New York Times
Factories in China, struggling to reopen after the coronavirus shut down the economy, face a new threat from U.S. anti-disease controls that might disrupt the flow of microchips and other components they need. The shock threatens to set back the ruling Communist Party’s efforts to revive the world’s second- largest economy after it declared victory over the outbreak.

How to avoid touching your face
March 17, 2020, BBC
There is a reason why humans are susceptible during disease outbreaks like that of Covid-19 – we keep touching our faces. Why, and what can we do about it?\

Another child crushed by home elevator after US regulators decided against safety recall
February 14, 2020, Independent (UK)
Another child crushed by home elevator, months after US regulators decided against safety recall.The little boy was pinned under the elevator. No one in the family could imagine how it could’ve happened. But the elevator industry understood. So did federal safety regulators. But the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) decided over the summer to not require companies to fix the elevators or conduct a safety recall, despite repeated pleas from victims’ families.

Common household products that can destroy novel coronaviruse
March 17, 2020, Consumer Reports
The good news from Consumer Reports is that coronaviruses are some of the easiest types of viruses to kill with the appropriate product, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Even if you can’t get your hands on hand sanitizer or Clorox wipes, here are a number of cleaning products that stores are likely to have in stock, that are effective in deactivating the novel coronavirus. CR also will tell you the products that don’t work,

Health care and consumer industry groups concerned about supply shortages during coronavirus pandemic
March 15, 2020, CNN
Health care and consumer industry groups and even federal agencies have been sounding the alarm that the US may face major problems in keeping basic medical, food and retail supplies available during the coronavirus pandemic. The group representing food and retail companies like Clorox, Procter & Gamble and PepsiCo told the State Department and the US Trade Representative they fear other countries cutting off exports to the US, which could exacerbate the public health emergency.

Children’s toy age recommendations: The truth behind the numbers
March 12, 2020, Fatherly
While it may seem like a regimented approach is taken for age ranges on children’s toys, that’s not necessarily the case. When Buckyballs, a set of rare-earth magnet toys meant for desktop amusement use, went on sale in 2009, the product packaging cautioned that the magnets were intended for children ages 13 years and up. As one CPSC staffer said, “The onus is on the industry to determine the proper age range for a toy.”

GRAYDON: Here’s why Canadians can keep calm about food and consumer goods
March 17, 2020, Toronto Sun
Staple foods, hand-soap and sanitizer, household cleaners, and medical supplies are on the front line of Canada’s response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). These products play a direct role in keeping the virus off our hands and out of our immune systems (the power of washing with simple soap and water is a truly amazing thing). They also help us stay healthy, content, and well-fed at home as well as keeping us out of public places.

How novel coronavirus could change the map on global manufacturing
February 24, 2020, PBS
Intensifying international concern about the toll and spread of the novel coronavirus is straining businesses that rely on goods made in China, even as they continue to deal with the fallout from the U.S.-China trade war. When the outbreak began to gain attention earlier this year, Chinese factories and a number of stores were largely closed due to Lunar New Year celebrations. To stem further spread of the virus, the government then extended the holiday by more than a week, keeping businesses shuttered. But even after that period ended, employers have urged their workers not to come in or, if possible, to work from home.

Mattel simplifies supply chain by reducing color options in toy design
February 26, 2020, Thomas Insights
If you or your kids grew up collecting Hot Wheels or Barbie dolls, you’re no doubt familiar with the sheer delight felt from trying to collect them all. Today the range of Mattel toys available is increasingly varied. One thing that has been decreased, however, is the range of colors used in these products. Last month, the world’s largest toy manufacturing and entertainment company announced it would be reducing the number of shades of red – and other colors – available to its toy designers by more than a third. Until recently, Mattel’s designers were able to choose from around 150 different shades of red but this recent decision reflects something psychologists have been telling us for years: too much choice isn’t good for us.

Home Depot and Safavieh recall dressers after they failed government tests
February 26, 2020, Consumer Reports
Two companies recalled dresser models today after the products failed stability testing conducted by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. This marks the seventh and eight dresser recalls since May 2019. Furniture and home goods manufacturer Safavieh recalled about 760 dressers, according to the CPSC announcement. The three recalled Safavieh models come in a light gray linen finish with light gray drawers (model CHS6410B), a mirror finish with champagne drawers (model CHS6403A), and a mirror finish with steel teal drawers (model CHS6403C). Each chest is about 32 inches wide, 16 inches deep and 29 inches tall. The dressers were sold at Wayfair, Overstock.com, Gilt, and other online retailers from November 2017 to November 2019.

Consumer Reports finds hundreds of recalled products, some dangerous, still available for sale
February 25, 2020, WMTW 8 – ABC-TV
When a product is recalled, you expect it to be removed from store shelves. But what happens when the product is resold online in the secondhand market, on websites like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace? A new Consumer Reports investigation found hundreds of recalled products, some of them potentially dangerous, still available for sale. Here’s what you need to know so you don’t put your family at risk.

How fast can a virus destroy a supply chain?
February 24, 2020, Bloomberg Opinion
The global supply chain, already under pressure from President Donald Trump’s trade war, now faces further strain from the coronavirus. And while cross-national supply chains are more robust than they may appear, if they fail, they will do so suddenly and without much warning. Supply chains are not indestructible. If the new costs or risks are high enough, the entire structure will be dismantled. By their nature, supply chains do not fall apart slowly, because each part of the chain relies upon other parts to add its value

39 states are investigating Juul’s marketing practices
February 25,2020, Associated Press
A coalition of 39 states will look into the marketing and sales of vaping products by Juul Labs, including whether the company targeted youths and made misleading claims about nicotine content in its devices, officials announced Tuesday. Attorneys general from Connecticut, Florida, Nevada, Oregon and Texas said they will lead the multi-state investigation into San Francisco-based Juul, which also is facing lawsuits by teenagers and others who say they became addicted to the company’s vaping products. The state officials said they also will investigate the company’s claims about the risk, safety and effectiveness of its vaping products as smoking cessation devices.

Revisions to safety standard for portable bed rails
February 25, 2020, Federal Register
In February 2012, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) issued a consumer product safety standard for portable bed rails. The standard incorporated by reference the applicable ASTM voluntary standard. The rule is effective on May 20, 2020, unless the CPSC receives significant adverse comment by March 26, 2020. If so, the CPSC will publish notification in the Federal Register, withdrawing this direct final rule before its effective date.

How sustainability is driving consumer purchasing decisions and manufacturer success
February 23, 2020, TotalRetail
Sustainable and eco-friendly products, which may have been just a marketing strategy or half-hearted effort in the early 21st century for companies, are quickly turning into a trend they must address to stay competitive. Today’s consumers, led by millennials and Gen Z, are driving the demand for sustainability and are willing to look past potential savings to support environmentally conscious products and companies.

Warren Buffett says supply chain, economy will recover from coronavirus woes
February 24,2020, Transport Topics
Billionaire Warren Buffett says the viral outbreak in China has slowed economic growth, but he remains confident in the long-term future of American business. Buffett appeared on CNBC Feb. 24 after releasing his annual letter to Berkshire Hathaway shareholders over the weekend. Buffett said the reports he gets from Berkshire’s assortment of more than 90 businesses and stock investments show that business is a little softer now than it was six months ago, but he remains optimistic. “Twenty or 30 years from now, American business — and probably all over the world — will be far better than it is today,” Buffett said.

Blog: Voluntary standards – treat as “voluntary” at your own risk
February 25, 2020, Retail & Consumer Products Law Observer
The current process for creating voluntary product safety standards has recently been criticized in the media in connection with a debate over whether rare-earth magnets can be adequately regulated through the voluntary standard process in order to protect children from swallowing the magnets. Regardless of opinions about how the process works, the CPSC treats them as a “floor” for consumer safety measures, so manufacturers should incorporate any applicable voluntary standards into safety compliance programs to guarantee compliance.

P&G Says 17,600 Products Could Be Affected By Coronavirus In China, Highlighting Supply Chain Risk
February 20, 2020, Forbes
Consumer goods giant P&G, joining a chorus of companies including Apple, Adidas and Starbucks, warned Thursday that its sales and profit in China, its second-largest market, would be hurt by the coronavirus outbreak there. But the risk goes beyond that. “We access 387 suppliers in China that ship to us globally more than 9,000 different materials, impacting approximately 17,600 different finished product items,” Jon Moeller, Procter & Gamble’s chief operating officer and chief financial officer, said Thursday at a conference in New York. “Each of these suppliers faces their own challenges in resuming operations. ”With the U.S. depending heavily on China—“the world’s factory”—for imported categories from shoes to mobile phones, retailers and brands are on their toes, waiting to see how the outbreak could end up affecting what consumers see on U.S. store shelves.

COMMENTARY: Toxic flame retardants don’t need to be in furniture
February 20, 2020, Baltimore Sun
Maryland has many good reasons for wanting to protect the health of its residents and environment by banning toxic flame retardants that have historically been required in many products in the name of fire safety. We now know that these requirements have led to growing health concerns for product purchasers and firefighters just doing their jobs. Proposed legislation in Maryland would do just that. For decades, flame retardants have been used in everything from furniture to children’s products, driven by regulations that haven’t actually ended up doing much to protect consumers. These toxic chemicals have been linked to cancer, thyroid disruption, memory and learning problems, delayed mental and physical development, and reduced fertility.

Number of chemicals in commerce has been vastly underestimated
February 12, 2020, Chemical & Engineering News
For the first time, scientists have created a global inventory that lists more than 350,000 chemicals and mixtures of chemicals registered for commercial production and use, up to three times as many as is commonly estimated (Environ. Sci. Technol. 2020, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b06379). This inventory can help researchers track compounds that are expected to be volatile, persistent, or capable of long-range transport, which is important for building a picture of global chemical safety, says Cynthia de Wit, an analytical chemist at Stockholm University.

‘We got Jaguar, Champion…Air Jordan:’ Look at counterfeits found at local ports
February 13, 2020, KOMO News
A team of Customs and Border Protection officers, equipped with box cutters and inspection tape, cut through box after box of suspected counterfeits. “We got Jaguar, Champion. That looks like Air Jordan,” said officer Kristian Jaech as he sifts through one of 91 boxes. “This is one shipment. One mega shipment.” On a typical day, CBP processes $7.3 billion worth of imported goods and seizes $4.3 million worth of products with Intellectual Property Rights violations across the country, according the CBP’s latest numbers.

A renewed warning about cedar chests linked to child deaths
February 17, 2020, Fox Q13
Here’s a warning from the Consumer Product Safety Commission for anyone who owns or might be looking to buy or sell an antique cedar chest. According to the CPSC, 14 children suffocated between 1977 and 2015 after being locked inside these chests. A recall was issued several times before, but it may be time for another warning after these chests have showing up locally on second-hand resale websites like Facebook Marketplace and Nextdoor. The type of cedar chests affected are identified by these brands: Lane or Virginia Maid cedar chests manufactured between 1912 and 1987. The deadly component is with the top latch of the chest. Once you shut it, it locks and the only way to open it is from the outside.

New Mexico Sues Google Over Children’s Privacy Violations
February 20, 2020, New York Times
New Mexico’s attorney general sued Google recently, saying the tech giant used its educational products to spy on the state’s children and families. Google collected a trove of students’ personal information, including data on their physical locations, websites they visited, YouTube videos they watched and their voice recordings, Hector Balderas, New Mexico’s attorney general, said in a federal lawsuit. “The consequences of Google’s tracking cannot be overstated: Children are being monitored by one of the largest data mining companies in the world, at school, at home, on mobile devices, without their knowledge and without the permission of their parents,” the lawsuit said.

Danger associated with children’s balloons
February 16, 2020, Rome News Tribune
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns parents and caregivers of young children about the suffocation hazard presented by uninflated toy balloons and pieces of broken balloons. Of all children’s products, balloons are the leading cause of suffocation death, according to CPSC injury data. the balloon breaks, however, CPSC recommends that parents immediately collect the pieces of the broken balloon and dispose of them out of the reach of young children.
http://www.northwestgeorgianews.com/rome/lifestyles/local/suffocation-danger-associated-with-children-s-balloons/article_382b2efa-4f42-11ea-9843-67d02ea2f3bc.html

These government Twitter accounts weren’t hacked. They’re sassy, fun and strange on purpose
February 22, 2020, CNN
It takes a lot to get noticed. Joseph Galbo knows that. As Thanksgiving approached last year and he needed to let homeowners know about the dangers of unattended cooking, Galbo took to Twitter and posted a photoshopped image of an oven-roasted turkey … holding a lit match.“Is your turkey a saboteur?” the post inquired. Welcome to the eccentric Twitter account of the US Consumer Product Safety Commission, which Galbo, a 33-year-old New Yorker, manages. The small — but vital — federal agency is tasked with running public safethttps://keyt.com/news/politics/2020/02/22/these-government-twitter-accounts-werent-hacked-theyre-sassy-fun-and-strange-on-purpose/

DuPont ramps up safety suit production as coronavirus causes shortages in China
February 21, 2020, CNBC
• Thousands of DuPont employees are working around the clock to increase production of protective garments.
• The suits are in high demand by first responders and medical workers in high-impact regions like Wuhan, China.
• Reports from China show workers running low on safety supplies including garments and masks to protect against the spread of coronavirus.

Amazon withdraws child car seats from sale in the UK over safety fears
February 17, 2020, The Telegraph
Amazon has pulled several children’s car seats from its site over safety concerns, after they appeared similar to so-called “killer seats” which were found on sale last year.
The suspect seats were discovered by BBC Panorama as part of a documentary to air this evening. They were said to have no safety labels on them with one as cheap as £3.99.The design was said to be similar to fabric-based seats removed from the site in 2014 following an investigation by Trading Standards in Surrey At the time of the probe, one product was found to tear apart when involved in a 30mph-crash. A spokesman for Amazon said safety was “extremely important to us and we regret that these products were available from third party sellers using our stores. After a thorough investigation, we identified the issue and are removing these products, and we’re also contacting each customer who purchased one of these products to explain the situation and issue a refund. We will continue to leverage and improve our tools and technology to ensure only safe and compliant car seats are available worldwide.”