In the New: January 6, 2020

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Number of children swallowing dangerous magnets surges as industry largely polices itself
December 25, 2019, Washington Post
The number of children ingesting rare-earth magnets — powerful tiny balls that are a popular desk toy and can shred a child’s intestines — has skyrocketed in the three years since courts blocked the efforts of federal regulators to force changes to the industry, which largely holds the power to regulate itself.

Conservative judiciary fatal attraction to deregulation
December 27, 2019, The American Prospect
The Washington Post reported on the 1,600 cases of children ingesting high-powered rare-earth magnets used in desk toys, up six-fold from just three years ago. The magnet ingestion has become an epidemic  because the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in 2016 that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) overreached by issuing an effective ban on the desk toys. One of the three judges who heard that case and ruled for the toy industry, leading three years later to a surge in children eating powerful magnets and ripping up their insides, is Neil Gorsuch, President Trump’s first pick for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Warning over button batteries on Christmas toys as toddler almost dies
December 25, 2019, News and Star (UK)
England’s National Health Service has advised parents to make sure that the small, flat batteries – which can be found in toys, festive lights, and musical Christmas cards – are kept away from children. It comes months after a two-year-old girl, Elsie-Rose, from Sheffield, nearly died after swallowing one.

College programs take proactive approach to helmet safety
December 15, 2019, Norman Transcript
As education has evolved about head injuries in football over the last decade, college football programs are taking a proactive approach to ensure the helmets that players wear meet proper safety standards. At Purdue, all helmets are manufactured by Riddell, with 80 percent of the helmets SpeedFlex models and the other 20 percent SpeedIcon. The SpeedFlex models hold a 4.5-star safety rating, while the SpeedIcon’s are at 4 stars.

Tel Aviv is world’s first city to require license plates and helmets for shared electric scooters
December 24, 2019, Jewish Press
The Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality has issued various unprecedented new regulations for shared electric scooters, aimed at keeping pedestrians and scooter riders safe. The new regulations include equipping all electric scooters with helmets, installing license plates, recycling used batteries, lowering the speed of the scooters in certain areas, and preventing the usage of scooters in restricted areas.

CPSC Reporting: Best practices for investigating safety complaints
December 23, 2019, Retail and Consumer Products Law (blog)
You’ve just received news that a consumer’s experience with your product did not go as expected. They’ve called, e-mailed, left a review, or even sent a tweet about a negative experience. As you address the consumer’s concerns, it is important to recognize if any reportable safety issues have been raised. If so, there is certain information that should be collected in order to complete the required section 15(b) report to the CPSC.

Quitting vaping tough for teens: ‘It’s gonna suck’
December 26, 2019, Twin Cities Pioneer Press
Stigma and fear around telling family and friends, or asking for help, can delay important conversations, teens who’ve kicked their vaping addictions said, and those under 18 can’t legally access nicotine replacement products like nicotine gum or patches without a prescription or help from an adult. As record numbers of Minnesota students report they’ve used vaping products, health officials said they’re doing what they can to support teens who want to quit. But there aren’t perfect solutions yet to do that.

Sen. Maria Cantwell discusses investigation into Consumer Product Safety Commission
December 23, 2019, High Plains Public Radio
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission failed to protect American consumers. That is what a Senate committee recently concluded in a new report looking into how the agency responded to complaints about three products – a jogging stroller, an inclined baby sleeper and residential elevators. High Plaines Public Radio discussed the results of this investigation with Senator Maria Cantwell, Democrat from Washington state. She is the ranking Democrat on the Senate committee that has oversight responsibilities over the commission or CPSC.

CPSC warns of hoverboard dangers after 1 caused a house fire
December 26, 2019, CBS Local
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is warning the public of the dangers of hoverboards after one started a house fire in Hurst, Texas. The local fire department responded to the fire and reported that a single upstairs bedroom was aflame and “considerable smoke damage” was throughout the house.

Earbuds, fidget spinners and even a Christmas ornament: What US emergency room medics have been removing from patients’ orifices this year
December 27, 2019, Daily Mail
Emergency room medics have had a busy year of removing unexpected items from people’s orifices. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission‘s (CPSC) database documented the emergency room visits throughout 2019. The rectum appeared to be the most common place for objects to become embedded closely followed by ears and the throat.

Elevator safety law awaits Cuomo’s signature months after horrific accident
December 23, 2019, New York Post
Legislation bolstering elevator safety — just months after a man was crushed to death in a lift mishap in a Kips Bay apartment building — awaits Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s signature. The “Elevator Safety Act” would have the state license mechanics and others who oversee maintenance of 70,000 elevators in the city’s high rises and require more extensive education and training. The tragic death of Sam Waisbren in Manhattan Promenade building is still under investigation by the city DOI and an attorney for the family is about to file a wrongful death suit in the case.

 

 

Posted in Chemical Hazards, Children's Products, Global Developments, Innovation, Organizational Development, Product Liability, Product Safety Rules, Product Standards, Risk Assessment, Uncategorized

In the News: January 2, 2020

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Schumer demands probe into recalled goods sold at TJ Maxx-Marshalls
December 22, 2019, New York Post
Sen. Chuck Schumer raged against a trio of big-box bargain stores for selling potentially deadly products after they were recalled — while warning that consumers may unknowingly have them as holiday gifts. Schumer appeared outside an Upper East Side branch of TJ Maxx to call for a federal investigation into the store and its sister outlets, Marshalls and HomeGoods, which have admitted selling 19 products even after they were recalled for being safety hazards.

Age labels on toys are critical guidelines that many adults ignore
December 22, 2019, Fox11
A national survey shows lot of well-meaning adults are breaking an important rule when it comes to buying toys. That might explain why some toys get a lot of play, while others end up gathering dust. It’s also why some children end up in the emergency room. Kids like toys that are cool and fun. Parents want toys that are fun and safe. Toy makers know that age is another critical toy factor. The thing to remember about age labels is they’re not hard, fast rules. They’re simply guidelines, but those guidelines reflect a lot of research and testing.

Toy stores hope playtime inside their shops leads to sales
December 21, 2019, Times Leaders
Toy stores have long offered activities and interactive elements, like the floor piano at FAO Schwarz that Tom Hanks danced on in “Big.” Toys R Us, in its heyday, drew crowds for its Pokemon tournaments, but its appeal faded with Amazon’s rise. Now a new generation of toy stores hopes to capitalize on the demise of the old Toys R Us by emphasizing playtime. They are fighting for a chunk of the $28 billion U.S. toy market, which today is spent mostly at Amazon, Walmart and Target.

In-home drowning safety information center
December, 2019, cpsc.gov
The consumer safety agency shares information on how to reduce risk of in-home drowning which continue to be a threat to children. Nearly 90 kids drown each year due to in-home accidents.

Opinion: Confidence in the Max aircraft will be restored before confidence in Boeing
December 20, 2019, The Hill
As the world tries to determine when the Boeing Max aircraft will return to service, a more pressing question is when will confidence in Boeing be restored? Once a company known for proudly blazing a trail of unprecedented safety, Boeing has been plagued by reports of rushed production and lowered safety standards for years.

Notre Dame fire wakes the world up to dangers of lead dust
December 22, 2019, Minneapolis Star Tribune
It took a blaze that nearly destroyed Paris’ most famous cathedral to reveal a gap in global safety regulations for lead, a toxic building material found across many historic cities.After the Notre Dame fire in April spewed dozens of tons of toxic lead-dust into the atmosphere in just a few hours, Paris authorities discovered a problem with the city’s public safety regulations: There was no threshold for them to gauge how dangerous the potentially-deadly pollution was from the dust that settled on the ground.

In new year, two new health protections go into effect in California
December 20, 2019, NRDC
In 2020, Californians will know more about what’s in their cleaning products and new furniture and mattresses will be safer. Starting January, upholstered furniture, certain children’s products, and mattress foam sold in California can no longer contain added toxic flame-retardant chemicals. This will eliminate a significant source of exposure to these chemicals, which are associated with a host of health effects, particularly for children and firefighters. The state has adopted flammability standards that provide fire safety without the unnecessary use of these chemicals.

Amid chemical industry lobbying, Trump EPA reconsiders risk of cancer-causing ethylene oxide
December 20, 2019, Chicago Tribune
Facing tougher restrictions, companies that manufacture and use ethylene oxide are pushing the Trump administration to undercut federal scientists and adopt a dramatically weaker standard for the cancer-causing gas. The dispute pits Dow Chemical, Shell and other industry giants against the Environmental Protection Agency’s career staff, its scientific advisers and academic researchers, who concluded during the past decade that ethylene oxide is far more dangerous than previously thought.

Lawmakers back to square one on forever chemicals
December 21, 2019, The Hill
Lawmakers must largely start anew after a major attempt to regulate a cancer-linked chemical that is spreading into the water supply across the United States was stripped from legislation this week, striking the best bet in years to address the problem. The class of chemicals abbreviated as PFAS is used in products ranging from raincoats to nonstick cookware to firefighting foam. It’s been deemed a “forever chemical” due to its lingering persistence in the environment and in the human body.

EPA publishes final list of 20 high priority chemicals
December 23, 2019, National Law Review
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published on December 20, 2019, the final list of high-priority chemicals.  These chemicals will be the next 20 chemicals to undergo risk evaluation under the amended Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).  The 20 chemicals consist of seven chlorinated solvents, six phthalates, four flame retardants, formaldehyde, a fragrance additive, and a polymer precursor:

 

Posted in Chemical Hazards, Children's Products, Global Developments, Innovation, Organizational Development, Product Liability, Product Safety Rules, Product Standards, Risk Assessment, Supply Chain

In the News: December 16, 2019

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Solving for stupid. How far should the CPSC stretch to address foreseeable misuse?
December 11, 2019, Retail Consumer Products Law (Crowell & Moring)
As products liability lawyers, we spend our days focused on the nature and proof of defectiveness.  The tort law recognizes limitations on claims that products have defects when there are obvious dangers and user conduct defenses (think drunk driving).  Contributory negligence, whether from failure to follow instructions or warnings, reckless behavior, or frankly, deliberate misuse of an otherwise safe product, is a well-recognized defense to product liability claims.  Yet misuse defenses are disfavored at the CPSC—and often labeled victim blaming—even though the defect rules written by the Commission direct the CPSC to consider the product liability law.

College dorm bunk beds can be dangerous
December 13, 2019, TeenVogue
Dylan Hernandez, a freshman at San Diego State University (SDSU), fell from his dorm room bunk bed on the morning of November 7. Hours after his roommate helped him climb back into his loft, that same roommate discovered him “pulseless” and “foaming at the mouth,” according to a medical report from the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office and an emergency call to university police. The next day, Dylan was pronounced dead; the cause of his death was “blunt force injuries to the head.” He was 19 years old.

Scientists convert plastics into useful chemicals using sunlight
December 11, 2019, Phys.org
Chemists at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) have discovered a method that could turn plastic waste into valuable chemicals by using sunlight. In lab experiments, the research team mixed plastics with their catalyst in a solvent, which allows the solution to harness light energy and convert the dissolved plastics into formic acid—a chemical used in fuel cells to produce electricity.

CPSC Ombudsman: Best practices guidance including additional steps beyond meeting legal requirements
CPSC.gov
In addition to meeting the legal requirements described on the Business Education page, you─as a manufacturer or importer─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 recommendations, including links to additional in-depth resources:

China’s Hard-Liners Win a Round in Trump’s Trade Deal
December 14, 2019, New York Times
A year and a half into the trade war, China seems to have a winning strategy: Stay tough and let the Trump administration negotiate with itself. Mr. Trump outlined a partial trade deal that deferred new tariffs on $160 billion a year in Chinese-made goods, a move that would have had him taxing virtually everything China sells to the United States. He also agreed for the first time to broadly reduce tariffs he had already imposed on Chinese goods.

Legal vapes bought in stores made people sick. But the CDC doesn’t ask where they were sold
December 13, 2019, USA Today
After new reports of lung illnesses linked to legal THC vapes, cannabis advocates and opponents can agree on one thing: Government officials should give consumers more information about where the dangerous products were purchased. The warnings about vaping, prompted by the national lung injury outbreak the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said  has sickened 2,409 and left 52 dead, began with no distinction between nicotine and marijuana-based THC.

Urgent Care Advocate: Avoid ER this holiday season
December 13, 2019, Blue Ridge Now
An urgent care staff member says the holidays are a busy time for the emergency department? Changes in diet and alcohol consumption, respiratory problems, stress, travel, cold weather and not paying attention to one’s health are all factors in common holiday illnesses and injuries. He wants you to avoid the emergency department this season with these tips.

Congressman introduces legislation to research unsafe use of electric scooters
December 12, 2019, Office of Congressman Albio Sires
Representative Albio Sires (D-NJ), a senior member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee, introduced the Standardized Assessment for Electric (SAFE) Scooters Act to study nationwide instances on the unsafe use of electric scooters and recommend solutions. The bill requires the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to study instances of the unsafe use of electric scooters. Reports from around the country have highlighted the fact that, although electric scooters are a useful asset to public transportation, many individuals unwisely operate electric scooters while under the influence of alcohol or operate them in a way that violates traffic laws and endanger themselves, pedestrians, and other motorists.

What is integrity? And why does it matter?
December 11, 2019, HR Technologist
What is integrity? While it’s a common component of companies’ mission statements, it can be hard to pin down precisely what integrity means to employees in their everyday routine. Cheating is taken as a sign of a lack of integrity, and treated so seriously, because a person who is willing to cut corners on a test may be willing to ignore other rules.  In a more positive light, a company with a culture of integrity is better for employees to work, likely makes better products, and is probably more secure in the long term.

Boat safety law proposed after Southern California fire killed 34
December 13, 2019, Press Democrat
A group of California congressional members have proposed tighter safety standards for small boats after a diving charter vessel burned and sank in September, killing 34 people. Only five people — the captain and four crew members — managed to escape after the 75-foot (23-meter) Conception caught fire on Sept. 2 off the Santa Barbara coast, northwest of Los Angeles. The boat burned to the waterline. One crew member was among the dead.

 

Posted in Chemical Hazards, Children's Products, Global Developments, Innovation, Organizational Development, Product Liability, Product Safety Rules, Product Standards, Risk Assessment

In the News: December 9, 2019

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Walmart and Buy Buy Baby join Amazon and eBay in ending sales of inclined sleepers linked to infant deaths
December 5, 2019, Washington Post
Walmart and Buy Buy Baby plan to stop selling infant inclined sleepers, popular products that federal safety regulators recently warned the public to stop using after they were linked to more than 70 accidental deaths, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday. Walmart and Buy Buy Baby plan to stop selling infant inclined sleepers, popular products that federal safety regulators recently warned the public to stop using after they were linked to more than 70 accidental deaths, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Thursday.

Acting CPSC Chair Adler commends Amazon, buybuyBABY, eBay, and Walmart for removing inclined-sleep products from product listings
December 5, 2019, cpsc.gov
He says in statement: “I applaud Amazon, buybuy BABY, eBay, and Walmart for their decision to help protect our most vulnerable population by removing infant inclined-sleep products from their product listings. In doing so, they have shown commendable corporate leadership by affirming their commitment to product safety. Their actions will save children’s lives.”

Carbon Monoxide Poisonings Spike After Big Storms. Portable Generators Are A Culprit
December 4, 2019, NPR
To Michelle Seifer, the timing was just a coincidence. After losing power in a summer storm, she came down with flu-like symptoms. It wasn’t until two days later, when a carbon monoxide detector activated and a utility company worker tested levels in Seifer’s home, that she learned she was being poisoned by the portable generator she had been running in her open garage.

ISO publishes first drone safety standards
December 5, 2019, Aerospace Testing International
The ISO has announced a set of international standards covering quality, safety, security and etiquette for the operation of commercial drones. The standards have been produced by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) after a year-long consultation with drone operators, academics and businesses. The ISO said the standards, which are the first in a series to be published will help shape future regulation and legislation for commercial drone operation. The product manufacturing standards for drones are due to be published next year.

CDC cautions people to avoid e-cigarette products
December 5, 2019, News-Medical.net
Although e-cigarettes have been on the market for years, recent reports of vaping-linked illnesses have brought serious attention to these products. More than 2,000 people in the United States have been diagnosed with a condition called EVALI, or e-cigarette or vaping product use associated lung injury. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this includes: cough, shortness of breath or chest pain, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, fatigue, and fever or weight loss.

After man dies hanging Christmas lights, lighting professionals offer crucial safety tips
December 4, 2019,  ABC 12 News
A father from Texas fell from a rooftop while hanging Christmas lights and died from head trauma. It happened while a man was hanging the lights for his clients. In mid-Michigan, the Hayward Brothers are professionals, transforming homes and businesses into a winter wonderland. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says there are over 200 decorating-like injuries each day during the holiday season. Most of those incidents are falls. The pros, Chris and Teddy Hayward, say protecting yourself against injury or death begins with proper equipment.

Latest Tests Disprove FDA Claim of Asbestos in Johnson’s Baby Powder, J&J Says
December 4, 2019, Insurance Journal
Johnson & Johnson said on Tuesday that recent tests showed that Johnson’s Baby Powder was free of asbestos, after U.S. Food and Drug Administration investigations reported trace amounts of the material in the product earlier this year. A total of 155 tests were conducted by two different third-party labs using four different testing methods on samples from the same bottle tested by the FDA’s contracted lab, the company said.

What has Dallas learned about e-scooters over the past 17 months
December 4, 2019, Dallas Business Journal
But what exactly has Dallas learned about electric scooters in the 17 months they’ve been street legal? One, they’re popular. There have been nearly 4-million rides since they debuted in June 2018. And two, safety concerns have not been solved.

German prosecutors raid Volkswagen offices in diesel probe
December 3, 2019, Bloomberg
Volkswagen AG offices were raided by German prosecutors as part of a probe into diesel engines, marking a fresh setback for the manufacturer’s efforts to draw a line under an emission-tests cheating scandal that erupted four years ago. The search was “directed against individual defendants” and related to diesel vehicles with EA288 engines, VW said in a statement.

How companies can build ethical supply chains on a global scale
December 5, 2019, Supply Chain Brain
What constitutes ethical practices in global supply chains can vary by country. Yet companies still need to uphold broad ethical standards for the treatment of workers and environmental sustainability. Bribery, too, is a common problem encountered by procurement professionals. In this conversation  supply chain professionals offer insights on how organizations can engage their procurement teams in positive ethics, as well as the consequences of failing to do so.

 

Posted in Chemical Hazards, Children's Products, Global Developments, Innovation, Organizational Development, Product Liability, Product Safety Rules, Product Standards, Risk Assessment, Supply Chain

In the News: December 2, 2019

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Dozens of infant deaths have been tied to a popular baby product but regulators are too paralyzed to act
November 23, 2019, Washington Post
A paralyzing conflict inside the nation’s product safety regulator has prevented the agency from taking action against a popular baby product that studies have linked to at least 48 infant deaths over 27 years and that public health officials say should be banned, according to a Washington Post investigation. The cause of the breakdown is a small team inside the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission that does not believe the product — padded crib bumpers — played a role in most, if any, of the infants’ deaths, derailing the agency’s attempts to regulate or ban crib bumpers.

Lime Scooters lose contract to operate on Auckland’s streets
November 29, 2019, RNZ.com
Lime and Wave e-scooters will be gone from the streets of Auckland, after the regulator decided not to renew the company’s contract. Auckland Transport and the city council announced today other e-scooter companies had been granted renewals or new licences – Beam, Neuron and Jump – alongside the existing operator Flamingo.Lime and Wave will be required to have their scooters deactivated by midnight on Monday and physically off the streets by next Friday.The Council said safety was paramount, and the other four operators had better safety profiles, including self-braking when going down hills.

TJ Maxx, Marshalls sold recalled products, including items linked to infant fatalities
November 27, 2019, ABC News
Nineteen products that were sold to hundreds of consumers at various T.J. Maxx, Marshalls and HomeGoods stores have been recalled by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The new warning to consumers was issued Tuesday after it was discovered that the stores, which are owned by TJX Companies, sold the 19 different products that had previously been recalled between 2014 and 2019, according to the CPSC.

The Toy Association issues statement in response to U.S. PIRG’s 2019 Trouble-in-Toyland Release
November 22, 2019, The Toy Association
U.S. PIRG uses the headline “Trouble in Toyland” for its annual report to needlessly frighten parents with baseless claims. What PIRG doesn’t tell you (because it would not grab headlines) is that toys continue to be one of the safest consumer product categories found in the home.  `U.S. toy safety requirements include more than 100 standards and tests to ensure that toys are safe. These standards go above and beyond those for other consumer products. There are strict limits for lead and other chemicals in toys, internationally-emulated limits on sound level output, a highly effective small parts regulation that was developed with the help of pediatricians, and strict standards prohibiting the use of magnets in any toy part that is small enough to be swallowed.

Getting kids off the vape: Blumenthal says Trump is ‘succumbing to industry pressure’
November 23, 2019, wnpr.org
Forty-seven people have died in recent months from vaping-related illnesses, and there’s rising concern around the country about addiction levels among young people. President Donald Trump met with executives from the tobacco industry, along with public health leaders, to talk about vaping. But one federal lawmaker from Connecticut doesn’t expect anything to come of it.

Democratic senators send letter urging updates to toy gun regulations
November 21, 2019, Newsweek
A trio of Democratic senators sent a letter Thursday to the acting chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) urging the agency to update rules governing the appearance of toy guns and nonlethal firearms, which can be mistaken by law enforcement for deadly weapons. “It is past time for the Department to revise its toy and imitation gun regulations and for the CPSC to strengthen non-powder gun regulations,” the letter says. “It is imperative that the CPSC find a path forward on updating” the standard for non-powder guns.

Study finds increasing rate of eye injuries from non-powder firearms among children
November 25, 2019, News-Medical.net
A new study conducted by researchers at the Center for Injury Research and Policy of the Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital investigated nonpowder firearm injuries treated in U.S. emergency departments (EDs) among children younger than 18 years from 1990 through 2016. The study, published today in Pediatrics, found an estimated 364,133 children were treated in U.S. EDs for injuries related to non-powder firearms during the study period, going from 16,456 injuries in 1990 to 8,585 injuries in 2016.

Intertek launches cybersecurity certification program for consumer-connected products
November 27, 2019, Electronic Products
Cybersecurity has become critical to protecting connected devices, from home appliances to wearables, from malicious attacks that compromise a consumer’s personal data. As more smart devices are connected vulnerabilities are identified in new products. To manage these risks, Intertek has launched a product testing and certification program that enables manufacturers and brands to assess their connected consumer products’ cybersecurity.

Kaiser Health News
November 25, 2019 KHN.org
A round-up of news from major news organizations/USA Today: Vape juice can kill kids. A vaping law’s slow rollout left them at risk of nicotine poisoning…
Federal regulators this year stepped up efforts to protect young children from a deadly vaping threat: accidents involving liquid nicotine in bottles with enticing candy colors and flavors. In February, the Consumer Product Safety Commission sent out notices about a safety requirement that it had previously ignored. In addition to child-resistant caps, vape juice containers must dramatically limit how much can spill out of an open bottle. A vial can contain enough poison to kill four toddlers. But nine months later – and nearly four years after a federal law called for flow restrictors – dangerous and illegal bottles remain on shelves across the country, a USA TODAY investigation has found.

YouTube urged to restrict ads in videos for kids
November 22, 2019, mediapost.com
YouTube is facing new pressure to restrict ads that surround videos aimed at children who use the platform. Senator Ed Markey (D-Massachusetts) on Friday urged the company to prohibit child-oriented videos that include product placement, as well as “unboxing” videos — which often feature young influencers opening toys — on YouTube. “Kids watching videos that are directed to children on YouTube should benefit from the same protections against damaging and unsuitable advertising that children watching YouTube kids enjoy,” Markey (D-Massachusetts) writes in a letter sent to Google CEO Sundar Pichai.

Research grant funding available on managing PFAS
November 28, 2019, CBS News
Millions in funding is available to expand research on managing a broad group of substances that can have major impacts on the environment, especially in rural areas. They are called per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, and such PFAS are described as durable chemicals and materials that include oil, water, temperature and fire resistance properties, which make them last a long time in the environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is working to help rural and agricultural communities address the issues caused by these substances and devise actions people can take to address them.

Posted in Chemical Hazards, Children's Products, Global Developments, Innovation, Organizational Development, Product Liability, Product Safety Rules, Product Standards, Risk Assessment, Uncategorized

In the News: November 25, 2019

Posted on by adk

Hong Kong Update: Toy Association monitors protests ahead of 2020
November 19, 2019, Toy Association
January travel to Hong Kong has long served as the kick-off to the toy community year. With protests and tensions rising in the city however, many Toy Association members have expressed growing concerns and conflicting views about how this may impact business travel heading into 2020 and beyond. Recognizing member concerns, The Toy Association is meeting with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) this week to discuss the upcoming trade show, travel to member showrooms, and what steps the HKTDC is taking to ensure safe passage for international visitors.

China’s vaping boom alarms the government
November 21, 2019, New York Times
For years, Chinese e-cigarette makers had free rein to operate without regard to consumer safety. But new rules are set to change that. China has joined the United States and other governments in putting new pressure on vaping. Regulators have banned online sales of vaping products, and China’s major propaganda outlets have heaped on scrutiny, citing the potential health effects. The government is considering banning vaping in public places.

Researchers work to make cleaning products safer
November 21, 2019, necn.com-NBC
In a lab in Lowell, Massachusetts, there is a belief in a better way to clean without using potentially dangerous chemicals.”There is still a perception that the stronger it smells, the better it works, the stronger the bleach, the more it will kill the germs,” Liz Harriman, deputy director of UMass Lowell’s Toxics Use Reduction Institute, said Thursday.The work done in TURI’s labs taking on renewed urgency in recent weeks after two chemical reaction incidents in the Boston area.

Washington State bans vitamin e acetate in vaping products
November 19, 2019, KUOW.org
In a new regulation starting November 20, Washington state is expanding its ban on certain vaping products. Health officials have not been able to determine what it is about vaping products that has caused hundreds of cases of severe lung disease in the nation. But this month, the Centers for Disease Control found that vitamin E acetate was present in all of the 29 patients they reviewed.

Activists including actor Mark Ruffalo help launch awareness campaign on PFAS chemicals
November 21, 2019, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Health advocates fearful of a family of chemicals widely used by companies, including 3M, launched a public-awareness effort Tuesday to coincide with the Friday release of a movie slamming corporate coverups of their dangers.The Fight Forever Chemicals campaign used the upcoming release of “Dark Waters,” a feature film about health risks of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), to urge people to pay attention to a largely ignored public health issue.

Time to embrace sustainability in the fashion industry
November 18, 2019, Singapore Business Review
Greenhouse gas emissions from the apparel industry is expected to increase to 49% in the next decade.
The US$2.5t fashion and apparel industry is one of the largest industries in the world and shows no sign of slowing down. With populations in Southeast Asia getting more affluent, demand for fast fashion is expected to balloon. To keep up with demand, fashion brands are producing more and more, faster and faster.

NTSB calls on Boeing to redesign some 737s after deadly Southwest accident
November 19, 2019, CNBC
Boeing on said it plans to revamp parts for thousands of 737s after federal safety officials investigating last year’s deadly engine blast on Southwest Airlines flight called for a redesign that would better withstand engine failures in flight. The NTSB recommendations don’t relate to Boeing’s beleaguered 737 Max, a newer version of the plane that has been grounded since mid-March in the wake of two fatal crashes in a span of five months, but the recommendations are adding to scrutiny of the aerospace giant’s planes. Dozens of 737 NGs have been grounded recently after inspectors found cracks in so-called pickle forks, which connect wings to fuselages.

New ACI guidance provides pathways for stewardship of enzyme-containing consumer products
November 20, 2019, American Cleaning Institute
Enzymes bring significant benefits to laundry and cleaning products, including improved cleaning efficiencies. An updated publication from the American Cleaning Institute (ACI) provides a framework for consumer product manufacturers to develop appropriate risk management strategies to avoid unacceptable risks to the users of new products containing enzymes. Guidance for the Risk Assessment of Enzyme-Containing Consumer Products is now available for free on the ACI website, cleaninginstitute.org.

Wrap-up of federal and state chemical regulatory developments
November 19, 2019, JD Supra
EPA Will Provide Minimum 30-Day Public Comment Period On Draft Risk Evaluations: The Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) announced that EPA will provide more time for public comment on its draft risk evaluations before the TSCA Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC) meets to peer review the draft documents. According to an EPA official, the new schedule will include a comment period of at least 30 days before SACC meets. EPA plans to complete ten chemical risk evaluations by June 22, 2020.

Report reveals top retailers making major chemical safety advances
November 21, 2019, wamc.org
A new report finds many of North America’s largest retail companies are embracing chemical safety policies to help protect consumers from toxic chemicals in products. The fourth annual “Who’s Minding the Store? A Report Card on Retailer Actions to Eliminate Toxic Chemicals” evaluated and graded the chemical policies and practices of 43 retail chains with more than 190,000 stores in the U.S. and Canada.
It’s part of Safer Chemicals Healthy Families’ Mind the Store campaign.

Business Wire: Colgate Palmolive ships world’s first tube recognized as recyclable
November 20, 2019, Tullahoma News, TN
Colgate-Palmolive’s new recyclable tube is made from the same plastic used to make bottles, so it recycles like a bottle, and squeezes easy like a tube.Last week, Colgate delivered to retailers the first tube recognized by the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) — Antiplaque & Whitening toothpaste under the Company’s Tom’s of Maine brand. Tom’s will complete the switch in 2020, and by 2025 the company will complete needed modifications to tube-making equipment at more than a dozen of its facilities around the world. Now, Colgate is sharing its innovative technology with competitors as part of its campaign to transform one of the most widely used forms of plastic packaging that until now could not be recycled.

 

Posted in Chemical Hazards, Children's Products, Global Developments, Innovation, Organizational Development, Product Liability, Product Safety Rules, Product Standards, Risk Assessment, Supply Chain

In the News: November 18, 2019

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Consumer Reports: Dangers in the laundry room
November 17, 2019, Consumer Reports
A YouTube report by Consumer Reports on dangers in the laundry room, including tips on how to make the area safer for kids. The report includes information from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission on laundry room dangers and how to reduce the risk to children.

Federal experts warn parents about unsafe car seats being sold across the nation
November 15, 2019, News3LV
At the end of October, a concerned pediatrician alerted the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Safety Administration that there are many child seats that do no meet the federal safety standards that are being sold across the country. The pediatrician brought forth many valid safety concerns, and now, government experts are urging parents that they should be aware of signs that a car seat is unsafe.

New Study: Too many kids get hurt by lawnmowers
November 15, 2019, Reuters
Many children are injured by lawnmowers despite safety guidelines in place to prevent these accidents, and kids in rural communities are most at risk, a U.S. study suggests. Researchers examined data on 1,302 lawnmower injuries in children 1 to 18 years old from 2005 to 2017. In cities, 1.47 kids out of every 100,000 sustained lawnmower injuries, compared to 4.26 kids out of every 100,000 in rural areas, the study found.

Create an ethics committee to keep your AI initiative in check
November 15, 2019, Harvard Business Review
It’s not uncommon for a news organizations to invite comments and feedback from their audience; in fact, most encourage it. But WITF has gone above and beyond a general invitation for engagement. A statement highlights the potential for bias in their own reporting — and their attempt to avoid it. Contemporary sensitivities to bias are growing, and this will only increase with the proliferation and ubiquity of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Most of today’s AI systems are built via machine learning, a technique that requires any one of thousands of potential algorithms to “learn” patterns from extremely large stockpiles of data. This should produce a model that is predictive of future real-world scenarios, but bias skews the accuracy of these models.

Family says hoverboard exploded burning down their home
November 15, 2019, WKYT (CNN)
A family is homeless after they say a hoverboard exploded and burned down their home. They say it happened in a matter of seconds and they’re only alive thanks to the oldest son’s quick-thinking. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has documented over 250 hoverboard incidents involving fires since 2015 and recommends checking for recalls. “Even though I saw the videos of hoverboards exploding, I never thought that mine would be one of those,” a family member said.

Dallas will wait a little longer for tighter scooter regulations
November 14, 2019, Dallas News
Transportation officials in Dallas will have four more months to iron out regulations that would address safety concerns around the city’s motorized scooters. The Dallas City Council on Wednesday approved an extension for the ordinance’s sunset to March 31, before the scooter ordinance was set to expire by the end of this month. Michael Rogers, director of the city’s Department of Transportation, initially planned to bring recommendations to the council this month for ordinance changes. Rogers said his staffers need more time to develop the proposal.

EPA will hold public meeting on TSCA new chemical program
November 17, 2019, National Law Review
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will hold a public meeting on December 10, 2019, to engage with interested stakeholders on the implementation of EPA’s Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) New Chemicals program. By the end of 2019, EPA intends to announce the availability of the updated “Working Approach” document and provide an opportunity for written public comment.  EPA states that feedback from the public meeting and comments received will help inform its ongoing efforts to improve the way EPA reviews new chemicals under TSCA

New one stop shop for ethical brands
November 13, 2019, Forbes
Nisolo, a popular sustainable shoe brand, now wants to push beyond footwear. Launching a new marketplace of curated items from ethical brands, Nisolo is making a one-stop shop for customers wanting to invest in purpose-driven brands.

Healthy sleep for children: Everything you need to know
November 13, 2019, Cayman Eye News
A growing body of scientific literature is highlighting the negative effects of inadequate sleep. A survey carried out in Japan concluded that “shortened nocturnal sleep is a growing social phenomenon in industrialized countries.”Another study published in the Sleep Journal states: “It is widely recognized that sleep is important for children’s health and well-being and that short sleep duration is associated with a wide range of negative health outcomes.” Both studies agree that that lack of healthy sleep is associated with negative physical, emotional as well as cognitive outcomes.

Ex VW executive accused in emissions scandal denied release
November 15, 2019, Valliant News
A Detroit federal judge on Thursday denied pretrial bond release of former Volkswagen AG executive Oliver Schmidt, indicted for his role in the automaker’s diesel emissions scandal, saying there is “serious risk” that Schmidt would not appear in court for trial now set for January 2018. Cox said he carefully considered the arguments, but said the court believes there are no conditions to a release that will assure Schmidt’s appearance for trial.

 

Posted in Chemical Hazards, Children's Products, Global Developments, Innovation, Organizational Development, Product Liability, Product Safety Rules, Product Standards, Risk Assessment

In the News: November 11, 2019

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Vaping Illnesses Are Linked to Vitamin E Acetate, C.D.C. Says
November 8,2019, New York Times
A form of vitamin E has been identified as a “very strong culprit” in lung injuries related to vaping THC, health officials reported on Friday, a major advance in a frightening outbreak that has killed 40 people and sickened 2,051. Many patients with the mysterious illness have wound up hospitalized in intensive care units, needing ventilators or even more desperate measures to help them breathe. Most are young, male adults or even teenagers.

Is your family safe from tipping furniture?
November 6, 2019. Rismedia
While many of us think about safety in our vehicles, safety at home is often less front and center, especially when it comes to furniture safety. Lawmakers recently introduced the Stop Tip-Overs of Unstable, Risky Dressers on Youth Act (STURDY) that would direct the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to adopt a stronger, mandatory stability standard for household furniture. According to lawmakers, furniture or items on top of them like TVs have caused at least 363 deaths between 2000 and 2011 from children being trapped or crushed by unstable products

Scientists design ‘smart’ asphalts with magnetic materials for safer electric scooters
November 7, 2019, Tech Explore
Scientists from the University of Granada have used magnetic materials in “smart” asphalts that modify their properties in the presence of external magnetic fields. This work—part of the wider research field of “smart cities”—would enable roads to signal to scooters when to slow down, for example, or could automatically cut off the electric motor or engine in case of danger. Scientists from the University of Granada (UGR) have designed “smart” asphalts, made with magnetic materials, that significantly increase the safety of Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs), in particular electric scooters, in urban areas.

Buyers Beware: Recalled products are being sold on Craiglist and Facebook marketplace
November 6, 2019, Consumer Reports
A mom from Asheville, N.C., selling a Fisher-Price Rock ’n Play Sleeper for $20 on Craigslist in October gave the product a ringing endorsement. “This was a lifesaver for my newborn,” she wrote. “He was able to sleep right next to me and I didn’t have to worry about him choking in the middle of the night. . . . Gave us so much peace of mind.”
“Was a lifesaver when my daughter was a baby,” echoed another mom from Kenosha, Wis., in a post on Facebook Marketplace. She had listed the Rock ’n Play Sleeper for sale for $40.
Neither mother apparently was aware of how much her upbeat recommendation jarred with reality.

House leaders demand FAA answer why it overruled its own engineers sfety concerns about Boeing 737 Max
November 7,2019, Washington Post
Two leading House Democrats wrote to the FAA on Thursday demanding to know why the agency appeared to overrule its own engineers’ concerns about safety issues related to the Boeing 737 Max and the 787 Dreamliner, ultimately siding with the manufacturer rather than its own staff. House Transportation Committee Chairman Rep. Peter A. DeFazio (D-Ore.) and Rep. Rick Larsen (D-Wash.), who chairs the committee’s aviation panel, asked FAA Administrator Stephen Dickson to provide answers about how the agency “weighs the validity of safety issues raised by its own experts compared to the objections raised by the aircraft manufacturers the FAA is supposed to oversee.”

Boeing to invest $1 billion in global safety drive: sources
November 6, 2019, Reuters
Boeing Co (BA.N) is planning an initial investment of around $1 billion into industry-wide pilot development as part of a long-term initiative to reduce risks like those faced by the crew in two 737 MAX crashes, people familiar with the matter said.

Acting Chairman Adler dissenting opinion on organohalogen amendments to the CPSC FY 2020 Operating Plan
October 24, 2019, cpsc.gov
The Acting Chairman praises the spirit of communication in considering amendments to the CPSC FY 2020 operating plan among the commission members but says “I must voice strong opposition to…the amendment to direct staff to draft a notice withdrawing the Commission’s Guidance Document on Organohalogen Flame Retardants.”

Governor DeWine signs new law strengthening safety inspection standards for amusement rides
November 7, 2019, Fox8.com
Gov. Mike DeWine has signed a measure aimed at strengthening Ohio’s amusement ride safety program. The bill signed by the Republican governor seeks to strengthen safety inspection standards, define qualifications for ride inspectors and outline ride owner responsibilities, among other things. It also will provide for a professional engineer on the state panel that makes recommendations to Ohio’s agriculture director about safety matters involving amusement rides.

Engineering degrees should require ethics training
November 8, 2019, Quartz
This summer, the FaceApp debate exploded on social media, as people questioned the motives of the Russian engineers behind the technology that scanned millions of people’s faces, with no indication of what happened to the data given to the app. Privacy is presumably top of mind for the general public, but people’s urge to literally see the face of their own future selves seemed to outweigh that threat.

 

 

Posted in Chemical Hazards, Children's Products, Global Developments, Innovation, Organizational Development, Product Liability, Product Safety Rules, Product Standards, Risk Assessment, Supply Chain

In the News: October 28, 2019

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All Infant Inclined Sleep Products Should Be Recalled, Consumer Reports Says
October 23, 2019, Consumer Reports
Last April Consumer Reports tied the Fisher-Price Rock ’n Play Sleeper to dozens of infant deaths, prompting the recall of all 4.7 million of the sleepers. And last week, an independent study commissioned by the Consumer Product Safety Commission concluded that “none of the inclined sleep products that were tested and evaluated as part of this study are safe for infant sleep.” Based in part on that study, the CPSC’s staff proposed last week that infant inclined sleepers be eliminated from the market by recommending that no infant sleeper exceed a back angle of 10 degrees.

Amazon consumer chief rebuts claims its marketplace sells unsafe products
October 22, 2019, cNet
Amazon top exec Jeff Wilke on Tuesday pushed back against news reports that uncovered counterfeit, illegitimate and unsafe products on its website. “You can find anecdotes to support whatever conclusion you want,” Wilke, Amazon’s CEO of worldwide consumer, said on stage at the Wall Street Journal’s annual Tech Live conference in Laguna Beach, California, “but the vast majority of sales on Amazon are legitimate product, safe product.”

Chemicals in consumer products during early pregnancy related to lower IQ, especially in boys
October 24, 2019, Science Daily
Exposure during the first trimester of pregnancy to mixtures of suspected endocrine-disrupting chemicals found in consumer products is related to lower IQ in children by age 7, according to a new study by the Mount Sinai Hospital/Mount Sinai School of Medicine. This study is among the first to look at prenatal suspected endocrine-disrupting chemical mixtures in relation to neurodevelopment.

How consumers view male and female CEOs differently
October 24, 2019, University of Virginia
New research suggests that how well your company recovers from a crisis could depend on if your CEO’s name is “Adam” or “Abigail.” Amanda Cowen and Nicole Votolato Montgomery, both professors in the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce, were curious if a CEO’s gender significantly affected how consumers respond to companies following product failures. They examined product failures attributed to ethical causes – such as the poor emissions performance of Volkswagen vehicles – as well as those attributed to competence shortcomings – like the exploding Galaxy Note 7 phones that plagued Samsung.

CPSC issues warning: Liquid nicotine can be deadly for children and pets
October 24, 2019, cpsc.gov
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns consumers that even small amounts of liquid nicotine can be extremely hazardous to children and pets who swallow it or come into contact with it through their skin. Parents and caregivers should always store liquid nicotine in its child-resistant packaging, tightly seal the container after each use, and keep it locked up and away from children and pets. When handling solutions containing liquid nicotine, adults should also be careful to minimize direct skin contact.

A.I. regulation is coming soon. Here’s what the future may hold
October 24, 2019, Fortune
If you want to know how the global regulation of artificial intelligence might shape up in the coming years, best look to Berlin. Last year Angela Merkel’s government tasked a new Data Ethics Commission with producing recommendations for rules around algorithms and A.I. The group’s report landed Wednesday, packed with ideas for guiding the development of this new technology in a way that protects people from exploitation.

Unfavorable times for the electric scooter industry
October 24, 2019, Inhabitat
Once billed as an environmentally-friendly and enterprising venture, the electric scooter-sharing micromobility business has not lived up to the promising hype but is now looking dismal. Could this be the end for e-scooters? By commuting via e-scooters, it was hoped they would reduce traffic volume, promote zero-carbon transport and improve air quality by mitigating pollution. Instead, there have even been numerous complaints regarding cluttered sidewalks and claims about the injuries they cause due to irresponsible riders.

Editorial: Get PFAS out of firefighting foam
October 24, 2019, Daily Gazette
Among the bills destined for Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s desk is one that would ban PFAS chemicals from firefighting foams made and used in New York state. It’s a necessary piece of legislation that will go a long way toward protecting the public from these harmful chemicals, and the governor should sign it. But this law should only be considered a first step toward more comprehensive and restrictive legislation down the road.

How to make sure your products don’t get damaged
October 23, 2019, Chicago Now
In 2018, people shipped more than 87 billion parcels worldwide. The journey from warehouse to consumer is a perilous one. It’s an impressive feat that more goods don’t arrive at their destination in pieces. This level of quality requires more than ensuring items are protected before they’re sent out. The process starts in the warehouse, but you must follow it all the way to the customer. Follow the five tips to avoid disappointing your client base with damaged goods.

Next gen scooter tech could help address city pain points
October 24, 2019, Government Technology
The next generation of small electric scooters may just guide themselves right to a rider’s door.
Tortoise, one of the newest startups to emerge from the San Francisco micro-mobility landscape, wants to outfit scooters with about $100 of autonomous technology that will allow the devices to be remote-guided or repositioned, at speeds of less than 5 mph.

Don’t be spooked by injuries this Halloween: Follow CPSC’s tips to protect children from harm
October 24, 2019, cpsc.gov
From October through November 2018, CPSC estimates there were 4,500 Halloween-related injuries that were treated in U.S. hospital emergency departments. Here’s a breakdown of injuries and how to prepare for a safer Halloween this year.

 

Posted in Chemical Hazards, Children's Products, Global Developments, Home, Innovation, Organizational Development, Product Liability, Product Safety Rules, Product Standards, Risk Assessment, Supply Chain

In the News: October 21, 2019

Posted on by adk

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.

Posted in Chemical Hazards, Children's Products, Global Developments, Innovation, Organizational Development, Product Liability, Product Safety Rules, Product Standards, Risk Assessment, Supply Chain, Sustainability