New Tide Pods Box Will Aim To Keep Kids From Feeding On Detergent
It looks like 2012 is the year of Tide. First, it was revealed that
the detergent is being heisted for use as currency by unseemly folks. Now the makers of Tide are having to change thei packaging for Tide Pods because kids want to put the colorful, shiny detergent packs in their mouth.
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FDA Still Not Sure Why Chinese Jerky Made 1,000 Dogs Sick
Pet owners think that we're doing our pets a favor by purchasing treats for them that are just pure dried meat: no flour, no soy, no additives, just meat. But these treats may not be as healthy as they seem. Many dog owners claim that these treats have made their pets ill with problems ranging from diarrhea to kidney failure, and many animals have died. The Food and Drug Administration continues to investigate, even sending inspectors to the production facilities in China, but can't determine what causes the illnesses.
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Class Action Lawsuit Seeks Recall Of Whirlpool Dishwashers For Alleged Fire Hazard
Doing the dishes is no fun (for most of us, at least), which is why having a dishwasher is super great. But if that appliance starts to smoke and burn inside while it's running, well, that's not so fun. Just such a fiery experience is what one man claims happened with his Whirlpool dishwasher, prompting him to seek a recall from the company.
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Recall Roundup - Banzai Inflatable Slides, Kolkraft Bassinets, And More
There are some particularly scary recalls this week, including a massive pet food recall for dog foods manufactured by Diamond, some bassinets that might collapse and hurtle babies, and those Banzai water slides are finally being recalled after allegedly killing one person and paralyzing another.
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Are Heavier Airline Passengers At Greater Risk For Harm?
Usually when we bring up the topic of weight and air travel it involves either passenger comfort or
controversial airline policies regarding "customers of size." But some worry that outdated safety standards are actually putting people at risk while flying.
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10 Signs Your Used Car Is Really A Rebuilt Wreck
We
often hear from readers horrified to discover that their perfectly lovely used car was once another owner's total loss. They only find out much later, once something goes horribly wrong due to the previous damage. But once the vehicle is all fixed up and shiny, how is the average car buyer to know the difference? It turns out that there are distinctive signs that a car was previously in a crash or flood. Some you might notice yourself, and others require a mechanic's eye.
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Your 401(k) May Actually Be Worth Something Again
We know a lot of people simply stopped looking at their quarterly 401(k) account statements a few years ago, hoping and praying the market would eventually recover and they would someday see all that money lost when the economy went SPLLLAATTT!!. Well, it may be time to take a peek at your next statement, as the latest numbers show very positive signs of recovery.
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A Few More Recalls: Bunny Sippy Cups, Plastic Rattles, And Instant Knives
The Consumer Products Safety Commission announced these three recalls were announced too late to make
yesterday's Recall Roundup, but we wanted to share them as soon as possible since two of them could affect small children. We don't want to see anyone get hurt, ever, but a little kid getting poked in the eye by an Easter-themed sippy cup shaped like a smiling bunny? That's particularly undignified.
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April Recall Roundup: Flaming Monster Truck Edition
The boys' t-shirts at Kohl's feature a monster truck jumping over a row of vintage convertibles and tall orange flames, and come with a free toy monster truck to match. This design turned out to be oddly prescient when customers inserted batteries in the trucks and they smoldered or caught fire. Yes, it's time for the Consumerist Recall Roundup, with a diverse assortment of products lurking in your home, waiting to kill or maim you and your children.
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Dole Recalls Bags Of 'Seven Lettuces' For Possible Salmonella Contamination
Bags of salad distributed by Dole Fresh Vegetables are being recalled after a test by the state of New York found some packages of their Dole Seven Lettuces product could possibly be contaminated with salmonella.
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Your Car's Design Is Probably Why It's Hard To Install A Kid's Car Seat
You shouldn't feel too bad after wrestling with your child's car seat as you attempt to install it correctly. New research suggests that it's the car's design itself that's to blame for your troubles — in fact, very few are easy to use with child restraints.
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Don't Worry, That's Just Bread Mold On Your Tampon
Normally, Danielle wouldn't have pulled her Kotex tampon out of the applicator for inspection before using it. I mean, who does that? One happened to fall out of the applicator, though, and that's when she saw them. The splotches of blackish mold. "Makes you wonder how many times things like this happen to tampons and we don't have a clue," she wrote. Um, yes.
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BMW Recalls 1.3 Million Cars Because "Flaming Battery Cable" Is Not A Desired Dealer Upgrade
BMW has announced a worldwide recall of around 1.3 million 5- and 6-Series vehicles built between 2003 and 2010, because of a problem with a battery cable cover that could lead to some unpleasant results.
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Court Orders FDA To Investigate Use Of Antibiotics In Animal Feed
Back in 1977, the FDA proposed a ban on putting penicillin and other antibiotics in animal feed solely for the purpose of promoting growth. Amazingly, that proposal has been gathering dust long enough to begin losing its hair and regretting its life choices. That is until yesterday, when a federal court ordered the FDA to finish what it started 35 years ago.
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An Actual Ton Of Sausage Recalled For Possible Listeria Contamination
Listeria is a familiar, if not unpopular name to many Americans by now, as an outbreak of it spread last year, causing multiple deaths, through
contaminated cantaloupe. Now the bacteria is having its way with a ton of ready-to-eat sausage from Texas, triggering a recall of a few products.
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Supreme Court Limits EPA's Ability To Enforce Clean Water Act
Earlier today, the Supreme Court issued a ruling in a case that has been a hot-button topic for both environmentalists and advocates for the rights of land owners. In the end, the Supremes came down on the side of landowners, allowing them to take legal steps to void Environmental Protection Agency compliance orders.
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Match.com, eHarmony, Other Dating Sites To Screen For Sex Offenders
It's been almost two years since women's safety advocates
began pushing online dating sites to begin screening their customers against available info for registered sex offenders. Yesterday, the operators of a handful of the most popular dating sites signed an agreement to do their best with the information they have access to.
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New DOT App Gives You Potentially Scary Info About The Bus You're Riding
When you take your seat on that bus to visit grandma in Atlantic City, you're putting your life in the hands of a driver you don't know and a bus company whose safety record you may not be familiar with. But a new app from the Dept. of Transportation aims to put some of that info in the palm of your hand... if you own an iPhone, that is.
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Believe It Or Not, People Want More Oversight Of Implanted Medical Devices
It seems almost silly to think that anyone would want to scale back the amount of regulatory control on the safety of medical devices, and a new poll shows that an overwhelming number of Americans believe in strong oversight of these products. Yet members of the House and Senate are considering legislation that could allow potentially unsafe items to hit the market.
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Michigan Bars Using Coasters With QR Codes To Help Drunk People FInd A Ride Home
There will be lots of green beer going down (and unfortunately coming back up) the throats of drinkers around the country this weekend. But a new initiative in Michigan is hoping to keep drunk bar-goers from getting behind the wheel by giving them a way to find the number for a nearby taxi service.
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Safety Regulators Investigating Claims Of Sticky Throttles In Ford Tauruses
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is looking into claims that 2005-2006 Ford Tauruses are having acceleration problems, reminding us that the Ford Taurus still exists. Those cars have been around so long, it's more like, dino-taurus! Am I right?
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Unsafe Kitchen Appliances Account For 1 In 3 Consumer Complaints
It's been one year since the Consumer Product Safety Commission launched its
SaferProducts.gov portal for consumers to post reports of unsafe items. With thousands of complaints filed in the last 12 months, it's already become clear that kitchen appliances dominate consumers' safety concerns.
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Recall Roundup: Beware Of The Dancing Teapot
In this edition of the Recall Roundup, a scary number of bicycle parts are recalled, grass cutters might cut humans, and we learn that a "dancing teapot" (pictured) is a lot less fun than the name makes it sound. Especially when it burns you.
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Report: Recalled Products From Meijer Pop Up For Sale Elsewhere
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says products that were already recalled from Meijer stores where they were sold exclusively were then sold at discount retailers, dollar stores, liquidation forms, flea markets and thrift stores around the country. Yikes.
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Toyota Recalls Another 681,000 Camry, Venza, Tacoma Vehicles
It's been a few months since the last big Toyota recall, so it probably comes as no surprise to some of you that Toyota has issued recalls a grand total of 681,000 Camry, Venza and Tacoma vehicles.
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Should The FDA Inspect Non-Meat Food Plants More Than Once A Decade?
Back in the day, slaughterhouses were the ones grabbing the attention when it came to health concerns and the need for inspectors from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on a regular basis to ensure food was safe. Now, the Food and Drug Administration checks in on most of what we eat — and they only inspect plants around once a decade, says one report.
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CVS Hands Kids Breast Cancer Drugs Instead Of Fluoride Pills
For almost two months, some children in New Jersey were taking breast cancer drugs instead of fluoride pills for their teeth. CVS made a big whoopsie, as parents were picking up tamoxifen unbeknownst to them, and handing it out to their kids at home.
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Birth Control Pills Recalled: Tablets Are Out Of Order In Blister Packs
February is turning into quite the unfortunate month for birth control recalls — earlier this month one million pill packets
were recalled by Pfizer, and now another company, Glenmark Generics, says seven lots of its pills might have tablets in the wrong order in blister packs.
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Raw Milk From PA Now Linked To At Least 78 Illnesses
Here is some news that will definitely stoke the debate over the safety of drinking unpasteurized milk. The number of raw milk drinkers that have fallen ill from tainted milk sold by one Pennsylvania farm has now hit at least 78 people in four states.
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Goodyear Recalls 41,000 Tires Over Tearing Concerns
Worried that its Wrangler Silent Armor line of tires are prone to causing very bad years for their owners, Goodyear initiated a recall of about 41,000 of the products. The company says that a small number of the tires, made for trucks, SUVs and vans, can tear and cause accidents.
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FDA Warns About Potential For Chipped Teeth, Eye Injuries From Crest/Arm & Hammer Spinbrush
If you ever looked at an Arm & Hammer Spinbrush (formerly the Crest Spinbrush) and thought "a toothbrush with all those moving parts could potentially wreak havoc if something goes wrong," the folks at the Food & Drug Administration have confirmed your concerns.
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Got Lipstick? There's Probably Some Lead In It
Back in 2007, the Food & Drug Administration did a small sample test on 33 lipsticks and
found varying levels of lead in two-thirds of them. As a follow-up, the FDA requested testing of a significantly larger sampling and has now announced that it found at least trace amounts of lead in 400 varieties.
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Study: Driving While Stoned Is Very Dangerous, But Not As Risky As Drunk Driving
You might have a friend — or you might even be that person — who swears that they actually drive better after smoking a bit of marijuana (I believe the kids call it "reefer"); that it clears their head and helps them focus. But a new study confirms what many people had probably already guessed: that smoking pot and driving isn't exactly a good idea.
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A Million Tassimo Single-Cup Brewers Recalled For Possibility They'll Spew Molten Coffee
If you love the simple joy of brewing up your own cup of hot coffee at home in the morning, be careful — more than a million Tassimo single-cup brewers have been recalled after the Consumer Product Safety Commission says they're spraying hot liquid, coffee grounds or tea leaves onto people.
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Lawmakers Announce Legislation To Set Limits On Arsenic & Lead In Fruit Juice
In the wake of a recent Consumer Reports investigation that
found high levels of arsenic and lead in a number of fruit juices, Congressman Frank Pallone of New Jersey and Connecticut Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro today announced the "Arsenic Prevention and Protection from Lead Exposure in Juice (APPLE Juice) Act of 2012," which would require the Food and Drug Administration to set standards for arsenic and lead in fruit juices.
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At Least 35 People Ill After Drinking Raw Milk
Unpasteurized, aka "raw," milk is illegal to sell in a number of states because of concerns about possible pathogen contamination. Of course, those bans also tend to make raw milk a sought-after delicacy for those who believe that pasteurization has a negative effect on the taste and nutritional value of milk. But in the last few weeks, at least 35 people in four states have become ill after consuming the unpasteurized stuff.
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HP Recalls 1 Million Fax Machines Because "Fire" Is Not A Paper-Friendly Feature
Hewlett-Packard has announced a recall of more than one million HP Fax 1040 and 1050 fax machines in North America because the machines have faulty internal electric components that can fail, causing the machines to overheat and possibly catch fire.
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Pfizer Recalls Birth Control Pills For Being Potentially Unable To Prevent Pregnancy
Pfizer announced yesterday that they're recalling around 1 million packets of birth control pills in the U.S. Consumers won't be harmed if they do take them, but the company warned there may not be enough contraceptive to prevent pregnancy.
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NHTSA Says Don't Worry About Your Chevy Volt Erupting Into Flames More Than Other Cars
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is shutting the books on its recent safety investigation into Chevrolet Volt battery packs when a few erupted into flames after crash tests. The verdict: Chevy Volts are just as likely to explode as any other cars.
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Crab Soup Recalled for Undeclared Milk, Wheat and...Crab?
The sharp-eyed regulators at the FDA warn that Whole Foods is recalling cans of Rip Roar'N Crab Soup because the labels fail to tell consumers of a chief ingredient: crab. Wait. What?
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Excedrin, NoDoz, Bufferin & Gas-X Recalled For Stray & Broken Tablets
The makers of Excedrin, NoDoz, Bufferin and Gas-X Prevention have issued a voluntary recall of select bottle packaging configurations of those products, because they might include stray tablets from other products or broken or chipped tablets.
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Health Inspectors Visit Enfamil Baby Formula Factory As Part Of Investigation Into Bacterial Infections
As part of an ongoing investigation into bacterial infections of Cronobacter that killed an infant last week, U.S. health inspectors visited an Enfamil baby formula factory run by Mead Johnson Nutrition Co., the makers of the formula in question.
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Johnson & Johnson Ends 2011 Just At It Began -- By Recalling More Stuff
After more than a year of near-constant recalls, the folks at Johnson & Johnson's McNeil Labs aren't finished yet. This time, it's a mere 12 million bottles of Motrin that are being recalled from store shelves because the pills may not dissolve as quickly as they are supposed to.
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(CPSC)
Pampered Chef Ice Cream Scoops Recalled, Could Fly Off Their Own Handles
Consumer Product Safety Commission recall notices are hilarious in their understatement. Take this current recall of Pampered Chef ice cream scoops: the problem is described in the press release headline as an "Impact Injury Hazard." Translation: if you put this scoop in warm water, the cap at the end may pop off and hit you. Or your kitchen appliances.
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Build-A-Bear Agrees To Pay $600K For Failing To Report Toy Chairs That Could Snap Off Fingers
Reading about a defective Build-A-Bear product can conjure up visions of bears coming to life to chase terrified children. The good news is that's not happening, but the company has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $600,000 for failing to report toy beach chairs that resulted in injuries — including possible finger amputation.
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NTSB: You Shouldn't Be Using Your Cell Phone While Driving, Even Hands-Free
The day could be coming when it would be illegal for that girl yapping on her headset in the lane next to you on the freeway to be yapping at all, even on a hands-free cell phone. The National Transportation Board said states should ban all cell phone use for drivers
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Even More Dog Food Recalled Because Aflatoxin Is Not Part Of Your Pet's Diet
Last week, we told you about the recall of some Iams and other dog food brands over concerns about the possible contamination by a nasty mold. Well, the recalls continue, as Advanced Animal Nutrition has announced a recall of its dry Dog Power Dog Food for the exact same reason.
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Recalled Cilantro Has Unintended Bonus Ingredient Of Salmonella
Your salsa may have more of a kick to it than you know. The Food and Drug Administration announced that Pacific International Marketing has recalled 6,141 cartons of cilantro that might have been contaminated with salmonella. Cilantro is often used in salads and salsa.
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Iams & Other Dog Foods Recalled Over Mold Concerns
Two apparently separate dog food recalls have been issued in the last 24 hours — one by Procter & Gamble's Iams brand, the other involving several regional brands produced by agribusiness colossus Cargill — that both involve the same concern over an unfriendly mold being present in your furry best friend's food.
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Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood: Don't Worry Guys, Chevy Volt Is Safe To Drive
You know those battery fires that could spark up if a Chevrolet Volt crashes, the ones the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are very seriously investigating? Don't worry about it —Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood says the electric cars are safe to drive.
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Doctors Aren't Fans Of Instant Soup After Treating Patients Burned By Those Products
Cup of noodles? More like cup of pain, say doctors who treat many patients with burns related to incidents involving those Styrofoam cups full of hot microwaved liquid. The very design of those cups is dangerous, says a new report.
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Honda's Airbag Recall Continues To Inflate, Adds Another 273,000 Cars
Back in 2008, Honda issued a recall of a measly 3,940 vehicles over potentially faulty airbags. In 2009, that number
ballooned up to 440,000 cars, and then
added another 438,000 in 2010. But like a big white bag that inflates unexpectedly in your face, it just got larger, adding another 273,000 cars.
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Illness In Dogs Traced To Chinese Chicken Jerky
The first thing that I do when looking at a bag of pet treats is turn it over and look for the country of origin. I'm not alone—and not paranoid, as it turns out. A few weeks ago, the Food and Drug Administration reminded American pet owners about unexplained and sometimes fatal illnesses related to chicken jerky treats imported from China. The FDA and its counterparts around the world have been warning consumers to be alert about jerky-related illnesses since 2007.
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Minneapolis Looking To Stop Cabbies From Using Cell Phones
Most of us who've lived in major city for long enough have had those experiences of sitting in the backseat of a cab, irritated and possibly concerned by the driver's incessant yammering on his/her phone. Wouldn't it be nice if such distracting chit-chat was illegal?
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Ocean Spray Voluntarily Recalls Craisins For Possible Contamination
Watch out for "hair-like metal fragments" if you're munching on some Craisins — Ocean Spray has recalled certain lots of its dried cranberries for possible contamination.
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McDonald's Kicks Egg Supplier To Curb Following FDA Citations
A lot of people are still a bit touchy about eggs following last year's salmonella outbreak and subsequent massive recall. Thus, when the folks at McDonald's saw an upcoming ABC News report on — and learned of an FDA warning against — one of their major egg suppliers, the fast food giant decided it was time to take its business elsewhere.
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Learn Thanksgiving Turkey Fryer Safety With William Shatner
It's still a little early to start talking about turkey fryer safety. There's still a week before most families' birds even come out of the freezer. But this is no ordinary video: most frying guides don't feature William Shatner being consumed by a massive computer-generated fireball.
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Apple Will Replace First-Gen iPod Nanos For Overheating Risks
If you have an iPod nano sold between Sep '05 and Dec '06, you could be eligible for a replacement under a new worldwide recall issued by Apple to deal with battery heating issues.
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100,000 "Atlas Shrugged" DVDs Recalled
100,000 "Atlas Shrugged" DVDs have been recalled for an important danger they posed to unwary consumers: the title sheet suggested that viewers help someone out besides themselves.
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NHTSA Investigating Electric Vehicle Batteries Following Chevy Volt Fire
As mass-produced plug-in electric vehicles continue to roll off assembly lines, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is taking a closer look at the batteries that power these cars following an incident in which a Chevy Volt caught fire three weeks after undergoing a NHTSA side-impact crash test.
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Recalls Issued For 420,000 Toyota & Lexus Vehicles Over Steering Concerns
Earlier today, the folks at Toyota issued a recall of approximately 283,000 Toyota vehicles — Avalon, Camry, Highlander, Sienna, Solara — and 137,000 Lexus vehicles — ES330, RX330, RX400h — over concerns that a potential problem in these vehicles may suddenly make it much harder for the driver to steer.
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NTSB: Cheapo Buses 7 Times More Likely To Kill Passengers
The last decade has seen a huge increase in the number of people opting for discount long-distance buses that pick passengers up at curbside over more traditional bus services operating out of terminals. But a new study from the National Transportation Safety Board says you're seven times more likely to be involved in a fatal incident when you go for that lower-cost option.
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This Halloween Toy Could Also Be Used To Harden Dental Composite Material
A dentist in California was recently looking at the little Halloween toy — a black cat whose eyes glow blue when you press a button — and thought there was something familiar about that bright light: it looked just like the one he uses to harden dental composite material used to repair his patients' chompers.
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Mom Crusading Against Dirty Fast Food Playgrounds Says She's Now Banned From 11 McDonald's
Over the summer, concerned mom Erin Carr-Jordan made headlines around the country with her
online crusade to clean up filthy playgrounds found at McDonald's and other fast food chains. It seems her efforts have rubbed at least one Golden Arches franchisee the wrong way, as Carr-Jordan claims she's been barred from all of his eateries.
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Target Recalls Frog Masks That Could Suffocate Kids
Some early bird parents who indulged their kids' wishes to dress up as frogs for Halloween will have to re-do their costume shopping. Target recalled 3,400 products called Children's Frog Masks due to a potential suffocation hazard.
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71 Drivers Cross A Defective Bridge In Chicago Every Second
A new study says that 71 drivers in Chicago cross a structurally defective bridge every second.
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Don't Yap Or Tap On Your Phone While Teaching Your Kid To Drive
Teaching your teenage child to drive is an emotionally fraught yet important time. You can instill good driving habits that will see them through the couple of decades we have left before robotic flying cars dominate the market, then eventually enslave us. Or you can set a bad example by whipping out your phone while teaching the finer points of highway merging. Guess which one most American parents choose?
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Toys 'R' Us Must Pay $20.6 Million In 2006 Pool Slide Death
We enjoy mocking Banzai and their tendency to put
wildly inaccurate photographs of their products on the boxes. But another wild inaccuracy led to tragedy in Massachusetts in 2006, when a 29-year-old mother went headfirst down an inflatable waterslide that collapsed. She broke her neck and later died as a result of the injuries. The jury deliberated for less than an hour before awarding her survivors $20.6 million—and they weren't even allowed to hear about the other person allegedly paralyzed by a similar injury while using the same product.
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Pediatricians: Crib Bumpers Of Any Sort Pose A Risk To Your Baby
In its latest effort to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that parents just completely skip the whole idea of putting any sort of crib bumper — regardless of thickness — in their kids' cribs.
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Big Sony Bravia TV Fire Recall Is Only In Japan, But US Models May Be Affected
Headlines are blaring about the 1.6 million 40" Sony Bravia TVs getting recalled for fire and smoke risk, but they're overlooking a key fact. The recalled models were only sold in Japan. No recall has been issued in America. However, there are 400,000 models that were sold in the US that contain the same component that prompted the Japan recall. Here are the Sony Bravia TV model numbers you should check to see if you have.
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Cantaloupe Listeria Outbreak Death Toll Now Tied With 1998 Incident
The recent national outbreak of listeria has now upped its death toll to 21, and Federal health officials are warning that those numbers may grow. It's currently tied with another health scare for the deadliest our country has seen in years.
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168,000 Volkswagens Recalled Because Fuel Isn't Supposed To Leak
The volks at Volkswagen have issued a recall on a total of 168,275 Golf, Jetta and Audi A3 vehicles over concerns the fuel line could crack and leak, potentially causing an engine fire.
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131,000 Pounds Of Ground Beef Sold At Kroger Recalled Because E. Coli Doesn't Make For Good Seasoning
Tyson Fresh Meats is recalling approximately 131,300 pounds of ground beef products sold at Kroger because of possible E. coli contamination, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced today.
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A Truly Alarming Number Of People Are Dying From Eating Tainted Cantaloupe
Hold it — before you munch on that cantaloupe, you might want to make sure it's not contaminated with bacteria. A new report from food officials has attributed at least a whopping 13 deaths to an outbreak of the melons grown in Colorado.
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Cargill Recalls 185,000 More Pounds Of Possibly Salmonella-Tainted Ground Turkey
If the name of Arkansas-based Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation sounds familiar to you, it's probably because the company recently recalled 36 million pounds of ground turkey that may have been contaminated with salmonella. The company is back in the news for the same reason, this time announcing that 185,000 pounds of turkey could be tainted.
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Beware Harmful Illegal Drugs Sold As Supplements
As shocking as it may be to some people, there are shady companies out there hawking supposed "dietary supplements" that actually contain harmful, illegal drugs. Since many consumers trust anything labeled "natural" or marketed as a non-drug, this practice has a potential for negative consequences.
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Car Thieves Still Love Jacking Escalades & Full-Sized Pickups
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (AKA the people who have all the fun smashing cars into walls without getting ticketed) has released its annual report on which vehicles are the most- and least-frequently boosted by car thieves. And once again the top 10 list is dominated by big pickups and that rolling cliche of new money, the Cadillac Escalade.
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Target Expands Step Stool Recall To Include 314,00 More Units
Earlier this month, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Target announced a voluntary recall of 206,000 of their wooden step stools. They're now adding an additional 341,000 units to that recall, citing a potential fall hazard as stools may fall apart when weight is applied on them.
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Over 5,000 Children A Year Fall From Windows, Need Emergency Care
Protective parents take note — it's not just staircases, electrical outlets and sharp edges in your home you need to keep your kids away from. Over 5,000 children each year fall out of windows and end up in the emergency room.
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Philips Recalls 1.86 Million Potentially Plummeting Compact Fluorescent Flood Lamps
Philips and the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a few weeks ago the recall of about 1.86 million compact fluorescent floodlamps sold under the EnergySaver and Marathon brands between 2007 and 2010. The reflector around the lamp can come unglued, shattering on the ground or floor. This actually happened to a Consumerist reader, who sent in photos of the glass-shard carnage.
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54,000 Clip-On Chairs Recalled For Failing To Clip On To Table Tops
The Consumer Product Safety Commission and phil&teds USA Inc, of Fort Collins, Co. announced the recall of the company's metoo Clip-on Chair. The baby seats, designed to attach to table tops, have clamp parts that may fail. Children seated in the chair may fall or possibly have their fingers crushed or amputated by the failing mechanism.
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Radio Flyer Recalls 165,000 Scoot 'N Zoom Riding Toys
The Consumer Product Safety Commission and Radio Flyer in Chicago announced the recall of 165,000 Scoot 'n Zoom riding toys today because the red plastic toy can tip over while being ridden and that is apparently not the original point of the toy.
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60,000 Pounds Of Ground Beef Recalled Because E.Coli Doesn't Make For A Good Burger
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a recall of more than 60,000 pounds of ground beef because of possible E. coli contamination. The recalled meat was produced by the Kansas-based National Beef Packing Company and shipped to stores nationwide.
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GM Recalls 16,000 2012 Chevy Impala & Buick LaCrosse Vehicles
It isn't even 2012 yet but General Motors is already recalling nearly 12,000 model year 2012 Chevrolet Impalas and more than 4,000 new Buick Lacrosse cars, each for different reasons.
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Honda Recalls 1.5 Million Accords, CR-Vs & Elements Over Transmission Concerns
Honda has announced a recall of certain model year 2005-2010 4-cylinder Accords, 2007-2010 CR-Vs and 2005-2008 Elements to update the software that controls those vehicles' automatic transmissions.
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300,000 Dodge & Chrysler Minivans Recalled For Possible Airbag Problems
Chrysler has recalled 300,000 model year 2008 Dodge Caravan, Chrsyler Grand Voyager and Town & Country minivans in the U.S. over concerns that the airbags on these vehicles could inadvertently deploy, which is hilarious in slapstick comedies but potentially deadly in real life.
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Company Recalls 36 Million Pounds Of Possibly Salmonella-Tainted Ground Turkey
Salmonella-tainted turkey has killed one person and sickened dozens of others, leading Arkansas-based Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation to recall 36 million pounds of possibly dangerous ground turkey.
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CPSC Chair Tenenbaum: We're Not Trying To Play "Gotcha" With Manufacturers
Regular readers of Consumerist know that we cover a lot of recalls — from
faulty booster seats to
wine openers with potentially bloody consequences — many of them announced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. We recently met with CPSC chair Inez Tenenbaum to discuss how the commission works with manufacturers on everything from the recall process to new standards on lead and drop-side cribs, and why some within the commission are attempting to
scuttle its new products database.
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CDC: One Dead, 76 Sick, From Salmonella-fied Ground Turkey
There is some tainted turkey making the rounds, as more than 75 people in at least 26 states have gotten salmonella poisoning from chowing down on the ground-up gobbler. And according to the Centers for Disease Control, which has yet to ID the source of the foul fowl, at least one person has died.
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FDA Warns Evital May Be Counterfeit Morning-After Pill
According to the Food and Drug Administration, morning-after pills labeled Evital may be counterfeit and unsafe and ineffective at preventing pregnancy. The label of the counterfeit pill reads "Evital Anticonceptivo de emergencia, 1.5 mg, 1 tablet" by "Fluter Domull."
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IIHS Crash Test Video Library Provides Edification, Entertainment
Have you always wanted to visit a web site that combines all of the fun of a demolition derby with all of the usefulness of serious research for your next vehicle purchase? No, you probably haven't, but it exists. It's the Consumer Reports crash test video player, loaded up with about 300 Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash-test videos for various makes and models of cars.
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Got Questions For The Consumer Product Safety Commission? Ask Away
Later this afternoon, I'll be meeting with Inez Tenenbaum, Chair of the Consumer Product Safety Commission to talk about everything from the process of determining whether or not to issue a product recall to the CPSC's work in getting lead paint off kids' toys to
opponents' attempts to gut the just-created recall database.
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Dodge Recalls 242,000 Ram Pickups Over Steering Concerns
Because they don't want you possibly smashing up your truck — or anyone else's vehicle — the folks at Dodge have issued a recall on more than 240,000 Ram pickup trucks over concerns about the tie rod assembly in the front steering system.
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Dollar Tree Recalls 117,000 Glass Candles For Shattering
117,000 glass votive candle holders sold at Dollar Tree, Dollar Bill$, and Dollar Tree Deal$ stores have been recalled. They can shatter when they're lit, leaving glass and fire all over the place where it can cut and/or burn you.
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Macy's To Pay $750K For Selling Hoodies With Drawstrings
When I was a young thing, the drawstring on your hooded sweatshirt was something to chew on or play with while being bored to death in school. But as of 2006, such drawstrings have been considered strangulation hazards in children's clothing. That, however, didn't stop Macy's from selling hoodies, jackets and other kids' clothing with drawstrings, which is why the retailer now has to pay a penalty of $750,000.
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NHTSA: Hybrids & Electric Vehicles Are Silent But (Possibly) Deadly To Pedestrians
One of the first things most people notice when driving or riding in a hybrid or electric vehicle is just how much quieter the engine is compared to your standard gasoline engine. But the folks at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are worried that these cars might be a little
too quiet for passing pedestrians. Thus, NHTSA is looking for ways these vehicles can alert pedestrians to their presence.
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Keep Your Dogs Away From Gum With Xylitol So Their Organs Don't Bleed
Icebreakers gum may be a great way to "break the ice," but you wouldn't want to use them to help your dog freshen his breath. Many pet owners aren't aware that the artificial sweetener inside it and many other products,
Xylitol, can be acutely toxic to dogs if the canines eat it. KCBS has the tragic story of one corgi who suffered acute liver failure after he got into a bag of Icebreakers.
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(CPSC)
Your Baby's Crib Probably Fails Tough New Safety Rules
Does your crib pass the new strict safety rules that went into effect Tuesday? Most likely not. "Newly required safety tests are so stringent that few cribs in American homes — even those that have escaped recall after recall — are sturdy enough to pass them,"
reports the Los Angeles Times. "As a result, federal regulators recommend that families that can afford to do so buy new cribs and destroy their old ones." Here's what you need to know.
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Toyota/Lexus Recall 82,000 SUVs Over Possible Faulty Wiring
The folks at Toyota have sounded the recall horn, summoning back a total of 82,200 Highlander Hybrid and Lexus RX 400h vehicles over concern about faulty wiring which could result in an inoperable vehicle.
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Some Endocet Recalled For Having Double The Acetaminophen
Bottles of the pain-killing drug Endocet are being recalled because they erroneously contain 650 mg of acetaminophen while their label says 325 mg. While no injuries have been reported, consuming more acetaminophen than prescribed can lead to liver toxicity.
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Survey: More Than A Third Of College Kids At UAB Use Apps While Driving
An apparently unscientific but eye-opening survey found that 35 percent of college students polled at University of Alabama at Birmingham use mobile apps while driving. The sample size was only 93 students, all at UAB, and participants were not selected at random, but the survey was enough to draw the attention of the American Psychological Association, which asked the student who conducted the survey to present her findings at its August convention.
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Martha Stewart Tables Are Still Exploding Glass In Your Face
FOX31 reports a family in Colorado was just chilling on the porch during a barbecue when all of a sudden their Martha Stewart glass table exploded, sending shards of tempered glass flying all over the place. The son and his girlfriend bled from cuts and lacerations after they were hit by the glass. This is a line of tables that have racked up similar exploding glass complaints for years and though they are not being sold any more, there are some still out there in people's homes, ticking glass bombs waiting to go off.
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House Committee Votes To Gut Safe Products Database
The Consumer Product Safety Commission's public database,
SaferProducts.gov, which allows people to report unsafe products and search recalls and safety reports, has only been around since March. And already the House Appropriations Committee has moved to cut funding for the project.
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Dole Recalls Some Bag Salads Because Listeria Isn't Part Of The "Italian Blend"
The folks at Dole have announced a recall of certain batches of its Italian Blend bag salads — including those it makes under the Kroger Fresh Selections Italian Style Blend name for the Kroger grocery store chain — over concern of possible Listeria contamination.
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Porsche 911s Recalled For Wheel Hubs Wearing Down
For want of a nail, a kingdom was lost. And for want of durable wheel hubs, high-powered Porsche 911s were recalled because the could lead to a compromised wheel-retention system and a crash.
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Bananas Foster Inferno Possibly Started By Inappropriate Pouring
An update on that
flaming banana desert that engulfed a customer in flame story from earlier in the week: according to witnesses the waiter poured the alcohol on using the whole bottle instead of using a ladle. The flames then shot back up into the bottle and caused the "explosion of fire." The diner who was covered in fire remains sedated in the hospital.
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Target Recalls Additional 375,000 Booster Seats Because Kids Keep Falling Out Of Them
Almost two years ago, Target recalled around 43,000 Circo booster seats because a fault in the seat's buckle could end up with a child on the floor. But after kids continued to fall down and go boom, Target decided this week to expand that recall by 375,000 seats.
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9 Out Of 10 Parents Installing Car Seats Are Doing It Wrong
According to the New York City Department of Transportation,
9 out of 10 parents install their child's car seat incorrectly. This could lead to your child getting hurt or killed in the event of an accident. Why risk it? Find an expert who can inspect your car seat and make sure you've put it in correctly.
NHTSA has an online searchable database to find a certified technician near you.
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German Sprouts Not Deadly E.coli Culprit, Initial Tests Show
German sprouts are not the cause of the deadly e.coli outbreak that has killed 22 and sickened over 2,000, according to initial tests of samples from a farm that a German agriculture minister had earlier named as the epicenter. The retraction is only the latest in a series of confusing finger-pointings and "cucumber slurs," and has left European consumers afraid to eat a salad.
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"Super-Toxic" E.Coli Strain Kills 18 In Europe
A virulent strain of antibiotic-resistant E.coli has left 18 dead in Europe, left over 1,800 sick, and touched off a continent-wide scare against all produce, suspected to be the source of the infection.
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AT&T Thinks You Should Just Take That Tree Off High-Tension Line Yourself
There are some things that you really, really don't want to handle doing yourself. After a tree took out electric and phone lines on his property, A. in Texas is left with the heavy trunk resting on high-tension steel cables that normally go between the poles. An AT&T told A. during a visit to just remove the tree trunk and let the cables go up. A city inspector and a professional lineman separately told A. that doing so might lead to the cables flying up and taking the utility lines out again, and could also injure or kill the person doing the work.
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2 NYC Hotels Give Maids Panic Buttons In Wake Of Attacks
In a response to two
recent incidents in which New York City hotel maids were sexually assaulted, the hotels at which the assaults occurred have given room attendants panic buttons that they can use to alert staff if they face danger. Union officials pressed for the added security measures.
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Toyota Recalls 106,000 Prius Vehicles Over Steering Concerns
Toyota has issued a recall on some early model (2001-2003) Prius vehicles over concerns that a problem in the steering system could could lead to drivers having difficulty controlling the car.
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$10M Awarded After Child Got Skin Burns On 85% Of Body After Taking Motrin
A jury has awarded the family of a child $10 million after she developed skin burns on 85% of her body after taking Children's Motrin.
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Use Too Much Hand Sanitizer, Fail An Alcohol Test
Not only is hand sanitizer
not so effective in preventing the cold and flu, it also could give you false positives if you're tested for alcohol consumption.
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Design A Safety Map To Plan For Disaster
There's a reason your office building probably has a fire evacuation map posted on a wall. When things get crazy, it's best to have a plan in place for how to react, and a map with a rendezvous point for friends and loved ones could prove invaluable during earthquakes, fires and floods — not to mention the apocalypse.
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FDA: Diabetes Drug Avandia To Be Pulled From Retail Pharmacies In November
For several years, prescription diabetes medicine Avandia has been at the center of a debate about whether the medication's heart attack risk was high enough to pull it from pharmacies. Now, nearly eight months after the FDA announced it would be
introducing strict restrictions on its sale and use, the agency has finally gotten around to announcing the specifics of those restrictions.
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Entenmann's Pop'Ems Recalled In Four States For Mold Concerns
Bimbo Bakeries doesn't just have an amazing name, it's also the company that makes, among other products, Entenmann's donuts. Alas, Bimbo has had to issue a recall for three different varieties of both Entenmann's Pop'Ems donuts and its Bimbo Donitas.
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NHTSA Investigating 2.7 Million Ford F-150s For Potential Fuel Tank Problems
It's been a bad spring for the Ford F-150 pickup truck brand. First, there was the
recall of around 1.3 million vehicles for faulty airbags. Now comes news that NHTSA is investigating a problem with rusting fuel tank straps that could impact 2.7 million F-150 trucks.
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Toy Story 3 Bowling Set Recalled Because Kids Apparently Aren't Supposed To Play With Lead Paint Anymore
Considering the menagerie of toys that come to life in Pixar's Toy Story movies — and considering the number of toys out there that are slathered in lead paint — it's surprising that not one of them has exhibited any definitive symptoms of lead poisoning (well, maybe those three-eyed alien things). But that hasn't stopped the makers of a Toy Story 3 bowling set from using lead paint.
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Photo: Consumer Reports
GM Recalls 170,000 2011 Cars, Trucks & Vans
General Motors announced three recalls affecting several 2011 model year vehicles, including its popular Chevrolet Cruze sedan—recently recalled for steering wheel concerns.
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Teachers, Sign Up For Free Kid's Product Safety Alerts And You Could Win $100
If you're a teacher, parent or caregiver, take 10 seconds today and sign up for safety. Get the latest alerts about food and products that affect children in a free weekly email from the National School Safety Coalition, of which Consumers Union is one of three founding members. As an added incentive, if you're a teacher, you may be able to win $100: the five teachers who get the most parents to sign up will win $100 each (you don't need to be a teacher to sign up for the email alerts). So
sign up here and pass it along, especially to any teachers you know! No child should be put in harm's way simply because we couldn't get the word out.
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Create An Emergency Kit For Your Pet
If you had to leave your home on short notice due to a natural disaster or other emergency, would you have a bag of emergency supplies ready to go? While adults and older children can handle packing their own bags in a hurry, members of your family who don't have opposable thumbs can't.
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Tomatoes Recalled For Salmonella Contamination
Of all the toppings that go well with tomatoes, salmonella isn't one of them. Thus, Six L's tomato farm of Florida issued a recall of its potentially contaminated tomatoes.
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Nissan Recalls My Car But Then Refuses To Take It Back
It's really very responsible when a car company like Nissan lets its customers know there is a safety problem with their vehicles, and issues a recall. But what happens when they won't take the recalled car back, for no reason anyone can figure out, including Nissan?
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Just How Much BP Oil Is Left In The Marshes?
On the one-year anniversary of the catastrophic BP oil spill in the gulf, scientists are still struggling to figure out just how much oil is in the marshes.
This excellent New York Times video explores their challenges, not the least of which is the inherent complexity of determining the damage to a vast and vibrant ecosystem. One group of researchers, for example, are guesstimating the number of bird deaths by taking bird carcasses out to sea, dropping them in, and seeing how many wash ashore.
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Consumer Reports Rates Britax B-Nimble Strollers 'Don't Buy'
If you're in the market for a stroller with a confusing parking brake that could send your child rolling down a hill, consider the Britax B-Nimble stroller. Or...don't. Our safely strolling siblings at Consumer Reports found the stroller's parking brake system problematic, and have given it a "Don't Buy" rating.
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Recall Roundup: Fire In The Fish Tank Edition
While it makes sense, it's a little strange at first glance to read that an aquarium heater is being recalled for a fire hazard. Isn't it underwater? Not the parts that could potentially catch fire. But they're not the only thing catching on fire: on with the recall roundup!
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Nissan Recalls 196,000 Older SUVs Over Possible Steering Loss Problems
If you've got a 10-year-old Nissan Pathfinder or Infinit QX4 sitting in your driveway, you might want to pay attention. Nissan has recalled nearly 200,000 of these vehicles over concerns that accumulated road salt and water could cause a loss of steering.
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Texan Refuses To Evacuate Home Close To Wildfire
When authorities advise you to abandon your home to flee an oncoming natural disaster, things tend to not work out so well if you stick around. But a defiant Texas man is taking his chances, standing pat at his house even though a raging wildfire is encroaching on his property.
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Toyota Recalls Over 200,000 RAV4 & 90,000 Highlander Vehicles Over Airbag Concerns
The Toyota recall parade continues with the announcement of a recall of approximately 214,000 of its 2007 and 2008 model year RAV4 and 94,000 of its 2008 model year Highlander and Highlander Hybrid vehicles due to faulty roll-over sensors in their side airbag systems.
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FAA Makes Changes To Keep Air Traffic Controllers From Falling Asleep On The Job
Following a rash of incidents — like
this one and
this one — where air traffic controllers were caught snoozing on the job, the Federal Aviation Administration has issued some new rules that will hopefully give the controllers more rest and more supervision.
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Johnson & Johnson's Prescription Drugs Stink Too: 57,000 Bottles Of Topamax Recalled
If you thought Johnson & Johnson's McNeil Labs division — the folks behind
all of these recalled over-the-counter drugs — was the only branch of the company capable of creating stinky meds, you were wrong, as J&J has announced a recall of two lots of its prescription anitconvulsant Topamax for that now-classic "uncharacteristic odor."
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Ford Adds Another 1.2 Million Trucks To F-150 Airbag Recall
Remember when NHTSA suggested that Ford should recall 1.3 million F-150 trucks over airbag concerns? Probably not, because the car company
only chose to recall around 150,000 of them. Well after further conversations with regulators, it appears that all those trucks Ford had originally decided didn't merit a recall... they do now.
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2nd Man Dies From Eating Salmonella Contaminated Pastries
A second man has died after eating pastries from the DeFusco's bakery in Rhode Island, the result of a salmonella outbreak that has sickened 66 and hospitalized 23,
reports The Providence Journal.
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3,900 School Buses Recalled For Fire Risk
The wheels on the bus go round and round. The starter cables on the bus rub against the power steering hose, rub rub rub. 3,900 Bluebird school buses have been recalled for a defect that could result in a fire. The affect buses are model year 2004 through 2006, made from June 26, 2003, through December 9, 2004. Recall notices will start to go out to owners May 11, but if they don't feel like waiting they can call the NHTSA hotline at 1-888-327-4236.
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First Aid Prep Pads Recalled For Bacterial Infection
All lots of H&P Industries Povidine Iodine Prep Pads are being recalled for
Elizabethkingia meningoseptica, which is associated with invasive meningitis. "Use of contaminated Povidine Prep Pads could lead to life-threatening infections," said
the FDA recall notice. If you have a first aid kid, you should check to see if any of these pads are in it and get rid of them. These pads can be identified by these names on their packages:
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2nd Air Traffic Controller Could Be Fired For Snoozing On The Job
The second air traffic controller in a month could lose his job for catching some z's up in the tower. FAA Administrator Randy Babbitt told Congress that the controller was "found intentionally sleeping." What defines "intentional sleeping?" He had cushions and a blanket, meaning he brought materials to work with him to help him sleep.
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Jennie-O Recalls 55,000 Pounds Of Turkey Burger Because Salmonella Isn't Very Good For You
Lots of people are always going on about how turkey burgers are healthier for you than beef, but that doesn't appear to be the case for the nearly 55,000 pounds of raw turkey burger that Jennie-O has had to recall over worries about possible salmonella poisoning.
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Combination Axe/Knife Recalled Due To Laceration Hazard
You can cut yourself when using an axe with a knife that nestles inside the handle? Who knew? Silly as it might sound, this is a real hazard, since the knife can theoretically fall out of the axe handle while you're using the axe to chop. A related product that contains a saw instead of a knife has not been recalled. The company that distributes the product, Gerber Legendary Blades (part of Fiskars) has received five reports of five injuries that required stitches, so stop giggling.
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CPSC Deems Water-Walking Balls A "Deadly Danger"
For millions of Americans, swimming pool season isn't far around the corner (if it ever stops snowing, that is). But before we've even strapped on our floaties, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a warning on those huge, inflatable "water-walking" balls, which the CPSC says present the double threat of suffocation and drowning.
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Radiation Found In US Milk Supply In Trace Amounts
Great, now kids have a new excuse for not drinking their milk: US milk samples from Spokane, Washington have tested positive for a radioactive iodine blown over from Japan, the EPA announced Wednesday. The amounts are small, only 0.8 pico-curies, according to tests taken March 25 by the agency, and are 5,000 times below the FDA's "intervention level."
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Johnson & Johnson Keeps The Tylenol Recall Express Rolling
In advance of its Worst Company In America Sweet 16 bout against WellPoint, Johnson & Johnson has given us all a reminder of why they made the list to begin with, announcing yet another recall of a Tylenol product.
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Baby Formula Is A Prized Item For Shoplifting Rings, Drug Smugglers
Raise your hand if you're surprised to hear that baby formula is a popular choice of not only shoplifting rings, but drug smugglers who use it to cut heroin and cocaine. Yes, we're shocked, too!
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71,000 Volkswagen Jettas Recalled Because Honking Your Horn Shouldn't Shut Off Your Engine
If you have a 2011 Volkswagen Jetta, you may not want to go around tooting your own horn — because it might just shut your engine off.
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Even More "Toxic Waste" Candy Lives Up To Its Branding
In January, the people behind the Toxic Waste Nuclear Sludge candy bars
announced a not-that-surprising recall for possible lead contamination. And in keeping with the company's brand message, more candy has been recalled for the same reason.
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Remember The Flames Of The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory
100 years ago today, over 100 factory workers died in a fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City. The deaths could have been prevented if management had implemented basic safety precautions, but they chose not to, choosing profits over people's lives. Here is a snippet from a great PBS documentary on the tragedy, starting at the moment the flames started to lick the walls, which would soon become gouged by the fingernails of the panicked workers trapped inside.
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Del Monte Recalls Cantaloupes For Possible Salmonella Contamination
Watch out for Del Monte cantaloupes — the Coral Gables, Fla. company has issued a recall with the help of the FDA of 4,992 cartons, each containing four sleeves of their three-pack of cantaloupes, as they may possibly be contaminated with Salmonella Panama.
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Food From Four Japanese Prefectures Barred From Entering U.S.
Following the news that radiation has
been detected in tap water and food products in areas closest to the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan, the FDA has announced that many imported food products from prefectures near the plant will not be allowed to enter the U.S.
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Docs: Keep Kids In Rear-Facing Seats Until 2, Booster Seats Until They're Old Enough To Steal Car
The goodhearted folks at the American Academy of Pediatrics have revised their 2002 recommendations for how long children should remain in rear-facing car seats. You can probably guess they didn't shorten that amount of time.
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Radiation Detected In Tap Water And Food From Farms In Japan
Cause for more worry in Japan, as the latest news about the damaged nuclear reactor isn't good — traces of radioactive iodine have been detected in Tokyo tap water, officials said Saturday. Radation was also detected at spinach and milk farms near the Fukushima Dai-ichi complex.
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Get Breaking Texts About Product Recalls That Impact Kid's Lives
You could have recalled products in your home or school that put children's lives at risk. But by texting "SAFE" to 76666,
Consumer Reports will text you a daily digest of the latest breaking and relevant product recalls right to your mobile device. With it, you'll never be the last one at the punch bowl to know about the latest salmonella-tainted peanut butter or strangulation hazard sweatshirt drawstring. The service has no charge, but message and data rates from your wireless provider may apply.
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Government To Take Control Of Three Tylenol Plants
Following a slew of recalls that seemed to have pulled just about every Tylenol product from store shelves, three Johnson & Johnson plants responsible for the recalled goods are being put under the supervision of the FDA.
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FAA Orders O2 Masks Removed From Airplane Bathrooms
Airlines are removing the emergency oxygen generators from airplane bathrooms by order of FAA directive,
reports KPRC. The concern is that someone could go in there, rip the supply out, and rig it into an explosive device.
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159,000 Air Pump Bottle Openers Sold On QVC Recalled For Breaking Bottles
Getting the cork out of a wine bottle can often be a risky proposition, especially if you're wearing white. But for some owners of the skybar Air Pump Wine Opener, it could be a downright bloody disaster.
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BP's CEO Is Super Sorry About That Oil Spill
BP Chief Executive Robert Dudley inherited quite a bit of a mess from
former CEO Tony Hayward, he of the loose lips, in the the form of last year's terrible oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. But Dudley wants everyone to know that he's totally sorry.
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Transportation Secretary LaHood Answers Reader Questions
Later today, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood will be answering questions at the Consumers Union offices, where he'll also be speaking on the topic of "Distracted Driving Shatters Lives: Helping Parents and Educators Reach Teens." You can watch that event live on the
Consumer Reports Facebook page (click the "Live" tab) at 11:00 a.m. ET. Meanwhile, Secretary LaHood accepted Consumerist's request to answer a few reader-submitted questions.
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Some Skippy Peanut Butter Recalled Over Possible Salmonella Contamination
The folks at Unilever, with a little help from the FDA, have announced a recall of certain jars of Skippy Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter Spread and Skippy Reduced Fat Super Chunk Peanut Butter Spread, because these products may be contaminated with everyone's favorite pathogen, Salmonella.
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Coke Pulls Some Products From Shelves For "Off Taste"
Some retailers in the St. Louis area are being asked to pull a variety of Coca-Cola products off the shelves because of a "slight off taste."
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Mazda Recalls 65,000 Cars... Over Spider Webs
We've heard of bananas in the tailpipe and sugar in the gas tank, but "spiders in the evaporative canister vent line" is a new one for us. And yet, it's the reason Mazda is recalling 65,000 Mazda6 cars in North America.
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Chrysler Recalls 250,000 Vehicles For Engine Stalling Issues
Proving that American car companies can make recall-worthy vehicles just as well as anyone else, Chrysler has announced a recall on a total of 250,000 vehicles from its Dodge Caravan, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town & Country lines because the engine could stall out unexpectedly.
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Wellness Recalls Canned Cat Food For Low Thiamine Levels
Wellness is a higher-end brand of dog and cat food that's now even carried at Petsmart. After discovering that some flavors didn't contain enough thiamine (Vitamin B1), an absolutely essential nutrient for cats, the company announced a voluntary recall of all canned cat food manufactured between certain dates.
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Submit Your Questions For Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood!
Hey, Consumerist readers, we got an opportunity to ask
United States Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood 3-5 reader submitted questions in connection with
"Distracted Driving Shatters Lives: Helping Parents and Educators Reach Teens," a Consumers Union event taking place at our headquarters Monday, March 7, 2011, from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. ET.
Please ask about any transportation-related issue that interests you! More »
Did You Know Doctors Are Prescribing Non-FDA-Approved Drugs? They Didn't Either.
Awhile back the FDA cracked down on OTC cold medicines that were potentially harmful to children under 2. As part of that effort, the agency has now "ordered the removal from the market of more than 500 prescription drugs used to treat colds, coughs and allergies because the medications had never gone through a federal review of their safety and effectiveness," says the NYT Prescriptions Blog.
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Craigslist Says "Cesspool" Study Is "False And Defamatory"
A new study calls Craigslist a "cesspool" of crime — a study that Craiglist says was paid for by the competition and which it calls "false and defamatory."
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Pier 1 Recalls 400,000 Candles... For Fire Hazard
Pier 1 Imports has announced the recall of 400,000 tea lights because the flame on the candle can burn too high and pose a fire hazard.
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Recalled Windstar Not Worth Fixing, Ford Wants To Buy It
Eric owns an elderly (model year 1999) Ford Windstar, and isn't particularly interested in trading it in for a new car for financial reasons. Ford recently recalled hundreds of thousands of older Windstars, and Eric dutifully brought his car in for repair. Instead of a freshly safe car, he received an offer of $3,700 for his van. If he wanted to keep the van, he would need to sign a document absolving ford of any liability if anything goes wrong with the car. What would you do?
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Toyota Recalls 2.17 Million Cars, NHTSA Closes Investigation
At the request of regulators, Toyota is recalling an additional 2.17 million cars dating back to 2003 to deal with concerns over stuck gas pedals that could lead to out-of-control acceleration. And with that, it looks like NHTSA, the National Highway Transportation Administration, has shut the books on the unintended acceleration issue.
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Science Says Your Cell Phone Makes Your Brain Cells More Active
It stands to reason that those little bundles of electromagnetic radiation we call cell phones affect the body somehow, and researchers have confirmed they mess with our brains.
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Ford Recalls 150,000 F-150 Trucks Over Airbag Concerns
Denis Leary may shout about how crazy smart the engineers at Ford are in those irritating TV ads, but those engineers apparently weren't smart enough to include an airbag that might not deploy without warning in the F-150 pickup.
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How Oral Sex Can Increase Risk Of Cancer
Oral sex seems less safe in light of news that it could surpass tobacco as the main cause of oral cancer for Americans age 50 and under. Human papilloma virus, known as HPV, can be passed from genitals to mouths, and the presence of the virus can lead to oral cancer.
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Ikea Recalls Sniglar Cribs Over Possible Mattress Collapse Issue
Ikea has issued a recall for its Sniglar baby cribs after learning of a possible risk that the mattress support could collapse.
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Honda Recalls Nearly 100,000 Fits In U.S. For Possible Engine Problems
Looks like the Honda Fit isn't exactly living up to its healthy-sounding name. The automaker has announced a worldwide recall for around 700,000 of the cars — nearly 100,000 just in the U.S. — over possible engine-stalling problems.
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New Flu Vaccine Could End Shortages
A shift toward producing flu vaccines using cultures of animal cells inside of steel tanks instead of chicken eggs should make it easier to get the shots ready more quickly to stem pandemics.
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170 Get Sick After Spending Time At Playboy Mansion
A bacterial outbreak at a Playboy Mansion fundraiser Feb. 3 has left dozens reeling, believed to have been infected with
legionellosis. The malady has caused flu-like systems in 170 people who attended the event.
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(CPSC)
1.7 Million Summer Infant Baby Monitors Recalled After 2 Babies Die
1.7 million Summer Infant video baby monitors were recalled after two babies died after they wrapped their necks in the electrical cords of the the devices that were placed too close to their crib. "I urge all parents and caregivers to put at least 3 feet between any video or audio baby monitor cords and a child in a crib," Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairman Inez Tenenbaum said in a statement. "This simple step can save your child's life."
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Researchers: Skipping Out On Sleep Can Lead To Earlier Death
If you burn the candle at both ends to squeeze some extra hours out of your days, you could be putting your body under enough stress to jeopardize your life.
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DNA Links Grocery Clerk In Tainted Yogurt Case
Not only was there semen in the yogurt, but DNA testing has linked it with the same pushy grocery clerk who gave the free sample to the shopper who complained about it.
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Procter & Gamble In Class-Action Suit Over Alleged Nerve Damage From Overexposure To Zinc In Fixodent
Procter & Gamble is currently involved in a class-action lawsuit that claims the zinc in its Fixodent denture adhesive can eventually lead to debilitating nerve damage for some users. And a new report from ABC News asks whether or not the company crossed an ethical line with regard to a report associating excessive exposure to zinc-containing denture cream with neurological disease.
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Study: Feeding Babies Solid Foods Too Early Can Up Risk Of Obesity
By holding off on feeding their babies solid foods for the first four months, parents can decrease the odds their little ones will become obese. The American Academy of Pediatrics says kids who start on solids too early are six times more likely to be obese by age 3.
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No, You Can't Re-Catch Your Own Cold From Your Toothbrush
Conventional wisdom holds that you should replace a toothbrush you used when you were sick, lest you face extending the illness or re-infecting yourself.
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It Turns Out Mothballs Aren't Just Bad For Moths
In a newly released study, doctors say the idea of preserving kids' clothing in mothballs should be mothballed. An ingredient that had been widely used in the pest repellent has been found to cause neurological damage, and sometimes death, in infants.
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Yep, There Was Semen In The Yogurt
The woman who reported to police last week that the free yogurt sample she received tasted like it had semen in it? Turns out she was right. Police have confirmed that the sample of Greek yogurt was tainted with semen. Results from DNA sample taken from the employee who handed out the sample are still pending. There's something fishy about the free sample story though, according to the police report it doesn't sound like there was an official sampling going on that day.
UPDATE:
The Smoking Gun has copies of the search warrant affidavit, police report, and a hand-written witness statement.
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Should Supermarkets Be Responsible For Notifying Club Card Members Of Recalls?
A new class-action lawsuit being brought against Safeway claims that the supermarket chain failed in its duty to actively notify members of its Safeway Club card program about recalls for food sold at the store.
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O.B. Tampons Are Back
Johnson and Johnson say new shipments of o.b. tampons have started going out and they should start showing up in a few days or weeks, depending on your store's restock schedule. You can also get them online at Amazon.com, drugstore.com and soap.com. o.b. Ultras will not be returning as they've been discontinued.
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Feds Aim For Harsher Regulations On Toxic Chemicals In Drinking Water
The Environmental Protection Agency is ratcheting up restrictions on drinking water, setting the first standards for perchlorate, a compound found in rocket fuel, as well as new standards for as many as 16 other toxic and carcinogenic chemicals.
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Consumer Reports Warns Against Top 5 Super Bowl Party Fouls
Publishing pal
Consumer Reports has got their list of top 5 Super Bowl party fouls to watch out for this Sunday. We're not just talking double-dipping or seat stealing, but some important ways to make sure your party is safe and fun. For instance, you don't want to get flagged for a "false start" by undercooking your meats!
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Morningstar Corn Dogs Make Triumphant Return To Grocery Shelves
They're back! Around this time last year, we investigated the sudden disappearance of Morningstar Farms' delicious vegetarian corn dogs and hot dogs from grocery shelves. Consumers seem to care very deeply about this product. We're happy to report that the corn dogs, at least, are back on the Morningstar Farms website, and a reader has spotted them in the wild.
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Only 56% Of Dialysis Technicians Pass New Skills Test
Almost half of the dialysis technicians in California are failing a new Federally-mandated skills test, throwing the industry's tarnished reputation under the magnifying glass once again.
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Recall Issued For 245,000 Lexus IS & GS Cars
Another big recall for Toyota. This time the car maker is recalling a total of 245,000 Lexus IS and GS vehicles in the U.S.because of a possible problem with the fuel pressure sensor installation.
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Study: Smoking Increases Breast Cancer Risk
If you were looking for yet another reason to trash that last pack of cigarettes, medical journal Archives of Internal Medicine has got one for you. Smoking slightly ups your odds of developing breast cancer, according to a study.
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Photos You Post Online Can Give Away Your Location
Every time you post a photo online from your smartphone, you're potentially identifying exactly where you were when you shot the picture. Digital images are encoded with geotags that record the coordinates, which can be easily uncovered by anyone with the software and know-how.
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Cigarettes Start Giving You Cancer Within Minutes, Not Years
It doesn't take years for smoking to start the cancer-making process in your body, but minutes, according to a new study in the
Chemical Research in Toxicology.
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Johnson & Johnson Recalls Even More Tylenol, Benadryl, Sudafed & Sinutab
The new year isn't starting well for Johnson & Johnson. First, the OTC drug giant
gets sued by the state of Oregon over allegations of a phantom Motrin recall. And now its McNeil Labs division has issued the latest in a lengthy list of actual recalls. This time, it's for certain lots of Tylenol 8 Hour, Tylenol Arthritis Pain, Tylenol upper respiratory products, Benadryl, Sudafed PE, and Sinutab products distributed in the United States, the Caribbean, and Brazil.
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Oregon Sues J&J For Secretly Recalling Motrin
Instead of issuing a recall, after Johnson and Johnson discovered its Motrin caplets were defective, they hired a contractor to go around the country buy up all the drugs. It was a "secret recall" that left the bad medicine on shelves for months for consumers to buy. Now the Oregon AG is suing J&J. The story broke when one of the guys hired to do the buying faxed regulators the instructions J&J gave him.
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When You Call A Candy Bar "Toxic Waste," You Probably Shouldn't Be Shocked It Has Lead In It
Unlike McDonald's Fruit and Maple Oatmeal, which has angered some over
its lack of real maple syrup, Toxic Waste brand Nuclear Sludge Chew Bars live up to their name by containing more than twice the tolerable limit of lead.
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ATMs Are As Dirty As Toilets
You might want to wash your hands after the next time you take money out the cash machine. A new study shows that when bacteria harvested from both were compared, ATM keys were as dirty as the seat in a public bathroom.
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Don't Unclog A Snowblower With Your Hand
As another batch of snow descends on America, it's important to remember that if your snowblower blades get stuck, do not use your hands when trying to unclog the auger. A recent accident on Long Island resulted in the victim's hands looking like "Bolognese sauce,"
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How To Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
As weather conditions force people to spend more time indoors, the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning grows. The odorless gas can knock people out before they realize they're in trouble.
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The House That Recall Built: Welcome To America's Most Dangerous Home!
Oh, hey there. I didn't see you as I was just watching this
improperly audio-synced Saving Private Ryan Blu-Ray on my
overheating Vaio laptop. Welcome to our home, a top-to-bottom shining example of danger, stocked to the brim with 2010's most infamous recalled products! Let's take a little tour, shall we?
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Meat & Poultry To Get Detailed Nutritional Labels Starting In 2012
In what the USDA says is an attempt to better inform the meat-buying public about the products they buy, many popular cuts of meat and poultry will be required to carry labels with detailed nutritional information.
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Ski Lift Breaks Down, Injures 8 People
An aging Maine ski lift succumbed to winds that sent several riders plummeting to the ground, hospitalizing at least five adults and three children.
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CPSC Approves New Mandatory Crib Safety Standards
In the wake of a
government ban on drop-side cribs, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a new set of standards, which manufacturers must be in compliance with by June 2011.
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Monitored Alarm System Won't Stop Break-Ins, Company Won't Let Me Out Of Contract
Jules says ADT's alarm system isn't responding to repeated break-ins at his aunt's property. She wants out of her 3-year contract, but can't get the company to let her off the hook.
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Government Bans Drop-Side Rail Cribs
In order to prevent kids from dying, the government has issued a ban on selling or making traditional drop-side cribs. If the gate or slate on the side of the crib gets loose, a baby can fall in there and get trapped, eventually hanging themselves to death.
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CPSC Says Lead Wizard Of Oz Glasses "Are Not Children's Products"
A recent study commissioned by the AP showed that dozens of decorative glasses featuring superheros (like Wonder Woman and Superman) and movie characters (like the cast of Wizard of Oz), have "up to 1,000 times more" lead than is currently allowed for children's products. The AP asked the CPSC to issue a recall. The CPSC's response? The glasses are not children's products.
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Snow Lays Waste To Metrodome, Sends Football Game To Detroit
A colossal snowstorm in Minnesota did to the Metrodome what other teams have been doing to the Vikings most of the season, making it collapse under intense pressure. Snow punctured the puffy, Teflon roof of the 28-year-old structure, forcing tonight's Vikings-Giants game to be played in Detroit. The game had already been delayed because the Giants couldn't get a flight into Minneapolis.
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Latest Rolaids Recall Gives Johnson & Johnson Heartburn
Two weeks after recalling some cherry flavored Rolaids softchews for
"uncharacteristic consistency or texture," Johnson & Johnson's beleaguered McNeil Laboratories division has issued a slightly larger Rolaids recall. And by "slightly," we mean all lots of Rolaids Extra Strength Softchews, Extra Strength plus Gas Softchews, and Multi-Symptom plus Anti-Gas Softchews.
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Flame Retardants Found In Butter
I can't believe it's not butter! Well, it's not. It's flame retardant, and food researchers found it inside butter they bought from the supermarket.
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Target Recalls Camping Combo Packs Because Kids Are Not Meant To Be Roasted On The Campfire
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued a recall of a kid's camping kit sold at Target over a potential fire hazard.
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What To Do With Recalled Toys
Before allowing your kids to play with toys relatives give them during the holidays, it's a good idea to make sure they aren't known death traps. The
Better Business Bureau sent in some suggestions on how to make sure your toys haven't been recalled, and what to if you find out they have been summoned to toy hell.
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USDA Recalls 72,000 lbs Of Canned Chicken Salad
Time to find something else to eat for lunch. Packs of Bumble Bee Chicken Salads were recalled today as some of them may be "contaminated with pieces of hard plastic."
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Check Your Blind Zones When Test-Driving A Car
Even if you do happen to have an eye installed in the back of your head, every car has a blind spot behind it, and the dangerous possibility of running over low-to-the-ground animals and children in that massive blind spot. While rear-view cameras in vehicles are becoming more common, they're still more of a luxury add-on than necessary safety equipment.
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Lowe's Recalls 11 Million Roman Shades & Roll-Up Blinds
Roman shades and roll-up blinds have become the drop-side cribs of the home decor world. They're a known risk and there have been
industry-wide recalls, and yet they continue to be made (shoddily) and sold... only to be recalled. This time, it's Lowe's Home Centers recalling just about every Roman shade and roll-up blind it's sold since 1999.
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The Johnson & Johnson Recall Wheel Lands On Mylanta
Because it has apparently already recalled every possible product made by its McNeil Labs division, Johnson & Johnson has moved over to its Merck products for its latest recall. This time, J&J has issued a recall on 12 Mylanta liquid products and one Alternagel product for trace amounts of alcohol that weren't properly labeled on the packaging.
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Government May Use Tech To Stop Cell Phone Use In Cars
People are so insistent on driving while using their cell phones that only death in a car accident will stop them from doing so. Spurred by the prevalence of fatal accidents caused by distracted drivers — 5,500 last year — the government is mulling over the concept of using technology to force drivers to put down their phones.
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History's Most Dangerous Cars
If you've ever ridden in a Ford Pinto, congratulations — you've survived a ride in possibly the least safe car ever invented.
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Experts: You Don't Need Extra Calcium, Vitamin D
Those daily vitamin supplements may not be doing as much good as you think, and may in fact harm you. A committee of medical experts from the Institute of Medicine released a report that says excessive amounts of calcium and vitamin D aren't helpful.
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Senate Passes Food Safety Bill That Would Increase FDA Authority
Earlier today, the Senate passed its version of a new food safety bill that would increase the authority of the Food & Drug Administration in making recalls and inspecting food processing facilities. The intent behind the bill is to proactively prevent outbreaks of tainted food instead of just dealing with the negative health and economic after effects.
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Thought They Couldn't Recall Any More Tylenol? You Were Wrong
In an apparent effort to make Tylenol products a rare commodity, Johnson & Johnson's McNeil Laboratories division has issued a recall on 9 million bottles of its Tylenol Cold Multi-Symptom liquid
beverages medicines for trace amounts of alcohol not mentioned on the label.
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E. Coli Tainted Cheese Isn't Only Sold At Costco
A couple weeks back we told you about some Gouda cheese sold at Costco
that had been recalled after being linked to an outbreak of E. Coli. And then last week, it was the same thing,
just with gorgonzola. Now the company that produced the Gouda cheese has recalled all of their cheeses, regardless of where they were sold.
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Recalls Issued For Children's Benadryl, Motrin & Rolaids Softchews
Johnson & Johnson continues to earn its title as the recall king of the over-the-counter drug business with the announcement of three separate recalls totaling around 5 million units of Children's Benadryl Allergy Fastmelt Tablets, Junior Strength Motrin Caplets, and Extra Strength Rolaids Softchews.
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Ridiculous Amounts Of Lead, Other Crap, Found On Decorative Glasses
According to a new study commissioned by the Associated Press, you might be getting slightly more than your recommended daily allowance of lead if you've been using some decorative drinking glasses. And by "slightly more," we mean "up to 1,000 times more" lead.
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No More Darvon Or Darvocet For You
Two of the more commonly used painkillers in the U.S. have been pulled from the market by their manufacturer after a new study linked the drugs to potentially fatal heart rhythms.
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Bans, Controversy Spark Four Loko Buying Run
Ah, the taste of forbidden fruit... juice flavor mixed with caffeine and alcohol. Since states and municipalities started banning Four Loko and the Food and Drug Administration classified caffeine as an unsafe additive to malt liquor, stores can't keep the stuff on shelves. In response to the FDA ultimatum, the beverage maker has pledged to
drop caffeine from the drink, but the original article is still out there.
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Does GE Owe Her For The Icemaker?
Reader Cinnamon has specifically requested Consumerist reader opinions on whether GE should pay her back for the icemaker that broke twice in her refrigerator.
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Some Reusable Shopping Bags Have Lead
Scrape off the trendiness and a popular "green" choice is actually "gray" underneath; some reusable shopping bags contain lead.
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More Cheese From Costco Recalled For E. Coli Contamination
Ten days after announcing that a brand of gouda cheese sold at Costco
had been linked to an E. coli outbreak, the FDA has issued a recall for some gorgonzola cheese sold at Costco, also for E. coli contamination.
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Rocking Horses And Hobby Horses Want To Strangle Our Children
Yesterday was a dark one for the toy horse business, as two separate companies issued recalls because their rocking and hobby horses (aka "horse head on a stick") apparently pose strangulation hazards.
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Kid Gets Kinect-Clocked In The Face
There's a reason why the instructions on the Xbox Kinect, which allows you to play video games by sensing your gestures, tell you to clear the playing area and make sure you have plenty of elbow room, especially when you are playing with two people. The reason is this video.
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Study: If You Like Your Sperm, Don't Put Your Laptop On Your Lap
Just because they call it a laptop computer doesn't mean you should put it on your lap — especially if you're a male who is hoping to reproduce, says a new study.
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288,000 Eggs Recalled For Possible Salmonella Taint
The year of the rotten (or rather, infected) egg isn't over yet. The Cal-Maine Foods company has announced a recall after learning that around 24,000 dozen eggs that it processed and repackaged had originally come from a facility that tested positive for salmonella.
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Cheese Sold At Costco Linked To E. Coli Outbreak
Costco might be a
good place to stock up on eyeglasses, but the FDA says that the warehouse store has been selling and sampling some cheese that could make you sick.
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Slime Slops Into Sodas, Manager Too Busy To Clean Ice Machine
Reader Nora works at a restaurant where the new manager is too busy to mitigate the black slime growing in the ice machine, even though sometimes it plops into people's drinks. At left is a picture she took with her cellphone of the mold colony.
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FDA Issues Recall For Duro Extend Capsules For Containing Ingredient That Might Actually Work
It's one thing to market a pill for "male enhancement" that doesn't work; it's another to market one that might and not tell customers about the ingredient that could be causing it to work. Just ask the folks behind those Duro Extend Capsules For Men, who have issued a recall after the FDA found they contain Sulfoaidenafil, an analogue of sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra.
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Black & Decker and Haier Freezers Recalled Because Cold Stuff Isn't Supposed To Burst Into Flames
The Consumer Product Safety Commission and Haier America have announced the recall of 67,500 Black & Decker and Haier chest freezers over a potential fire hazard.
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38,000 More Smelly Bottles Of Lipitor Recalled
Pfizer is recalling 38,000 more bottles of Lipitor because the bottles smell musty.
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Dollar Tree Recalls 682,000 Halloween Lanterns Because 'Burning Child' Is Not A Great Costume
With only days to go before Halloween, Dollar Tree has issued a recall for 682,000 Pumpkin, Ghost and Skull Halloween Lanterns over fears of a possible burn and fire hazard.
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Nissan Recalls 2 Million Cars Worldwide Over Ignition Issues
October continues to be a bad month for the auto industry. Following recalls from
Toyota and
Honda over braking issues, and
BMW because of fuel pump failures, Nissan has announced a massive recall of 2.14 million vehicles for problems with the ignition.
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GE Recalls 174,000 Dishwashers Because You Don't Need Flames To Clean Plates
It's been a bad week for kitchen appliances. First
Frigidaire recalls a ton of cooktops and ranges and now GE has issued a substantial recall on 174,000 of its Profile and Monogram dishwashers after learning of a potential fire hazard.
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BMW Recalls 150,000 Cars Over Fuel Pump Failures
While it's never fun to post car recall news, it's at least a change of pace to write about a recall that doesn't involve Toyota. This time it's BMW, who announced earlier today that they will be recalling a variety of vehicles from model years 2007 to 2010 for possible problems with the fuel pump.
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All Mega Pops Removed From Shelves, Foreign Particle Concern
After a scare about metal flakes in Mega Pops lollipops, Colombina has asked store owners to remove all Mega Pops from their shelves as they investigate the candy for foreign particles.
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Sony Sends Wrong Game Discs To Retailers, Asks To Get Them Back
Shaun White Skateboarding is coming out on Xbox 360 and Wii tomorrow, and was supposed to also hit the PS3 as well, but a last-minute snafu caused Sony to recall the discs.
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Honda Recalls Nearly 500K Cars Over Brake Problems
Remember yesterday when Toyota
recalled 1.53 million cars over concerns about leaking brake fluid? Apparently the problem is contagious, with Honda issuing a recall of their own on 470,000 Acura and Honda vehicles.
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122,000 Frigidaire Electric Cooktops & Ranges Recalled For Flame Hazard
One thing you don't usually worry about with an electric stove is flames. But the Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall of 122,000 Frigidaire and Electrolux ICON Smoothtop Electric Cooktops and Frigidaire Slide-in Ranges with rotary knobs and digital displays because of a possible fire hazard.
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Metal Flakes Found In Lollipops
Better check your kids bags for Colombina Mega Pops this Halloween. A test of the lollipops found tiny metal flakes in them. Family Dollar has recalled the pops, which were also sold at a few other discount stores, and the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has issued a warning.
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2 Million Graco Strollers Recalled Over Strangulation Hazard
Following four reports of infant strangulation, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Graco Children's Products Inc have announced the recall of about 2 million Graco strollers due to risk of entrapment and strangulation.
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Dollar Tree Recalls 275,000 Super Hero Flashlights For Being Too Damn Hot
Dollar Tree and the Consumer Product Safety Commission have issued a recall for a trio of toy "projector flashlights" featuring Wolverine, Spider-Man and Iron Man because they can overheat to the point of melting or even bursting into flames.
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Even More Tylenol Recalled Over Musty Odor
Johnson & Johnson's 2010 continues to stink — literally — as the company announced yet another recall of its Tylenol painkiller over complaints of a musty/moldy odor.
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Toy Submarine Recalled After Doing Damage To Little Boys' Private Bits
Munchkin Inc. and the Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled 34,000 of the pictured toy "Bathtub Subs" because they have been a little harsh on the most personal parts of some young lads.
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Some Walmart, Kroger Store-Brand Peas & Mixed Vegetables Recalled Because You Are Not Supposed To Eat Glass
On Friday, the Pictsweet Company of Bells, TN, announced a recall of some of its products containing green peas — and sold under the store brands of Kroger and Walmart — after the company learned that some of the packages may contain glass fragments.
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Spa Factory Aromatherapy Kits Continue To Injure People 20 Months After Being Recalled
Last night, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission had to remind folks that it had announced a recall of more than 500,000 Spa Factory Aromatherapy Fountain & Bath Benefits Kits. The reason for the reminder: People are still getting injured when the unvented jar lids go POP!
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GM Recalls 322,000 Chevy Impalas Over Seat Belt Screw-Up
Before you go crashing your Chevy Impala into something, you should know that the seat belts might not hold up to the impact; GM announced earlier today that it is recalling 322,409 2009-2010 Impalas because some front seat belt webbings may not have been properly secured to the lap belt anchor pretensioner mounted to the side of the seat nearest the door.
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Evenflo Recalls Maestro Car Seat After Failing Consumer Reports Test
After a crash test commissioned by our test-happy kin at Consumer Reports on the Evenflo Maestro Combination Booster Seat showed the product could experience a failure that could lead to severe injury for a child passenger, the company has announced a voluntary recall.
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455,000 Ryobi Drills Recalled For Potential Fire Hazard
Got a Ryobi drill in the garage? Might want to check the model number. The company and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission have announced a recall of nearly half a million Ryobi drills because of a potential fire hazard.
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Walmart Removes Lead-Tainted Toys From Shelves, But Only In California
Recent tests by the Center for Environmental Health found lead levels in excess of allowable amounts in toys and baby products sold at Walmart and Target. But while Target has agreed to stop selling the items at all its stores, Walmart has only agreed to pull the products in question from stores in California.
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Study: Gloves No Substitute For Hand-Washing When It Comes To Food Prep
If seeing your food cooked and handled by someone sporting a pair of latex gloves gives you a sense of security, the results of a new study in the Journal of Food Protection might give you pause.
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191,000 Bottles Of Lipitor Recalled Because Of Musty Odor
Though Pfizer apparently initiated a recall of its popular cholesterol fighting drug Lipitor (aka Atorvastatin) in August, it only came to the public attention this week. Regardless, a total of 191,000 90-pill bottles of the drug have been recalled from pharmacies in the U.S. and Canada.
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Teens Unite In Protest Of Abercrombie & Fitch's Fierce Stench
With the exception of the news that Abercrombie & Fitch would soon be
closing 60 retail outlets in the U.S., I hadn't heard much about the store since that wonderful LFO hit from 1999. But last week, a group of angered teens gathered outside an A&F in California to protest the store's apparently incessant spraying of its Fierce brand scent, which they claim is both noxious and obnoxious.
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Fisher-Price Recalls Millions Of Toys, High Chairs, Trikes, Oh My!
Apparently aiming to become the Toyota of the kiddie products industry, Fisher-Price has issued four different recalls today, covering dozens of products and millions of units. So if you have a young kid, you'll probably want to at least scan the list.
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HP Didn't Tell Me About Recall, Won't Fix My Computer
Andy's HP desktop computer had a faulty graphics card that was
recalled. Now he's missed the window and is stuck with a broken computer that HP won't help him fix.
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Players Who Downloaded Failed Game On Steam Get Free Replacement
After only a few months on the market, Electronic Arts pulled the plug on the monthly subscription fee-based game APB, leaving the game's few devotees feeling burned. The company is saving face, though, by offering a freebie to those who downloaded APB via Steam.
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Without Receipts, Some Are Losing Money When They Return Recalled Similac
Jeff says since his local grocery stores put Similac on sale, his daughter hasn't been able to get the full price back for the recalled Similac she returned because she doesn't have her receipts. Without proof that she bought it before it went on sale, they will only refund her the sale price. "Who saves grocery receipts?" he writes. "My daughter was out $40 with everything she returned and repurchased a different product."
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Recall Issued For Lobster Poo Because It Might Be Peanuty
Why anyone would buy candy called "Lobster Poo" is beyond our understanding. But we do know why the novelty food product is being recalled — there might be peanuts in that poo.
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Having Trouble With Similac's Recall Site? There's A PDF For That
Not long after news broke that a recall had been issued for
Similac powdered baby formulas because they might contain tiny beetles, many people had trouble accessing the Similac website or toll-free phone number to check if the formula they were using for their babies was on the list of recalled lot numbers.
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Similac Baby Formula Recalled Because It May Contain Chunks of Beetle
Certain types of Similac powdered baby formula have been recalled because of, as the FDA delicately puts it, "the remote possibility of the presence of a small common beetle in the product."
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DEA Will Gladly Take Your Old Drugs Off Your Hands On Saturday
Have you been staring at that half-full (or is it 2/4 empty?) bottle of Vicodin sitting on your bedside table and wondering, "Should I throw this in the trash, take a bunch and pretend I'm Hugh Laurie, or sell them to some college kids for a huge profit?" If so, then the Drug Enforcement Agency has an answer: Give the pills to them during this weekend's National Take-Back Day.
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Chuck E. Cheese's Recalls Over 1 Million Plastic Rings, 120,000 Toy Glasses
To all the parents whose kids ask for birthday parties at Chuck E. Cheese's, you now have another good reason to tell them no — it could be hazardous to your health. The Consumer Product Safety Commission and the fun-time restaurant chain have announced a recall of two pieces of plastic junk sold there.
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Study: Hand Sanitizer Not Terribly Good At Fighting Cold Or Flu
Only a few months after the FDA said that "antibacterial" soaps containing Triclosan
might be just as effective as regular ol' soap, a University of Virginia study claims that alcohol-based hand sanitizers don't really put a ding in the number of people who catch a cold or the flu.
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USDA Knew Of Poor Sanitation At Egg Facility Months Before Recall
Unless you've been only been paying attention to the 24/7 Big Brother live feeds this summer, you've probably heard about that tiny little recall of
380 million eggs because of potential salmonella poisoning. Now the Wall Street Journal reports that USDA graders noticed problems at the source facility earlier this year but opted to wait until FDA inspectors figured things out for themselves in August.
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5 Horrors Parents Most Worry About Vs 5 Most Likely To Occur
According to a new survey, the top 5 calamities parents fret over happening to their kids are, in order from most fretting to least: kidnapping, school snipers, terrorists, dangerous strangers, and drugs. What they really should be concerned over are the top 5 way children
actually get hurt and/or killed: car accidents, homicide by someone the kid knows, abuse, suicide, and drowning.
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Black & Decker Recalls 192,000 Orbit Sanders Over Unintentional Flying Objects
Earlier today, Black & Decker and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced a voluntary recall of 192,000 Black & Decker Random Orbit Sanders after several reports that the plastic disc that holds the sandpaper to the sander can fly off and hurt the hell out of you or anyone around you.
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Hartz Dog Treats Recalled Over Salmonella
Don't reward your dog a Hartz Naturals Real Beef Treat from a bag stamped with lot code BZ0969101E, says the FDA, unless you want a potentially confused dog. Hartz says salmonella has been found in at least one bag from that lot, so it's recalling nearly 75,000 bags. So far no one has reported any sick pets, but if you have questions you can call Hartz at 1-800-275-1414.
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CPSC Says No Link Found Between Dry Max Diapers And Diaper Rash
Back in May a lotta parents were venting online about newly formulated Pampers Dry Max Diapers giving their kids bad diaper rash. The CPSC got almost 4,700 incident reports and investigated, but so far has not found any specific link that says the diapers are causing adverse reactions any different from normal diaper rash.
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$230,000 Ferraris Recalled For Being So Hot They Could Burst Into Flames
The Ferrari 458 Italia is a hot car. Too hot. So hot that at least 5 of them have burst into flames because of a design flaw, leading the Italian luxury car maker to recall more than 1,200 Italias, each worth around $230,000.
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FDA Finally Inspects Tainted Egg Farms, Discovers They're Unsanitary
Conditions at the two salmonella egg farms in Iowa are so bad that you'd think they were Tylenol factories, according to recent FDA inspections. Wait, I mean the first and only inspections.
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TSA's "Enhanced" Pat-Down Procedure Lets Their Fingers Do The Searching
In an effort to make air travel safer but less appealing, the TSA has begun using an "enhanced" pat-down procedure for those who would rather not subject themselves to a full-body scan. And if you're a fan of having strangers touch you all over, then you should just get straight in line for this one.
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NYC Slumlords Outed By Public Advocate's Worst Landlord List
Not many renters in New York City are in love with their landlords, but only a handful of the city's landlords deserved to be called out in public for repeated violations and ignored complaints from tenants. Starting this morning, the city's Public Advocate has decided it's time that the worst offenders be forced into the spotlight with a public, searchable database.
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8,500 Lbs. Of Ground Beef Recalled From BJ's Wholesale Clubs In 8 States
A few tons of ground beef from a meat processor in Pennsylvania have been recalled over fear of possible E. coli contamination. As of early Monday morning, the only retail outlets identified as possibly having received the ground beef were BJ's Wholesale clubs in Connecticut, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York and Virginia.
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Toyota Recalls 1.13 Million Corolla and Matrix Vehicles
It almost seems like Toyota is gradually recalling every vehicle it manufactured over the last decade. The latest — 1.13 million 2005-2008 Toyota Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles have been recalled to "address some Engine Control Modules (ECM) that may have been improperly manufactured."
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Garmin Recalls 1.3 Million GPS Devices For Fire Hazard
So you're driving down the highway, looking for the exit that will lead to the secluded cabin where you and your long-lost twin have arranged to meet for the first time. The turn-by-turn directions intoned by your Garmin Nuvi are a welcome threshold to cling to as anxiety churns through your stomach. Then, there it is, the offramp, its emerald sign throbbing gently as your headlights trace over it. Relief washes through your veins, just as your GPS unit explodes into a ball of flames, instantly turning you and everything inside your car to ash!
Nothing like that has been reported in the 1.2 million Garmin Nuvi devices recalled for battery overheating that increases the risk of fire hazard affecting model numbers 200W, 250W, 260W, 7xx and 7xxt where xx is a two digit number, but man, if it did, what a story that would be.
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Pick A Backpack That Won't Break Your Kid's Spine
Here are some tips from Consumer Reports for making sure your kid's backpack won't turn them into a hunchback:
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Two Farms In Egg Recall Scramble Linked To Same Businessman With Runny Past
Two of the Iowa farms that recalled over half a billion eggs for potential salmonella taint are linked to the same businessman, and he has a history of health, safety and employment violations. So how come no one stopped him before?
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190 Tons Of Walmart Deli Meat Recalled Over Potential Listeria Contamination
A New York company called Zemco Industries has recalled 380,000 pounds of deli meat that it distributed to Walmart under the Marketside label, because it might be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Although nobody has reported any illness and healthy people aren't usually in danger, listeriosis can kill old people, infants, and others with weak immune systems.
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What A Salmonella Outbreak Looks Like To The CDC
The CDC has released a graph that compares the recent salmonella outbreak associated with eggs to the number of cases of the disease that would be expected without an unusual amount of tainted food on the market.
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There Are Now 380 Million Recalled Eggs
Although the 380 million recalled eggs represent a small fraction of the total eggs out there, it's still a staggering number of items that could be tainted with salmonella. The latest recall involves a second Iowa producer, Hillandale Farms.
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Read Egg Carton Codes
For those who are visual learners, this graphic breaks down how to read an egg carton's codes. Useful for telling if your eggs were part of the 228 million recalled for salmonella, for instance.
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$400 Strollers Recalled Because They Might Unexpectedly Collapse
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a recall of Zooper Tango Double Strollers, manufactured by Lan Enterprises LLC, over concerns that a latch on the stroller's frame could fail and cause the stroller to collapse.
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13 Brands Of Eggs Recalled For Possible Salmonella Contamination
Hey, before you crack that egg into your morning hair-of-the-dog, you might want to take a look at the brand on the carton. An egg producer in Iowa has issued a massive recall that affects 13 brands of chicken eggs sold nationwide for fear they might be tainted with salmonella.
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Should Seat Belts Be Required On The Bus?
Riding the bus is a relatively safe way to get from point A to B, but a new proposal under consideration by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration would seek to make it even safer by requiring new motorcoaches — as opposed to municipal or school buses — to provide seat belts for all passengers on board.
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30,000 Storm Atlanta Parking Lot To Get Public Housing Apps
The last time public housing rosters were opened up, the city got 2,400 apps. This time, they thought maybe 10,000 would show up. Instead, an estimated 30,000 people descended on an Atlanta parking lot last week so they could pick up an application for public housing. 60 had to be taken to the hospital after fights or just from heat exhaustion. It was 90-100 degrees. And this is just to get on a waiting list. To get an actual voucher can take 8-10 more years.
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Chinese Milk Accused Of Sprouting Boobs On Babies
They say that girls are developing earlier and earlier these days, but this is just disgusting. Chinese authorities are investigating reports that three Chinese infant girls prematurely developed breasts after consuming hormone-tainted powdered milk made by Chinese manufacturer Synutra.
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Should Kids Under 2 Be Required To Have Their Own Seats On A Plane?
Children under 2 years of age are currently allowed to travel in planes on the lap of an adult. However, it's a practice the National Transportation Safety Board hopes the FAA will put an end to.
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Honda Recalls 384,000 Cars Because They Might Roll Away
Honda is recalling 383,000 Accords, Civics and Elements from 2003-2004 because they might roll away after they've been parked.
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Kids Could Be Getting Salmonella From Pet Food
No, it's not what you're thinking, parents are not feeding their kids pet food. Instead, a new study finding a link between salmonella contaminated pet food and children posits that the kids might be touching affected animals or their pet food dishes, and then putting their hands in their mouths.
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Uh Oh, 1 Million Pounds Of Beef Is Contaminated With E. coli
Alright, you know the drill: go to your freezer and look for meat products labeled "EST. 8268," which is now code for everybody's favorite stomach bug: E. coli. The Valley Meat Company of California announced this week that they plan to recall nearly one million pounds of ground beef contaminated with the icky stomach bug.
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Should AC Caps Be Redesigned So Teens Stop Huffing The Refrigerant And Dying?
"My husband came home and saw someone hunched over by the AC unit. He basically said, 'What are you doing?' and when he did that and touched my son, he fell over. And when he fell over, he made this strange sound like the air was coming out of his lungs," said a woman who is now the president of UPROAR, United Parents to Restrict Open Access to Refrigerant.
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The Dirty Dozen: 12 Dangerous Supplements Easily Found In Stores And Online
We Americans do love our dietary supplements. More than half of the adult population have taken them to stay healthy, lose weight, gain an edge in sports or in the bedroom, and avoid using prescription drugs. In 2009, we spent $26.7 billion on them, according to the Nutrition Business Journal, a trade publication. What consumers might not realize, though, is that supplement manufacturers routinely, and legally, sell their products without first having to demonstrate that they are safe and effective. Inside,
Consumer Reports Health lists 12 supplements linked by clinical research or case reports to serious side effects
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Iams Salmonella Recall Expanded
Iams has expanded a voluntary recall of pet food because it might be contaminated with salmonella. No illnesses have been reported, but better safe than crying than over Mr. Tinkers. Here are the affected products so you can get them off your pantry:
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Toddlers And Spray Bottles Full Of Bleach Are An Irresistible Combination
Know what toddlers love? Spray bottles full of bleach. A new study shows that despite the fact that injuries from household cleaning products have decreaed by almost half since 1990 — spray bottle injuries are remaining steady. The most common product to injure kids under 6? Bleach.
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Hot Flash Spray Evamist Causes Boobs On Pets, Kids
I like FDA warnings like
this new one about Evamist, because I can file the symptoms away and use them to impress someone with my Sherlock Holmes skills. Friend: "How did you know she used Evamist?" Me: "Note the tell-tale breasts on her grandchildren and her terrier."
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The BPA! It's On Your Receipts! Get It Off Aaaa!
The Environmental Working Group has a theory to explain why bisphenol-A, the controversial chemical that's sometimes found in plastic bottles and can linings, shows up in the urine of over 90% of the population:
it's on paper receipts. The group found BPA on 40% of receipts collected from the sorts of businesses you visit every week, with the concentration topping 1000 times that of a can lining in some cases.
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Toyota Recalls 373,000 Avalons Over Steering Issue
The recall tab for Toyota keeps adding up, as the world's largest automaker announced a recall of 373,000 Toyota Avalons "to address the possibility that the vehicle's steering lock bar could break under certain conditions."
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30,000 Nap Nanny Baby Recliners Recalled Following Death Of Infant
Following the death of a 4-month-old baby, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Baby Matters LLC have announced the recall of 30,000 Nap Nanny portable baby recliners.
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Plant Under Investigation Giving Johnson & Johnson Indigestion
If the shuttering of a Tylenol plant gave Johnson & Johnson a headache, this most recent investigation into a factory that makes Pepcid, Immodium and Mylanta is surely giving the company a case of sour stomach (get it? Medicine jokes!).The Lancaster, Pa. plant was issued a Form 483 by the FDA earlier this month, and now a new report indicates 12 violations of good manufacturing processes.
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More Subpoenas For Toyota! This Time It's Steering Rods
Five years ago Toyota had a problem with their steering rods. Now a federal grand jury would like to see records relating to whether or not the company notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the problem in a timely fashion, says the WSJ.
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Perdue Recalls 90,000 Pounds Of Chicken Nuggets From Walmart Stores
The USDA and Perdue have issued a recall for more than 90,000 pounds of Great Value frozen chicken nuggets — all of it shipped to Walmart stores — because there is a possibility that the food could contain "foreign materials."
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Another Johnson & Johnson Plant Under Investigation
The hits just keep on coming for Johnson & Johnson — on the heels of the news that the company would be
closing down and laying off some 300 employees at the Philadelphia-area factory that was churning out musty, yucky pills, another plant in Lancaster, Pa., failed to receive a clean bill of health after an inspection by the Food and Drug Administration.
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Factory That Made Moldy, Barfy Recalled Tylenol Closes For Upgrades, 300 Lose Jobs
Johnson & Johnson announced late yesterday that they will lay off most of the employees of the Philadelphia-area factory that produced the controversial musty, stinky pills recalled earlier this year. Staff have been on full pay and benefits since the plant shut down in April, but the controversial (that is: filthy) facility will close down for upgrades until some undefined point in 2011.
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Recent Recalls
The products were recalled recently for being hazardous. Mr. Skully says, watch out!
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Johnson & Johnson Hit With Fraud And Racketeering Lawsuits Over Tylenol Recalls
The only thing more certain than stinky Tylenol this year is that there would be a lawsuit from consumers at some point, and now it's happened. Five times, in fact. They've been filed against Johnson & Johnson's McNeil Consumer Healthcare unit and seek class action status, and accuse J&J/McNeil of failing to properly recall the bad drugs and of failing to adequately compensate consumers.
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Apple Offering Free Repair Or Replacement On Some Time Capsules
If you were one of the early adopters for the Apple Time Capsule back in 2008 and yours won't power up, you might be able to get it repaired or replaced for free, or get a refund for repairs you already paid for, reports TUAW. To see if you've got a recalled model, look for a serial number between XX807XXXXXX and XX814XXXXXX.
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Stadium Light Poles Recalled Because They Could Spoil Your Game By Falling Over
Nothing ruins a good game of slo-pitch softball with your buddies than when a 70-foot-tall light pole falls down and goes "splat" on your shortstop. Apparently this has happened enough with a particular brand of stadium light poles that the CPSC has decided to issue a recall on them.
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Gov. Launches Product Recall App For Android
This week USA.gov launched a slew of new apps to help citizens, including a product recall app for Android.
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Viagra, Cialis Users Too Busy Doin' It To Use Condoms
Judging by the Viagra and Cialis ads on TV, users of these drugs spend their time playing novelty covers of "Viva Las Vegas" in the garage with their buddies or taking baths outdoors with their wives in separate claw-foot tubs. But no, apparently men take these pills so they can have sex, which they're doing a lot of; oh, and they're also catching a lot of STDs.
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CSPI Calls For Ban On Red 40, Yellows 5 and 6
One week after
threatening to take the happy out of Happy Meals, the Center for Science in the Public Interest now wants to remove a few colors from the food dye rainbow, calling for the FDA to issue a ban on three colors it believes are bad for your health.
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(Ben Popken)
Bedbugs Shutter Hollister Store
Nasty bitey bedbugs shut down Hollister's flagship clothing store in SoHo, New York yesterday. Gothamist reports that the store's traditional shirtless male greeters are now employed to stand outside and tell would-be shoppers that the store is closed.
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Something New To Worry About: Getting Impaled By Rogue Beach Umbrella
We're all about safety, so we feel obligated to let you know that at any time you could be impaled by a flying beach umbrella. Cover your body with Kevlar at all times. That's what one Ocean City, Maryland beach-goer should have done if she was really serious about safety. Her reckless lack of body armor resulted in a beach umbrella sticking out of her leg.
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Kid Finds Box Cutter In Peanut Bag
Anyone working in the Barcelona Nut Co. peanut factory lose a box cutter? A North Carolina teen has found it, blade extended, in his bag of nuts.
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Sony Recalls 535,000 Vaio Laptops For Overheating
Generally speaking, laptops get hot, or at least very warm. You pack all that computing power into a slim case with minimal exhaust and it's bound to happen. But Sony says that some of its popular Vaio Laptops were getting so hot they presented a potential burn hazard to users.
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California Is A Hotbed Of Rogue Nurses
Where can nurses go after they've been sanctioned elsewhere for misconduct? To California, it seems. The state's Board of Registered Nursing launched a review, spurred on by a Los Angeles Times/Pro-Publica investigation last year, and discovered 3,500 nurses who have licenses in California even though they've lost their licenses in other states; 1,700 of these nurses currently have active licenses. In more than half of all cases,
the sanctions were for serious violations such as "sexual abuse, neglect, rampant drug use and criminality."
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(Bob Sullivan)
Glass Shower Door Explodes All Over Consumer Journalist
Skreekaboosploosh! A large cut and 20 small cuts blossomed on consumer journalist Bob Sullivan's body as his tempered glass shower door exploded all around him.
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35,000 Bottles Of Scope Recalled For Defective Caps
If you have a 1-liter bottle of Scope Original Mint Mouthwash that you bought sometime since January 1st, you might want to test the cap. If it twists off without needing the sides pressed in and it's a got the number 4 stamped onto the bottom,
Procter & Gamble would like to replace it, please.
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Kellogg's Recalls 28 Million Boxes Of Cereal Over Stinky Box Liners
A few weeks after
getting slapped on the wrist by the FTC for the second time in a year, the Kellogg Company's cereal division has another embarrassment on its hands — a recall of 28 million boxes of Apple Jacks, Corn Pops, Froot Loops and Honey Smacks due to "an uncharacteristic off-flavor and smell coming from the liner in the package."
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Shuttered Tylenol Plant Had Troubling Pattern of Problems
Should Tylenol have been recalled sooner? FDA inspection reports going back to 2003 paint a queasy picture.
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VIDEO: What's So Dangerous About Drop-Side Cribs?
So
2 million drop-side cribs were recalled this morning, but what is it about drop-side cribs that leads to can lead to baby entrapment, even death? What should you do if you own a drop-side crib? What's the deal with the immobilizer devices? How do you test it to make sure its safe? Can I fix the crib myself? The CPSC answers these questions and more in a new video released this morning:
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(CPSC)
2,000,000+ Drop-Side Cribs Recalled
The CPSC recalled over 2 million drop-side cribs from seven firms today, due to reports of falling and entrapment. The makers are:
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Toyota's Toyoda Apologizes To Shareholders
Today in Tokyo, Toyota president Akio Toyoda met with shareholders for the first time since the world's largest automaker began issuing recalls on millions of its vehicles last October. And fittingly enough, the grandson of the company's founder kicked things off humbly.
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Half-A-Dozen Companies Knew About Tainted Drywall, But Stayed Mum And Kept Selling It
Newly released court documents indicate that over a half-dozen companies knew about the rotten egg smells exuding from Chinese drywall since 2006, but they stayed quiet and kept selling the junk.
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38,700 Lbs. Of Ground Beef Recalled For Possible E. Coli Contamination
Yesterday, the Dept. of Agriculture's Food Safety & Inspection Service announced two separate recalls — one in California and one in New York — totaling nearly 40,000 pounds of ground beef after learning that the batches of meat could have been contaminated with the E. coli bacteria.
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Special Lovemaking Coffee Can Cause Sudden Drop In Blood Pressure, Lovemaking
If you want to be a passionate lover, or at least a noticeably hyper one, of
course you should drink a lot of coffee before hitting the sheets. That's just common sense. But the FDA says that a specially marketed aphrodisiac coffee, Magic Power Coffee, can interfere with prescription drugs and cause a dramatic loss of blood pressure.
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Italy Recalls 70,000 "Blue" Balls Of Mozzarella
It may seem like we're going for cheap innuendo in the headline — and on some level, we are — but this time it's also accurate. Authorities in Italy have removed 70,000 balls of mozzarella from stores in Turin (or Torino, if you're not into the whole Anglicizing thing) after customers complained of a bluish tint to the spheres.
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You Still Can't Trust Trust Sunscreen SPF, Waterproof Claims
Sunscreen makers can say almost anything they want about their product's sun protection factor or water fighting ability because the FDA's sunscreen regulations are a just a teensy bit late. Well, they're actually thirty-two years late, but the FDA swears that they're going to publish final regulations by October. Except maybe not. So what can consumers do in the meantime?
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Salmonella Recall Notices No Match For Hungry, Oblivious Consumers
Look, when the Centers for Disease Control recalls your frozen pot pie because it's contaminated with salmonella, don't eat it. Sure, it sounds easy, but hundreds of consumers apparently fell ill in 2007 even after ConAgra yanked millions of contaminated Banquet pies from store shelves. So just who were these sickened frozen pot pie devotees?
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Are They Trying To Starve Us? Now Marie Callender Recalled For Salmonella
First they took our
Spaghetti-o's,
kombucha, and
cat food, now Marie Callendar cheesy chicken and rice frozen meals have been recalled for a possible link to a salmonella outbreak in 14 states. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO EAT?
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Potentially Boozy Kombucha Drinks Drive Whole Foods Yank
Whole Foods has removed all kombucha drinks from its shelves over concerns that it might contain elevated levels of alcohol. The supermarket was worried that,
to paraphrase the great poet J-Kwon, "errybody in the fermented culture club gettin' tipsy." What's kombucha, you ask? And why does the process of making it remind me of a certain Capri Sun pouch?
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Uh-Oh: 15 Million Pounds Of SpaghettiOs Recalled By Campbell's
I never got the whole SpaghettiOs thing. It always kinda tasted like noodles in ketchup to me. And now I'm quite thankful I'm not a fan, because Campbell Soup Co. has issued a recall for 15 million pounds worth of SpaghettiOs products do to the presence of undercooked meat in the canned pastas.
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IAMS Recalls Vitamin-Deficient Canned Cat Food
Do you feed your cat or kitten Iams ProActive Health canned food? Check the dates on the cans, because your noms may be part of a recall. The food isn't dangerous in itself, but has dangerously low levels of vitamin B1, which is essential for cat nutrition.
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Female Answer To Viagra Just Can't Stand Up To Testing Says FDA
Sad news for the world of gettin-it-on today: A drug that had been intended as a female analog to Viagra has not only not shown promise in tests, but has actually demonstrated some quite non-sexy side effects.
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More Moldy Barfy Benadryl And Tylenol Recalled
Oopsy-poopsies! Johnson and Johnson forgot to recall four "lots" of Benadryl Allergy Ultratabs and one lot of Extra Strength Tylenol Rapid Release Gels along with the dozens already recalled in Jan. J&J took the pills off the market after consumers complained they smelled moldy and in a few cases, caused vomiting and diarrhea.
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Kraft's Amusing Capri Sun Mold FAQ
Last week we told you how Melissa found a giant scary mold in her Capri Sun juice pouch. After she posted pictures on her Facebook, sections of the internet went totally apesh*t. This is probably because the mold looked like a giant horse eyeball and Kraft's initially slow response only fueled the flames of hysteria. As part of getting up to speed, Kraft even put up a whole FAQ devoted specifically to this one issue. Between its lines, though, you can read their frustration with the blowup. Their answer to the last question "What kind of mold is it?" is both honest and funny:
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Using H2O As Wiper Fluid Might Turn Car Into Pneumonia Breeding Ground
If you're cheap and/or lazy and use only water as your windshield wiper fluid, you could increase your risk of contracting Legionnaire's disease and pneumonia, according to a new study. That's right, treat your car poorly and it will try to kill you.
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Kroger Issues Recall Of Unintentionally Nutty Ice Cream
If you bought some Kroger Deluxe Chocolate Paradise Ice Cream recently and have a nut allergy, you might want to read this before chowing down. The grocery store chain has recalled this particular ice cream in 17 states because it may contain tree nuts not listed on the label.
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Johnson & Johnson Hired Fake Shoppers To Buy Up Bad Motrin, Avoid Public Recall
Ever since the FDA and Congress started asking Johnson & Johnson to explain why it keeps recalling medicine, there have been references to an unpublicized "recall" that happened in November 2008. Last month, at a hearing of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, a J&J executive swore that the company didn't mean to mislead anyone. It turns out that wasn't exactly accurate:
Bloomberg has obtained emails from J&J's company, McNeil Consumer Healthcare, that show executives knew the secret recall would trigger an FDA reaction if the agency got wind of its full scope.
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Study Links Popular Blood Pressure Meds To Increased Cancer Risk
Because heaven forbid a medicine can do something good without some sort of nasty side-effect, a newly released study claims that a popular class of medications used to regulate blood pressure may also slightly increase the takers' risk of getting cancer.
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Study: Overwhelming Number Of Kids' Drinks & Snacks Contain Lead
In a newly released report from the Environmental Law Foundation, nearly 150 varieties of beverages and fruit snacks marketed to children were tested for lead levels — and the results were not exactly good.
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Ikea Recalls 3.36 Million Blinds Over Strangulation Risk
After receiving a report that a 1-1/2 year old child nearly strangled to death on a loose cord, Ikea — along with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada — has issued a recall on all Roman and Roll-up blinds, as well as roller blinds that do not have a tension device attached to the bead chain, sold between Jan. 1998 and June 2009.
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Super Cool Pirates Of The Caribbean Bed Recalled Due To Not Cool Entrapment Hazard
As a child, I was always jealous of my friends who had really rad theme beds like racing cars, construction vehicles, planes and trains. So here's a bit of good news for all the envious little ones out there: That cool Pirates of the Caribbean boat bed your friend sleeps on has just been recalled.
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Got A Shrek Drinking Glass? McDonald's Will Pay You $3 For It
McDonald's is upping the ante in its recall of the
not-so-collectible Shrek drinking glasses. Although the four glass designs were recalled officially on June 4th by the CPSC, McDonald's has announced that
starting tomorrow you'll be able to bring them back to the restaurant, fill out a refund form, and get a $3 refund per glass.
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Consumer Reports Shows Some Love For The Ove Glove
I always get nervous when I find out that our labcoat-loving kin at Consumer Reports are about to test a product that I've grown to be fond of. It's like taking one of those online IQ tests and worrying that somehow you're going to find out you're nowhere near as smart as your mom always said you were. Thus, I've been curious and anxious to find out the results of CR's test on the Ove Glove, the Kevlar-containing oven mitt that has helped me fetch any number of piping hot items from the heart of a fire-breathing oven.
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Science Behind 'Lie To Me' May Be Questionable Even For TV Show Premise
Screening Passengers by Observation Technique or (SPOT) is a real, but apparently pseudo-scientific program run by the TSA that claims to train security personnel to detect tiny facial cues that will identify terrorists and other criminals as they pass through the airport. The trouble, it seems, is that the likelihood that all of this is a bunch of bs is rather high.
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(Tanja)
If Only BP Would Follow The Advice On Its Own Signs
Tanja's friend snapped this shot at a BP-owned gas station. It's important to remember that if you cause huge, needless spills of petroleum products it's only right to clean up after yourself.
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Chrysler Recalls 25,000 Dodge Caliber & Jeep Compass Vehicles Over Sticky Pedals
In the history of the auto industry, 2010 will likely go down as the Year of the Sticky Pedal, as U.S. automaker Chrysler becomes the third car manufacturer this year to issue a recall over potentially stuck accelerators.
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Retailers, Manufacturers Agree To Reduce Amount Of Lead Used In Handbags
As part of a $1.7 million settlement, over 40 major retailers and apparel manufacturers have agreed to cut back on the amount of lead used in handbags and other accessories.
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McDonald's Recalls Shrek Drinking Glasses, And Not Just Because Latest Movie Sucks
No, this isn't a hoax like yesterday's
McRibbles reports. McDonald's, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, has announced a voluntary recall of their Shrek Forever After Collectible Drinking Glasses because of a risk of exposure to cadmium.
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Don't Rinse With This Contact Lens Solution Unless You Want Burned Corneas
Do you wear contact lenses? Do you enjoy having un-scorched corneas? Then you should look out for Clear Care, a contact lens solution that uses peroxide to disinfect lenses. Used correctly, the peroxide cleans lenses nicely and is neutralized by the time you wake up. When used incorrectly to rinse lenses right before inserting them in your eyes, the product causes chemical burns to the cornea and copious screaming.
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BBQ Safety Begins When You Don't Commit Assault With A Scraper
As an addendum to
our recent BBQ safety post and, of course, a shout-out to my hometown of Elgin, IL, we ask that you not assault your fellow grillers with a BBQ scraper.
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1.7 Million Maytag Dishwashers Are Waiting To Burn Down Your House
Do you have a Maytag, Amana, Jenn-Air, Admiral, Magic Chef, Performa by Maytag or Crosley dishwasher? If you do, you're going to want to make sure your kitchen isn't on fire. If you have a dishwasher from one of these brands that was sold between February 2006 and April 2010 for between $250 and $900 at various appliance, department and home stores — check to make sure it has not been recalled. If it has, you'll need to shut off the circuit breaker that powers it.
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Survey: 15% Of Drivers Getting Their Swerve On While Driving
From cell phones to stereos to billboards to those pesky other vehicles on the road, driving a car comes with a whole host of distractions. A new survey attempts to quantify just how many people are being distracted by the various and sundry things vying for drivers' attention.
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PediaCare Pulled From Stores, Victim Of Latest Tylenol Recall
Blacksmith Brands bought the PediaCare line of children's cough and cold medicines from Johnson & Johnson last November. Unfortunately, the company hadn't switched production over to a different facility, so last Friday it had to
recall nearly 100,000 bottles that are guilty by association. There have been no complaints so far about the products, but when your manufacturer is under investigation by the FDA's
criminal division you tend to want to play it safe.
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NHTSA Warns Of Possible Stuck Accelerators In 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan Vehicles
Over the weekend, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced that it had opened a formal investigation to examine allegations of accelerator pedals in model year 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan vehicles "becoming trapped in the depressed position after the driver releases the pedal to decelerate."
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Don't Worry About Oil Spill. Remember: Oysters Love Crude Oil!
The growing oil slick that once was the Gulf of Mexico doesn't appear to be anywhere near resolution, with all attempts to staunch the flow of petroleum thus far having failed and the only solution that experts are sure will work — drilling relief wells — several months away. But as the fishermen in the area fret about what will happen to their livelihoods in both the short and long term, we found some video evidence that should quell the concerns of those in the oyster biz.
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Tylenol Recall Factory Was Staffed With Undertrained Temps
The manufacturing plant that has been the cause of Johnson & Johnson's latest in a string of recalls has already been
described as dirty and poorly maintained. It turns out that it was also staffed with temps and contract employees
who weren't properly trained, according to tax records and an FDA inspection report filed earlier this year.
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Kansas, You Are The Smartest Drivers, NY, The Dumbest
Every year GMAC ranks the average scores of their national driver's test by state — and this year Kansas had the smartest drivers and New York the dumbest. Here are the top 5 and bottom 5 from the ranking:
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Indoor Tanning Quadruples Risk Of Skin Cancer
Think that tanning bed is safer than the evil ol' sun? Not quite. A new study from the American Association for Cancer Research has determined that frequent use of tanning beds can quadruple your risk of skin cancer. But, hey, you'll look great, and isn't that the
first step to good health?
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Oily Gulf Seafood Will Literally Be Sniff Tested By Expert Smellers
Oil from the explosion of Deepwater Horizon is flooding the waters of some of the most productive coastal fishing areas in the world, says ABC News, so how will the FDA ensure that no oily fish make it into the food system? They're gonna smell it. With their noses.
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Criminal Charges Are Possible For Tylenol Recall Scandal
CNN is reporting that the FDA has referred the Tylenol recall case to their criminal division for investigation. At issue is a pattern of non-compliance with FDA warnings and failures by management of McNeil to investigate and provide a timely resolution to serious problems with the product. These problems include excess amounts of the active ingredient in Tylenol, acetaminophen.
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Want More Lead Or Pesticide In Your Body? Try Dietary Supplements
Lead has a deservedly bad reputation when it comes to human health and development, but because it's classified as a heavy metal it will always be kind of awesome. Well, to me. Pesticide, not so much. If you dislike ingesting either type of toxin, you might be interested in
a new study being released today by the Government Accountability Office that found trace amounts of "lead and other contaminants" in every sample of 40 health supplements tested.
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Study Finds Sunscreen May Help Cancer Develop Rather Than Prevent It
The advice for the Class of 99 was to
wear sunscreen, but the Environmental Working Group
doesn't think that's such great advice, concluding that sunscreen does little to prevent skin cancer and in fact may speed up the rate at which cancer develops and spreads.
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54,000 More HP Batteries Recalled
Hewlett-Packard doesn't just make props for cringeworthy
feature length commercials; the company also sells batteries that sometimes catch fire. A
year ago HP recalled about 70,000 bad batteries, and now it's
added another 54,000 to the list.
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Congress May Consider Banning Drop-Side Cribs
Kirsten Gillibrand, a senator from New York, is apparently unsatisfied with the CPSC's pledge to implement a voluntary ban of drop-side cribs. Gillibrand
plans to introduce legislation this week that would outlaw the sale of drop-side cribs and ban them from daycare centers and hotels.
Earlier this month, the CPSC said that this crib design has killed at least 32 infants and toddlers since 2000, that over 7 million drop-side cribs have been recalled since 2005.
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Some Skin Lightening Creams Are Full Of Banned Mercury
The Chicago Tribune bought 50 creams used to lighten skin and fade age spots and had them sent to an outside lab for testing — and got troubling results. Six of the creams were found to contain amounts of mercury banned by federal law. Five of the creams had enough of the toxic metal to cause kidney damage over time, the Tribune reports.
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Trader Joe's, Walmart Sprouts Recalled For Salmonella
Sprouts sold at Trader Joe's, Walmart, Kings Super Market, Numero Uno Stores, Cárdenas Markets, Gonzalez Northgate Markets, Wal-Mart stores, Jons Markets, and Canton Foods have been recalled after an outbreak of salmonella sickened more than 20 people in 10 states.
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900,000 Walmart GE Coffee Pots Are Ready To Set Your House On Fire
The CPSC has announced the recall of 900,000 GE coffee makers that were sold at Walmart. The retailer has received 83 reports of overheating, smoking, melting, burning and fire, including three reports of minor burn injuries to consumer’s hands, feet and torso. Reports of property damage include a significant kitchen fire and damage to countertops, cabinets and a wall.
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FDA Announces Widespread Investigation Of McNeil After Tylenol Recalls
Remember the
recalled liquid Tylenol and other children's medicines last month? Or the
stinky drugs that were recalled back in January? Or the children's Tylenol that was recalled
last September? The FDA remembers, which is probably why it's "conducting a
company-wide investigation of McNeil Consumer Healthcare's drug manufacturing practices to determine whether similar problems exist throughout the company." Also, a date has now been set (May 27) for the
House Committee hearing where the CEO and chairman of parent company Johnson & Johnson are expected to testify.
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BP Sucking Off 1,000 Barrels/Day From Spill, Only Thousands More To Go
By attaching a mile-long pipe to its leaking well, BP is now able to
slurp off 1,000 barrels of oil daily. The Gulf of Mexico spill currently emits about 5,000 barrels of oil per day, according to BP/Coast Guard/NOAA estimates, which have been challenged by independent scientists who put the figure
more at 70,000 barrels per day, and criticized BP for using methodology
specifically not recommended for measuring large oil spills. BP's response: we're here to stop the oil, not measure it. Scientists are also concerned that the oil could
reach a major stream that would ferry it into the Florida Keys and up the East Coast. Looks like we're gonna need a
bigger milkshake straw.
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1.8 Million Toy Dart Guns Recalled
After two boys died from choking on the darts, Family Dollar Stores
recalled 1.8 million toy dart gun sets. If the soft plastic darts are placed in one's mouth, it's possible they can be inhaled and prevent breathing.
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Family Of Four Dies In Sinkhole After Yard Silently Liquefies
The bodies of a family of four were found on their couch at the bottom of a crevasse after the area underneath their house suddenly gave way Monday. The culprit was an ancient one, the modern-day after-effects of a 10,000-year old inland sea.
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Lettuce-Borne E.Coli Outbreak Hits Fourth State
Infected romaine lettuce from a single processing facility has been linked to the sickening of at least 23 people in four different states, NY, MI, TN, and OH,
says the Center for Disease Control (CDC).
More »
Paramount Recalls Saving Private Ryan Blu-ray, Sending Out Replacements
For once, a recall that doesn't tell you a product was trying to trap your babies in crib rails, sicken your children with lead paint, catch your car on fire or poison you via over-the-counter medicine. Paramount announced the Saving Private Ryan Blu-ray that came out last week has some audio-syncing problems, so the studio
issued a recall and will send out replacement discs, High-Def Digest reports.
More »
USDA Tightens Chicken Rules
Yesterday the USDA
announced new poultry safety rules intended to slightly reduce the number of poisonings annually from salmonella and campylobacter. An agency official says that the new rules should prevent about 65,000 cases of food sickness a year, which is only a fraction of the over a million cases annually. However, most of the other food products that contribute to that number fall under FDA regulation, so the USDA can't say anything. "This is something we can do, so we're doing it," the spokesman told the Los Angeles Times.
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Safety Commission Cracking Down On Cadmium In Kids' Jewelry
It's a good thing summer camps are coming up, with their weird seminars on bracelet weaving and whittling rings, because the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has just announced a
recall of 19,000 charms sold at Claire's stores, and says that's just the beginning.
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Drop-Side Cribs Have Killed At Least 32 Kids
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced the results of its investigation of drop-side cribs and has concluded that they are
not as safe as regular cribs and have caused or contributed to at least 32 deaths since January 2000.
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Take Your Recalled Drugs To Walgreens, CVS For Refund
Got recalled Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec and Benadryl? Want a refund? Don't want to deal with the
online form? CVS and Walgreens have told the media that consumers can bring recalled medicines to their stores for a refund.
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Freshway Foods Lettuce Recalled In 23 States Following E. Coli Outbreak
Freshway Foods has recalled shredded romaine lettuce distributed in 23 states and the District of Columbia due to possible E. coli contamination. The affected lettuce was packaged for food service, wholesale, and salad bar consumption—not directly to consumers, except in salad kits sold at Kroger, Giant Eagle, Ingles Markets, and Marsh.
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Congress Opens Investigation Into Children's Tylenol Recall
The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform — the same crew behind the Toyota recall hearings — has announced that it has opened an investigation into the
recent recall of Children's Tylenol and several other brands of kids' medicine.
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FDA: McNeil Plant That Made Recalled Tylenol Is A Dirty Stinkpot With No Quality Control
One of the implied promises of a brand name, especially when it comes to drugs, is you can expect higher quality, but maybe that doesn't apply when it comes to McNeil products.The FDA says the plant that produced the recently recalled children's Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec and Benadryl, was using raw materials that
were contaminated with bacteria. The plant also lacked adequate quality-control procedures and was dirty. So far none of the recalled medicine has tested positive for bacterial contamination, but the FDA report suggests that the contaminated material was used to make the recalled lots. The plant has been shut down indefinitely.
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Should There Be A National Standard For Teen Drivers' Licenses?
Right now, 42 states allow teens under the age of 16 to get their learner's permit and seven of those offer permits to 14-year-olds. Additionally, many states have differing rules about when a teen driver can obtain his full driving rights. A handful of Senators are hoping to gather support for a law that would do away with these variances and also raise the permit age nationally to 16.
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Health Supplement Guru Nearly Dies After Ingesting Own Product
Gary Null sells something called Ultimate Power Meal, which he says you're supposed to eat twice a day every day. He did that for a month
and nearly died, so now he's suing the company that manufactured the product.
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Johnson & Johnson Not Taking Refunds On Recalled Tylenol Very Seriously
When J&J's McNeil Consumer Healthcare Unit announced a recall of children's Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec and Benadryl over the weekend, it also provided a toll free number you could call for more info. Ron Lieber at the New York Times
called it on Saturday to find out how the refund process would work. What he got was a three minute recording telling him to throw the products in the trash, but nothing else.
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Children's Tylenol, Motrin, Other Medications Recalled
Head to your medicine cupboards and start checking out the children’s meds you might have there — the
Food and Drug Administration announced today Johnson & Johnson’s McNeil Consumer Healthcare Unit has begun a voluntary recall of various medicines because of manufacturing discrepancies.
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Texting While Driving So Distracting That Meredith Vieira Yells "Oh Shit" On TV
Texting while driving is pretty damn distracting. How distracting? Well, it can make a seasoned professional TV anchor yell "Oh shit!" on the air.
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Honda Recalls 167,000 Acura TSX Vehicles
Yesterday, Honda announced that they are issuing a recall of approximately 167,000 Acura TSX vehicles — model years 2004-2008 — to replace a power steering hose. It is believed that the hose could leak power steering fluid, potentially causing a fire under the vehicle's hood.
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Don't Let Your Manicurist File Down Your Nerve Function
Consumer Reports Health medical adviser Orly Avitzur, M.D. has both a medical practice and a lovely set of manicured nails. It's this combination that gave her unique insight into the possible problems with manicures that are purportedly fancy "gel manicures," but are actually
something else more dangerous entirely. More »
Over 200,000 Graco, Simplicity Cribs Recalled
This morning, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced voluntary recalls of cribs from two different companies — Graco and Simplicity — that encompasses well over 200,000 cribs. Both recalls involve possible suffocation hazards and owners are being advised to discontinue use immediately.
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Toyota Recalls 50,000 Sequoia SUVs
It seems like it's almost been two weeks since the last Toyota recall, meaning... yep, it's time to announce another Toyota recall. This time, the car giant has issued a voluntary safety recall on around 50,000 early-2003 Model-Year Toyota Sequoia SUVs to upgrade program logic in its Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) system.
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Who Keeps Trying To Kill Our Babies?
This
"Recalled Baby Products 2009-2010" graphic from the website hugamonkey is massive, and it shows how many types of products were recalled over the past 16 months. You can use it as a reference tool to see if there's anything in your home on the list, or to remind yourself why you'd rather have a houseplant.
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55th Floridian Dies After Being Tased, Should They Be Banned? Tasers, That Is.
Derrick Humbert, 38, became the 55th Floridian to die from a Taser. He was riding his bicycle and officers asked him to stop. Instead, he rode around the corner and fled through a yard. The officers in pursuit tased him as he tried to scramble over a fence, shooting 50,000 volts of electricity into his body. 28 minutes later, he was in a coma in the ambulance, and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
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(P&G)
New Dry Max Pampers Causing Rash, Burns, Sores, Boils?
Pampers new brand of Dry Max diapers causes rashes, burns, sores, and boils on their babies, some parents are alleging in a
growing online backlash. But is it really Dry Max, or just typical diaper rash that the parents are incorrectly correlating with the new diaper?
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Your Kids Really Suck At Not Choking To Death
A
new studyshows that choking deaths among children are really a more serious problem than was previously thought and that the death rate is quite high, even among kids who were considered "old enough" for more complicated toys.
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Recall Recall!
Tropical Bedding Mattress Sets (
fire)
Le Hing Baby Walkers (
falling)
Mares Dive Computers (
drowning)
Hammary Furniture Chests and Tables (
lead)
Oriental Furniture Roman Shades and Roll-Up Blinds (
strangulation)
More »
Toyota Recalls 9,400 2010 Lexus GX 460 Vehicles
Less than one week after our lab coat-wearing brethren at Consumer Reports
issued a "Don't Buy" rating on the 2010 Lexus GX 460 SUV because of potential rollover issues, Toyota has announced a voluntary recall of approximately 9,400 GX 460s worldwide.
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Toyota Recalls 600,000 Sienna Minivans
Because 8 million recalled vehicles worldwide was apparently not enough for Toyota, the car giant has gone and recalled 600,000 of their Sienna minivans because of possible rust damage to the cable holding the spare tire.
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State Farm To Toyota: Pay Us Back For Unintended Acceleration Accidents
As if the mass of
class-action lawsuits against Toyota weren't enough for the Japanese car maker, it now faces an immediate challenge from another side — the insurance companies. State Farm announced over the weekend that they want Toyota to reimburse them for claims they've had to pay out for incidents related to sudden unintended acceleration.
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NHTSA Investigating Possible Brake Problems In 6 Million GM Trucks & SUVs
NHTSA, fresh off its
$16 million smackdown on Toyota is now investigating the company that booted Toyota from Consumerist's Worst Company In America tournament — General Motor — for possible brake failure issues in millions of the company's trucks and SUVs.
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NHTSA Hits Toyota With $16.3 Million Penalty For Sticky Pedal
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood today announced today that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is seeking the maximum civil penalty of $16.375 million against the world's largest car maker "for failing to notify the auto safety agency of the dangerous “sticky pedal” defect for at least four months, despite knowing of the potential risk to consumers."
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Gas Fire Columns Recalled For Being Too Aptly Named
Some outdoor gas fire columns sold through Costco in the past 6-7 months have been recalled, because "
gas can leak from connections in the column, posing a fire hazard." I guess that's why the photo shows it next to a serene koi pond—it's so you can grab a rake and push it into the water if it gets too fire column-y.
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GM Didn't Tell Me About Recall Before My Engine Caught Fire, Won't Help Me Out
Naader says his 2002 Buick Regal was totaled when his engine caught fire in February. He discovered afterward that GM had put out an
engine fire safety recall for his vehicle back in 2008, but he had never gotten word of the move. Now Naader says GM is stonewalling him on the compensation front.
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Gov Says All Stinky Chinese Drywall Should Be Gutted
The Consumer Products Safety Commission today released their long-awaited guidelines about the
stinky Chinese drywall that has been linked to corrosion and is described in the report as "sulfur-emitting." The bottom line? Get out the tools. That stuff's gotta go. Here's the really bad news: CPSC and HUD also recommend that you replace "electrical components and wiring, gas service piping, fire suppression sprinkler systems, smoke alarms and carbon monoxide alarms."
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Recall Roundup: Step Away From The Pepper Edition
Salmonella in the pepper! Salmonella in the hydrolyzed vegetable protein! Salmonella everywhere! Oh yeah, and some other stuff was recalled too.
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Shiny Suds! Creepy Singing Bubbles Watch You Shower
Oh, those helpful, singing, dancing scrubbing bubbles! They frolic through your shower and make all a-sparkle! But what happens after the cameras stop rolling? Let's see. Looks like some of these bubbles don't want to leave, but remain as chemical residue, and watch you shower... The video is an amusing piece of animated propaganda from Method to drive interest in the Household Labeling Act, which would require cleaning products to list all their ingredients on their labels.
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Recalled Baby Gates Failed To Prevent Plummeting Babies
Evenflo Top-of-Stairâ„¢ Plus Wood Gates are supposed to stop your baby from plummeting down the stairs. Unfortunately, they do not do this, so they have been recalled.
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1 Million Infantino Slings Recalled After 3 Babies Suffocate
The CPSC announced today that the The Infantino “SlingRider,”— a soft fabric baby carrier with a padded shoulder strap — has been recalled after three reports of deaths that occurred in these slings in 2009; a 7-week-old infant in Philadelphia, Pa.; a 6-day-old infant in Salem, Ore.; and a 3-month-old infant in Cincinnati, Ohio.
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Fake Toyota CEO: "From Now On No Brakes!"
Uh-oh, (fake) Mr. Toyoda is mad. He went on Letterman to call the latest runaway Toyota report a hoax, and he's going to get revenge for this blatant attempt to shame him. "From now on, Toyota no brakes!" Also, he's apparently upset about Jay Leno for some reason. All are punish-ed!
Fake Toyota CEO Yells at David Letterman, Mocks Jay Leno [Gawker.TV]
(Thanks to GitEmSteveDave!) More »
Document Shows Toyota Knew Of Camry Acceleration Issues In 2002
A newly uncovered document shows that Toyota alerted dealers to complaints from some drivers of 2002 Camrys about "surging during light throttle input at speeds between 38-42 mph" and that the resolution to the issue is an electronic, not mechanical issue.
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Zocor Can Increase Chance Of Muscle Injury & Kidney Damage: FDA
While myopathy (muscle injury) is a known side effect for all cholesterol-lowering statin medications, the FDA has just issued a warning that, when prescribed and used at higher doses, Zocor (generic name: simvastatin) carries with it a greater risk of developing muscle injury, including the most serious form of myopathy, rhabdomyolysis, which can lead to kidney damage, kidney failure, and possibly death.
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FAA Proposes Over $1 Million In Fines Against American Airlines
It's been a bad week for American Airlines. Not only are their
flight attendants and ground crew edging closer to a strike, the FAA has proposed over $1 million in fines for alleged safety violations.
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NHTSA: No Evidence Of Braking In NY Prius Crash
Looks like those who called "driver error" on the Prius that
slammed into a stone wall in upstate New York a couple weeks back might have reason to boast. An e-mail from NHTSA seems to negate the driver's claims that she attempted to brake during the incident.
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Graco Recalls 1.2 Million Harmony High Chairs
Graco has announced a recall of approximately 1.2 million of their Graco Harmony High Chairs after finding that the screws holding the front legs of the chair can loosen and fall out. Also, the plastic bracket on the rear legs can crack, "causing the chair to become unstable and tip over unexpectedly."
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Inspectors Unable To Replicate Braking Problem In Runaway Prius Case
Inspectors looking into last week's
runaway Prius in Southern California are having troubled determining the cause of the incident, and haven't been able to replicate the braking problem.
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CDC Used Shopper Loyalty Cards To Solve Mysterious Salmonella Outbreak
The shopper loyalty cards that your grocery store provides can have a higher purpose than giving you discounts, profiling your shopping habits, and racking up points for rewards programs. Loyalty card data can also help track down the source of foodborne pathogens, retaining records of specific brands and items that customers probably won't remember. Trying to find the source of a mysterious salmonella outbreak, the CDC mined grocery loyalty card data to narrow the source down to specific brands of Italian cured meat.
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Runaway Prius Was On Its Way To Dealership Before Crash
Remember the story the other day about the woman in New York who
slammed her runaway Prius into a stone wall? In an interesting little twist, the police say she was actually on her way to the Toyota dealership to have her car serviced when the incident occurred.
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Woman Crashes Toyota Into Church, Blames Stuck Accelerator
Another day, another report of a Toyota crash being blamed on a stuck gas pedal. This time, it's a 76-year-old woman in Connecticut claiming her recalled Toyota Camry went nuts on her and — in spite of her best efforts to stop it — crashed into a church.
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Nissan Loses Devoted Customer Over Demonic Driver's Seat
Consumerist reader Brian has been devoted Nissan owner his entire adult life, having owned upward of 10 different Nissan vehicles over the years. But now Brian is looking to move onto non-Nissan pastures after the driver's side seat of his new Pathfinder became possessed by some sort of malicious demon.
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Little Girl Gets Arm Trapped In Coke Machine
A curious six-year-old girl in Aberdeen, Scotland, had to be freed by firefighters after she got her arm stuck inside a Coca-Cola vending machine on Sunday.
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(Blades pictured above are not part of recall.)
Gerber Machete Recalled Because It Could Cut You
Gerber Legendary Blades is recalling 149,000 machetes in its Gator line, because you could slice your hand open if it slides across the blade. Yeah, we kind of imagine that's one of the things you'd want to watch out for if you're carrying an 18-inch blade that's razor-sharp on one side and saw-toothed on the other. Of course, it's one thing to slash yourself because you're off playing Indiana Jones without knowing what you're doing, and quite another to have it happen because the knife's handle wasn't designed as well as it could have been.
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Man Dies In Freak Gas Pump Fire Caused By Static Electricity
A Pennsylvania man
died last Friday in a freak fire at a gas station. Authorities say that the fire was sparked by static electricity on the man's body, and he died of inhalation of superheated gases. While this type of fire is very rare and fatalities even rarer, they do happen. To prevent them, you should do something terribly mundane: do not ever get back in your car while fueling, and make sure to touch a metal surface before fueling.
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Yet Another Toyota Prius Goes Rogue, Smashes Into Wall
Things went from bad to worse to downright awful for Toyota on Tuesday as yet another of their Prius hybrid vehicles was involved in an accident involving a stuck accelerator pedal.
More »
Toyota Still At Loss For How To FIx Problem WIth Prius
A day after a 2008 Toyota Prius
went rogue at speeds over 90mph on a California interstate, Toyota has admitted that, even though the Prius is on the current recall list, they don't quite know how to fix the problem.
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Don't Let Your Battery Charger Expose Your PC To Hackers
If you're using the Energizer Duo battery charger, and have connected it to your PC to check the charge levels of the batteries, you may have inadvertently exposed yourself to a program that could give hackers access to your computer. The charger has been discontinued, and Energizer recommends removing the software along with the file that enables the backdoor.
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Toyota Prius Runs Wild At 90mph With Stuck Accelerator
This is probably not how Toyota wanted their week to start. Yesterday afternoon in Southern California, a man called 911 because he was unable to unstick the accelerator pedal of his 2008 Toyota Prius and continued to drive at speeds of over 90 mph until finally coming to a stop.
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Advice: Do Not Shave Your Privates While Driving
Much is said about
distracted driving. Don't text, don't talk on the phone, don't eat soup. Apparently nobody bothered to tell one Florida woman not to shave her privates while driving. Clearly, this was our mistake.
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Toyota Workers Say Bosses Have Ignored Safety Concerns For Years
Adding a bit of fuel to the anti-Toyota fire, six Toyota manufacturing employees now say they wrote a memo to company executives in 2006 voicing concerns about vehicle safety and long-term impact on the company, only to be completely ignored.
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Salmonella In Common Food Additive Leads To Recall Of Pretty Much Every Food Ever
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein is a flavor enhancer, similar in composition and tastiness to the much-maligned monosodium glutamate, that is seemingly unavoidable. Thanks to salmonella contamination in the HVP paste at Basic Food Flavors, Inc. in Las Vegas, the FDA has recalled every food containing the product, ranging from salty snacks to salad dressings to soup and gravy mixes. The list of recalled foods containing the product is still growing, and encompasses familiar brand names ranging from Walmart's Great Value brand to McCormick to Trader Joe's. Now we now get to find out exactly how complex our food supply is and how widely used an additive HVP is.
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Foodborne Illness Costs U.S. $152 Billion Annually, Still Good Excuse To Skip Work
It may seem like a minor inconvenience when you're home sick with some kind of foodborne illness, but the overall cost of these illnesses to our economy is huge—and staggering when you consider how many foodborne illnesses are preventable.
A new study from the Produce Safety Project, a Pew Charitable Trusts initiative, shows that foodborne illness costs $152 billion nationwide each year in medical care and quality of life.
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Think Your Recalled Toyota Is Fixed? Maybe Not
As Toyota continues to slog through the millions of cars and trucks on it massive recall list, several drivers whose vehicles have been to the dealer and back are saying that there cars are still experiencing problems with sudden acceleration and bad braking.
More »
Nissan Recalls 540,000 Cars
Due to potential problems in brake pedal pins and fuel-gauge components, Nissan is recalling 540,000 cars, 179,000 of which are in the US.
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AUDIO: Listen As A Kid Directs Air Traffic At JFK
We know that JFK is woefully understaffed in the air traffic control tower, but this is downright silly. The FAA has confirmed that a newly uncovered audio file is indeed that of a young child controlling air traffic over the radio to planes waiting to depart the busy NYC airport.
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Data Shows Toyota Might Be Crashiest Cars On The Road
Toyota
might be getting a pity party at home in Japan for the skewering the car company is receiving over their recall of 8 million vehicles, so this latest report will probably turn them into saints. A new look at almost 13,000 speed-related complaints over the last decade shows that Toyota led the pack in with the most complaints involving a crash.
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American "Overreaction" To Recall Is Winning Toyota Sympathy At Home
Apparently the Stateside uproar over the recall of 8 million Toyotas — and worries that the company may be attempting to conceal potential defects — has had the inverse effect in the car company's homeland. According to a new report, the Japanese public thinks America is overreacting to the situation.
More »
Congress Accuses Toyota Of Deliberately Withholding Documents
Last week, the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform issued a subpoena for documents from former Toyota lawyer Dimitrios Biller as part of their investigation into exactly when the car giant knew about possible defects in their now-recalled vehicles. And now that they have their hands on Mr. Biller's papers, they are accusing Toyota of deliberately holding back important information.
More »
Out-Of-Control Lexus Still On Road, Apparently No Longer Out-Of-Control
If you've been following the hearings this week about the Toyota recall debacle, you're probably well aware of Rhonda Smith, who spoke before the House Committee on Energy & Commerce to share her
harrowing story of trying to stop her suddenly accelerating Lexus ES350 back in 2006. Well, NHTSA now says that that car is still on the road — and that the new owners haven't experienced any problems.
More »
Toyota Clusterfracas Might Free Man Jailed For Vehicular Homicide
"Brakes, brakes not working!" screamed Lee moments before crashing his 1996 Toyota Camry into the back of another car, killing a family of three. In 2006, the Minnesota jury didn't believe this testimony and sentenced Lee to 8 years in prison. In 2010, they might be changing their mind.
More »
Weird-Tasting Girl Scout Cookies Recalled
Some Girl Scout cookies have been recalled because they
"contain oils that may be breaking down which can result in an off taste and smell." Fortunately, only the lemon creme sandwich cookies were affected, and nobody likes those anyway.
More »
Toyota's Toyoda Tears Up After Testimony
While Toyota chief Akio Toyoda did his best to
withstand over three hours of non-stop questioning in front of the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform yesterday, he didn't fare as well when he spoke in front of Toyota employees only a short while later.
More »
Street Vendors Protest Because They Would Rather Not Wet Themselves
Following the news earlier this week that a street food vendor in New York City had
lost his permit because he left his hot nut cart unattended while he used a nearby restroom, several vendors gathered outside the City's Dept. of Health offices yesterday in protest.
More »
FBI Raids 3 Auto Parts Suppliers In Detroit As Part Of Anti-Trust Case
While the House Committee on Oversight & Government Reform was busy raking Toyota's chief executives over the coals in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Federal agents in Detroit were going all Untouchables-like at the offices of three auto parts suppliers, including one company owned in part by Toyota.
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Pontiac Vibe Owners, Don't Laugh At Your Toyota-Owning Friends
Amid the Toyota recall hubbub, a little, tiny — though related —
GM recall of the Pontiac Vibe went largely unnoticed, unless you happen to own a Vibe, like Mitch.
More »
VIDEO: Owner Describes Surviving Out Of Control Lexus
During today's House Committee on Energy & Commerce hearing on the Toyota recall debacle, Congress heard from Rhonda Smith, a former Lexus owner who detailed her 2006 brush with death — and the even more horrid tale of her repeated attempts to get either Toyota or NHTSA to listen to her. Perhaps most chilling, Rhonda even tried to put the car in neutral while hurtling down the road, but not even that could stop the "possessed" Lexus.
More »
Toyota Boss Risks Own Life By Testing Toyotas
A full day before he's scheduled to appear before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to answer questions about the massive recall of 8.5 million Toyotas, the car giant's President and CEO Akio Toyoda has released the text of his prepared statement. And amid all the "Sorry about that, but we're workin' on it," stuff you'd expect, comes an interesting bit of tid — Toyoda claims that he does some of the testing himself.
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Toyota Boss Akio Toyoda Feels Your Pain
As his company continues to circle the drain, Toyota President and CEO Akio Toyoda wants everyone to know that it's not just Toyota drivers that are getting hurt, it's a little bit of him too.
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Transportation Secretary LaHood & Toyota's Lentz Defend Themselves To Congress
Both Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Toyota U.S. President James Lentz are scheduled to appear before the House Committee on Energy & Commerce this morning, but in prepared remarks released before the hearing, these two fine chaps attempt to shrug off many of the accusations hurled at both sides of the Toyota recall debacle.
More »
Congress Rips NHTSA A New One Over Toyota Debacle
Following this weekend's revelation that Toyota bigwigs were
bragging to each other about saving $100 million by convincing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to drop an investigation into a recall of the company's Camry and Lexis vehicles, Congressmen Henry Waxman, Chair of the House Committee on Energy & Commerce and Bart Stupak, Chair of the Subcommittee on Oversight & Investigations, broke out their typewriters to voice their opinions in no uncertain terms to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
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Grand Jury Issues Subpoenas, Opens Criminal Investigation In Toyota Recall
Answering all those people who asked, "Shouldn't the Justice Department be the ones handling the Toyota recall hearings?", the car company confirmed today that both federal prosecutors
and the Securities and Exchange Commission have already dropped a load of subpoenas on their desks.
More »
Is An FDA Conflict Of Interest Keeping Avandia On The Market?
A new report from the Senate Finance Committee alleges that drug company GlaxoSmithKline not only
knew about a possible link between their diabetes medication Avandia and heart attacks, but also
acted to keep the FDA from pulling the drug off shelves. If so, how were they able to do it?
More »
43-Year-Old Accused Of Seducing Teen Boy Over PlayStation Home
In a scene straight from some horrible, technophobic TV movie, a 43-year-old woman is currently the target of a police search in Oklahoma after she allegedly seduced a 14-year-old boy she met while chatting over PlayStation Home.
More »
Toyota Bragged About Saving $100 Million With 2007 Floormat Recall
You know those scenes toward the end of James Bond movies where the bad guy goes on and on about his elaborate plan and what a genius he is? That never happens in real life, right? No, in the real world the bragging is done in "confidential" documents that are never meant to see the light of day... but always do. Just ask the folks at Toyota.
More »
Congress Issues Subpoena For Toyota Recall Documents
Shortly after Toyota chief Akio Toyoda
accepted an invite from Congress to appear before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform next week, committee Chairman Edolphus “Ed” Towns of New York and Ranking GOP Member Darrell Issa of California issued a subpoena to Dimitrios Biller, the car giant's former National Managing Counsel in the U.S., for “all documents relating to Toyota motor vehicle safety and Toyota’s handling of alleged motor vehicle defects and related litigation.”
More »
Morningstar Farms Veggie Dogs Disappear, Taking Vegetarians' Dreams With Them
After the
Eggo waffle saga, readers implored us to find the whereabouts of another iconic [to vegetarians] American prepared food: the Morningstar Farms veggie dog. The dogs disappeared from stores nationwide sometime in the summer of 2009, but have never returned.
More »
Toyota Boss Accepts Invite From Congress, Unsure Of What To Wear
Setting up what is sure to be a thrilling showdown like something out of a
Highlander movie, Toyota's President and CEO Akio Toyoda has decided to accept Congressman Ed Towns'
formal invitation to appear before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
More »
Allow Yourself To Stop Being Obsessed With "Sell By" Dates On Food
Slate has an interesting article about food expiration dates and their meaning — which can be somewhat slippery. The basic idea is this: You don't have to throw out food just because its past the "Sell By" date. You should inspect your food to see if it has spoiled and try to make a rational decision.
More »
Baby Bracelets, Pacifier Clips Recalled Because Lead Is Apparently Not Good For Your Infant
Take a look at this cute little baby bracelet made by Allreds Design (also known as Hidden Hollow Beads) of Utah. It's the perfect little trinket to bling up your toddler — and give her lead poisoning.
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Toyota's Toyoda Gets Formal Invite To Appear Before Congress
In the weeks since it was announced that the U.S. Congress would be holding hearings on the current massive recall of Toyotas, the car giant's president, Akio Toyoda, had been saying "
Thanks, but no thanks," to the idea of appearing before the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform. And then yesterday, he softened a bit, saying he would consider attending the hearing if given a formal invitation. Well, Mr. Toyoda... Ask and ye shall receive.
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How Bad Would Another Recall Be For Toyota?
As the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Toyota
look into whether or not complaints of steering problems in 2009 and 2010 Corollas merit a recall, it's worth investigating both the potential financial and public relations costs for the auto giant.
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Salami Recall Expanded To Include 1.3 Million Pounds Of Potentially Deadly Meat
Less than two months after announcing a
huge recall of salami and other cured meats that are behind a recent salmonella outbreak, it was announced today that the recall has been expanded even further.
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Toyota Boss Slams Brakes On Speaking To Congress
Even though there's been
talk of issuing a subpoena to Toyota President Akio Toyoda, compelling him to speak before Congress, the big boss at the recall-happy car manufacturer has decided to let others do the talking for him.
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Toyota Throttles Back On Production At Two U.S. Plants
With their sales sinking as they deal with the massive recall of 8 million vehicles, Toyota announced today that they are trimming back production at two U.S. factories in an effort to avoid an overstock of unsold automobiles.
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Morning Sickness Remedy Found To Contain Lead And Arsenic
Morning sickness sucks. And if you want to make it even worse, pick up some calabash chalk. The FDA is now saying the traditional morning sickness remedy — also called nzu, poto, calabar stone, mabele, argile or la craie — has been found to contain lead and arsenic.
More »
Snow Thrower Wheels Still Exploding 4 Years After Recall
Recalls are imprecise and never fully successful, but how can they be improved? Jeff Gelles of the Philadelphia Inquirer took a look at
the recall problem with snow throwers manufactured by a company called MTD, and sold under Yard Machines, Troy-Bilt, and Craftsman brands. The snow throwers used plastic wheel rims which sometimes exploded, so in 2006 the company cooperated with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and announced a recall.
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Toyota Wants To Kiss And Make Up, Wants You To Keep Buying Toyotas
Now that Toyota has almost nearly completed its time in the naughty spot for dumping a few million potentially deadly vehicles on the market, the world's largest auto manufacturer is looking to make nice. But instead of flowers, candy or poetry, Toyota is making plans to woo you back into their showrooms with increased cash incentives and improved maintenance plans.
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Toyota Recalls 8,000 Tacoma Pickup Trucks While They're At it
Toyota has recalled eight thousand Tacoma pickup trucks because of possible cracks in the driveshaft. Interestingly, this same part was used in some Ford and Nissan vehicles, but apparently Toyota management said, "what the hell, we'll recalling everything else—might as well bring this one in too while we're at it."
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Toyota President Taking Heat For Rescheduling U.S. Trip
Imagine you're a teenager being forced to attend a family get-together the day after you totaled your parents' car while doing donuts in the school parking lot. Awkward, right? Now, imagine you did that to around 8 million cars and you'll have some understanding of just how tense the room will be when Toyota president Akio Toyoda makes the rounds stateside in a few weeks. It's almost enough to pity the guy. No, wait... it's not.
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"Tiny Love" Stabby Wind Chimes Recalled
"Tiny Love" wind chimes are getting recalled because when you open them they are filled with stabby metal rods. Also, because the people opening them up would be the babies in the cribs over which the chimes are suspended. [
CPSC via
Safety Blog]
Learn To Love Your Messed Up Toyota With This Parody
Funny or Die wants to help Toyota out of this awkward situation it's found itself in, so the site has posted a
helpful video of a cheerfully steely spokeswoman who likes to point with both hands. It's like she's shooting good news in your face! Pow pow! And really, it's true that you
can have an awesome garage party without ever needing to take your Toyota on the road, so maybe you should stop being so pessimistic. Video below.
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Trader Joe's Recalls Chocolate Chip Chewy Coated Granola Bars
Apparently not content to let Toyota and Honda hog all the recall headlines this week, the good folks at grocery store chain Trader Joe's have announced a "my bad" of their own, recalling a few batches of their Trader Joe’s Chocolate Chip Chewy Coated Granola Bars — no, not for having a ridiculously long name — but because you might get sick from eating them.
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Pathologist: Herbal Remedies Can Be Deadly
In a paper published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences, a forensic pathologist warns self-medicators to be careful when they're taking unregulated herbal remedies.
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Generation 2 Cribs Recalled After 3 Deaths
The Generation 2 crib, which was sold by ChildDESIGNS until the company folded in 2005, is
being recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) after reports of three infant deaths and 28 other safety incidents. Usually in a recall like this, the manufacturer offers to send out repair kits or replacement parts, but as the manufacturer no longer exists the CPSC is urging consumers to stop using the crib for good, effective immediately. But that doesn't necessarily mean you're out the $60-160 dollars that it cost.
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Toyota Recalls More Than 400,000 Cars For Faulty Brakes
Hey!
The rumors were true! Toyota is recalling more cars! This time they are hauling you back to the dealer for a braking problem that is affecting several of their hybrid models — including the 2010 Prius, the Sai, which is not sold in the U.S., the plug-in version of the Prius, and the Lexus HS250h. They are also recalling 7,300 Camrys for a completely different problem.
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Energy Co Fills House With Oil, Endangering Family
A Long Island family was nearly incapacitated after a local energy company mistakenly delivered oil into a disconnected pipe on the front of their house,
dumping nearly 50 gallons of heating oil into their basement.
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Report: Toyota Will Recall 270,000 Prius Hybrids Over Brake Problems
The Associated Press is reporting that a top Japanese business newspaper (that we don't understand because our Japanese reading comprehension really sucks) says that Toyota will recall 270,000 Prius hybrids over complaints about
"inconsistent" braking. Consistently being able to brake, of course, is something you tend to want in a car. The braking problem is unrelated to the floor mat and the "sticky pedal" issue.
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Great, Now People Are Complaining About Toyota's Brakes
Toyota is having a hell of a time lately. According to CNNMoney, "more than 100 complaints alleging poor brake performance have been lodged with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration against the 2010 Prius." In addition, there have been 14 complaints in Japan. Ouch, if it's not one pedal it's another, eh?
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A TV On A Dresser Can Crush Your Kid To Death
It probably hasn't occurred to you that each year there are nearly 26,000 people treated in emergency rooms for injuries sustained by tipping furniture and TVs. It certainly hadn't occurred to us. Our sister-publication, Consumer Reports, put together a video demonstration showing how your kid can get crushed climbing up a dresser towards your TV.
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Honda Dealer Mocks Toyota, Touts Cars' Non-Deathtrap Status
Well, this is classy. The photo at left purports to be of a Honda dealer in Dallas taking advantage of Toyota's own private carpocalypse. That is, the serious gas pedal issue that has led to the recall of 2.3 million vehicles and halted production and sales of Toyotas. Hondas, as we all know, are
free of mechanical defects.
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Toyota Stops Selling 8 Popular Car Models
A week after
issuing a recall on over 2 million vehicles due to faulty acceleration pedals, Toyota has announced it will
stop selling 8 popular models in the U.S., as well as shut down 6 U.S. factories, while it deals with the problem. The faulty pedals were made by a U.S. manufacturer but have also been installed in cars sold in Europe, although Toyota hasn't said what it plans to do outside the U.S. for now.
Update: SafetyResearch.net says Toyota was required by law to stop selling the models after it announced the recall last week, so it's actually kind of strange that it waited five days.
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Boar's Head, Dietz & Watson, Daniele Salami Recalled For Salmonella
Last week, 1.2 million pounds of various cured meats made by Rhode Island's Daniele International but sold under different names were recalled due to possible salmonella poisoning. Labels the affected meats were sold under include Daniele, Dietz & Watson, Black Bear of the Black Forest, and Boar's Head.
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1.2 Million Pounds Of Cured Meat Recalled For Salmonella
1.2 million pounds of Daniele International salami, sausage, and other cured meat products have been yanked out of stores and recalled due to possible salmonella contamination. The meats are linked to 184 sick individuals in 38 states. At least 35 people have been hospitalized, but none have died.
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Recall Roundup: When Glitter Attacks
This week in recalls: flaming sparkly things, collapsing chairs and bikes, and chicken pot pies seasoned with metal pins. A little something for everyone!
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1.5 Million Strollers Recalled Due To Finger-Chopping Danger
If you're a parent with a Graco stroller who values your child's fingertips, you might want to take a look
at this recall, in which 1.5 million of the rolling digit-guillotines are being summoned far, far away from munchkins until they're repaired.
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E. Coli Recall: 864,000 Pounds Of Ground Beef
Huntington Meat Packing Inc. is recalling 864,000 pounds of beef due to potential E. coli contamination. Inside, the six different Huntington products subject to the recall.
FDA Is Mad: Funky, Smelly, Barfy Tylenol Has Been A Problem Since 2008
The FDA is @#$%# pissed off at McNeil, the company that makes smelly, barfy Tylenol and other products, because apparently this problem has been going on since 2008.
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Tylenol Recall Now Includes A Bunch Of Other Products
Some batches of a certain type of Tylenol had an unusual moldy, musty, or mildew-like odor that is associated with non-serious nausea, stomach pain, vomiting, or diarrhea. The smell is apparently from a chemical that was on the wood pallets the pills were stored on. Originally, the recall was just for one type of Tylenol. Now there is a
big ass list, which includes some types of Motrin, Rolaids and St. Joseph brand products.
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U.S. Airways Flight 401 Had Passenger Infected WIth Tuberculosis
A tuberculosis-infected passenger flew on U.S. Airways 401 Saturday from Philadelphia to San Francisco,
CNN reports. This despite the fact that the contagious and unidentified passenger was listed on a federal "do not board" list.
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New Nonprofit Created To Make Drivers Put The Damn Phone Down
What would it take to get you to put the phone down while you're driving? FocusDriven is an advocacy group for the victims of accidents caused by distracted drivers, and their families. The group hopes to do for distracted driving what Mothers Against Drunk Driving was able to do for drunk driving—raising awareness that it's a really stupid thing that can hurt innocent people you don't know.
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Slim-Fast Thinks Its Shakes Are Worth About 29 Cents A Can
Daniel agreed to throw away 35 cans of Slim-Fast after the company announced a recall last month over fears of contamination. He called the number provided by Unilever and provided his address, and then waited for the full refund they promised. What he got was a check for $10.20.
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Acer Recalls 22,000 Defective Laptops
22,000 Acer laptops have been recalled by Acer and the CPSC because of a wiring defect. The computers can short circuit, melt the casing, and theoretically burn users.
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Home Improvement Books Recalled
The publisher of a series of home improvement books has announced a recall of nine of them, because of errors in their instructions on
installing or repairing electrical wiring. The Consumer Products Safety Commission says no injuries have been reported so far even though the books have been published since 1975, which I think proves that nobody has ever actually attempted a project from any home improvement book.
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Hey, Corvette Owners, Your Roofs May Fly Off
If you're a Corvette owner who really, really likes to feel the wind in your hair as you drive, you may not want to partake in a
recall that prevents roofs from flying off as you speed down the highway.
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Self-Described Toy Tester Will Go Through Your Stuff If You Pay Her
Every time there's a warning or recall over lead-tainted toys—and it hasn't happened much this past year, but check out our archives from a couple of years ago—lots of people get up in arms about not being able to trust the government or big business. Well, one woman has bought herself an X-ray flourescence (XRF) analyzer and now
hires her services out to worried families, reports the Washington Post. For a fee, she'll come to your house, point her gun at your kids' toys, your heirlooms, the fishtank, whatever you ask her to test, and then tell you whether you should throw it out.
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RC2 Agrees To Pay $1.25 Million Over Lead Toys
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has just worked out another penalty settlement with a toy company over those lead-tainted toys that graced shelves from 2005 to 2007. Reuters says RC2 will
pay a $1.25 million civil penalty to resolve allegations that it "imported and sold Thomas & Friends Wooden Railway toys with paints and surface coatings that contained lead levels above legal limits." About two years ago, RC2
settled a class-action lawsuit over the same toys.
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"Moldy Smelling" Tylenol Recalled
All TYLENOL® Arthritis Pain Caplet 100 count bottles with the distinctive red EZ-OPEN caps have been recalled after consumer complaints of "an unusual moldy, musty, or mildew-like odor that was associated with nausea, stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea."
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Pretty Much All Roman And Roll-Up Blinds Recalled
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the Window Covering Safety Council have announced a "recall to repair" of all Roman shades and roll-up shades, after multiple reports of deaths and near strangulations in recent years. If you've got kids in your house and you use either type of window covering, visit
www.windowcoverings.org or call 800-506-4636 to receive a free kit that will let you retrofit the shades and blinds with clips.
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E. Coli Vaccine Could Make It Safer To Be A Meatatarian
E. coli, your future is looking as bleak as the Pittsburgh Steelers' playoff chances because
a vaccine has overcome some governmental hurdles to enter testing. If approved, the vaccine could stop e. coli from finding its way into 65 to 75 percent of animals, the New York Times reports:
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Baby Hammock Recalled After Two Deaths
Maybe those
hamsters are okay, but these Amby Baby Motion hammock beds are not. Two infants have died—one in June, the other in August—from suffocation, prompting Amby Baby and the CPSC to issue a recall notice. You can make the hammock safe to use after repairing it with a free kit, which
you can order directly from Amby Baby.
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Relax, Toy Hamsters Not Metalloid Death Bringers After All
You can dig up that bag of Zhu Zhus from your backyard and re-wrap them for the kids again. The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has said that the robot hamsters are not loaded with too much antimony after all, despite
claims made by the website GoodGuide.
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Consumerist Videodrome #2: The "New Moon" Felons
Is loving New Moon a crime? It is, if you accidentally tape it during your sister's surprise birthday party at the movie theater. Plus, how you will end up paying for Hulu after the Comcast/NBC merger, Oscar Meyer shaved meat, subprime loan gangstas, and a pacifier you might choke on. Now that we have a video show, what should my signoff be? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
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Zhu Zhu Pets May Contain Poisonous Substance: Should You Care?
This holiday season's inexplicably hot toy, Zhu Zhu Pets, may be hazardous to your health. And not just because many parents stood outside in the cold for hours to get one. No, according to green ratings guide GoodGuide.com, the
cuddly robot toys contain high levels of the substance antimony, which could be hazardous.
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Recall Roundup: Slim Faster Edition
Here's a fresh batch of recalls for you! Manufacturers have seemingly forgotten that drawstrings on children's clothing are bad, and bacterial contamination in Slim-Fast cans could give you far more weight loss than you ever intended.
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Diamond Cat Food Recalled For Thiamine Deficiency
Diamond Pet Foods has recalled certain bags of dry cat food following 21 reports of health problems in cats. Select batches of Premium Edge Finicky Adult Cat and Premium Edge Hairball do not contain enough thiamine, which is an essential nutrient for cats. Without it, they could develop thiamine deficiency. If untreated, this disorder could result in death,
says the AP. More »
Toyota Will Shorten Recalled Vehicles' Gas Pedals
If your car is one of the 3.8 million Toyotas affected by the
stuck gas pedal recall, soon you'll put your driver's side floor mat back in. Starting in December, Toyota will begin repairing the defect temporarily by removing 3/4" from the bottom of the pedal. They'll begin installing replacement pedals in April.
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Stroller Company Maclaren Knew About Amputation Risk 5 Years Ago
—>The British company Maclaren knew that its recently recalled strollers could potentially lop off a tot's fingertips over five years ago, reports the New York Post, but it didn't bother to alert the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). More »
1 Million Maclaren Strollers Recalled After 12 Finger Amputations
—>Following 12 reports of accidental finger amputation, stroller company Maclaren is recalling 1 million strollers. Every single Maclaren stroller sold since 1999 is included in the recall. More »
Toyota Says It's Not Hiding Anything In Runaway Cars Investigation
—>One of Toyota's execs said today that the company isn't covering up information about its suddenly accelerating cars, but the Department of Transportation doesn't seem to agree. More »
Memo Reveals Tragic Details Of Stuck Pedal Lexus Crash (Pics)
—>Tragic details are revealed in NHTSA memo about the Lexus that crashed at almost 100 MPH after the gas pedal became stuck on the floormat, leading to the immolation and death of the four family-members inside, and Toyota's 3.8 million vehicle recall. More »
FAA Continues To Investigate American Airlines, May Charge Individual Mechanics
—>The FAA has been investigating American Airlines for a while now over allegations that it wasn't repairing its planes properly, and yesterday the Wall Street Journal reported that the agency may widen its investigation, and even bring charges against individual employees who signed off on substandard repairs. More »
Tiny Turtles Spread Joy, Salmonella
—>Turtles remain a popular pet with kids. In 1975 the U.S. banned the sale of ones smaller than 4 inches, but the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) estimates almost 2 million were being kept as pets as of 2006. They're also responsible for one of the slowest outbreaks of salmonella we've seen in recent years. More »
The 10 Riskiest Foods That Aren't Meat Or Poultry
—>This list of the 10 riskiest foods might surprise you at first, because there's no mention of any sort of meat or poultry. But that's because it's from the FDA, which doesn't regulate those two food categories. When it comes to produce, dairy, eggs and seafood, here's what to watch out for, listed in order from most outbreaks to least. More »
Toyota: 911 Call Of Family's Fatal Lexus Crash Due To Gas Pedal Stuck On Floormats
—>Warning: This audio is graphic and shocking. Before Toyota could be bothered to recall 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus cars that they had known for two years had a problem, an off-duty state trooper and three members of his family had to die in fatal car crash when the gas pedal got stuck on the floormat. This is the recording of their 911 call moments before they crashed into the end of the freeway at 120 mph. More »
Non-Recalled Toyotas Could Still Have Dangerous Floor Mats
—>Just because your specific Toyota wasn't among the 3.8 million recalled last week doesn't mean you're safe. More »
Why E. Coli Still Makes Its Way Into Your Meat Supply
—>Before you bite into that juicy hamburger, you might want to better understand how the meat industry creates, tests (or doesn't test), then distributes ground beef. A detailed investigation by Michael Moss at the New York Times proves eating it is "still a gamble. Neither the system meant to make the meat safe, nor the meat itself, is what consumers have been led to believe." More »
Parental Control Software Co. Sells What Kids Say On The Internet
—>If you're a company like Echometrix that sells parental control software, you're sitting on a whole bunch of data about what teens and children say and do on the Internet. What to do with that information? Use it to make your software better? Well, of course. But why not sell aggregate data to marketers, too? More »
Federal Employees Banned From Texting While Driving
—>An executive order issued this week bans federal employees from texting while driving when using government vehicles or phones, or while on government business. Given the safety risks of texting while driving, we think this was a good move, and hope that it extends to the general population. Take our poll and tell us what you think, inside. More »
Toyota Recalls 3.8 Mil Cars For Stuck Gas Pedal Danger
—>Toyota is recalling 3.8 million cars and warning owners of certain late-model cars to immediately remove their driver's side floor mat to avoid accelerators getting stuck. The affected Toyota and Lexus models are: More »
Crash Test Wars: 1959 Chevy Bel Air VS 2009 Chevy Malibu
—>The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) celebrated its 50th anniversary the same way we all celebrate our major milestones: by smashing up a classic car and putting footage of it on the Internet. More »
Ban On Long Tarmac Delays Close To Being Passed
—>If Senator Barbara Boxer has her way, the Senate's Federal Aviation Administration Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act will soon require airlines to "deplane passengers after three hours and would require [the airlines] to provide basic services such as food and water while they are waiting on planes." The requirement is in the current version of the bill, and Boxer and another Democrat, Senator Amy Klobuchar, have threatened to filibuster it if the language is removed. More »
Homes With Cats 8 Times More Likely To Contain MRSA
—>You may have thought you could only get MRSA at hospitals and the beach, but apparently researchers have discovered that it can be transmitted via pets and lead to repeat infections, reports the New York Times. One recent case involved a baby elephant and 20 human caretakers at the San Diego Zoo last year, but at the domestic level it looks like cats (and dogs, but not to the same degree) somehow contribute to cycle of infection at home. More »
Candy or Medicine?
—>I suppose we can't expect little kids to tell the difference, huh? The University of Rochester Strong Memorial Hospital and the Finger Lakes Regional Poison & Drug Information Center created this chart to help you grown-ups test your ability to identify delicious candies vs pharmaceuticals. It must have been sort of fun to find ones that matched. More »
New FoodSafety Website Helps You Stop Accidentally Poisoning Your Family
—>The USDA and Health and Human Services (HHS) today unveiled a new website focused on food safety at foodsafety.gov. It's got lots of info on how to keep food from spoiling, but better still it's a good launching pad for filing complaints, or keeping track of what's going on in your state (check the "state agency" widget in the bottom right column). More »
Mattel, Primary Reason For Toy Safety Law, Gets Exempted From It
—>When the CPSIA—the toy safety law that requires independent lab tests on toys—was passed, a lot of smaller toy manufacturers complained that it was really a dirty trick by the big toy companies to increase overhead for the small ones. Now comes word that the government has secretly exempted Mattel from the law's testing requirements—even though Mattel was responsible for 6 lead-tainted toy recalls in 2007. More »
Breaking Down Airline Safety Records
—>The Daily Beast says it has determined which airlines in the U.S. are the safest by comparing the global statistics for the 25 airlines with the best safety records and those with the worst. Which is the safest? The answer may come as a surprise, since this methodology showed that AirTran is the safest national carrier. More »
Over 5 Million Window Treatments Recalled Today, While Nation's Peeping Toms Celebrate*
—>Three children have died after being strangled in the cords of window blinds, so today six companies announced a massive recall of several brands of window treatments. More »
U-Haul's New "U-Prison" Proves Unpopular With Customers
—>U-Haul apparently knows about Ryder's initiative to outdo it on suckage, so they've introduced a whole new class of customer abuse: false imprisonment. Best of all, the employee who was sent to let Jessica and her friend out of U-Haul Prison told them that if they hadn't wanted to get locked in after 5pm, they should have paid for 24 hour access. (They were taking advantage of a complimentary offer from the company.) More »
Enterprise Removed Air Bags From Cars, Sold Cars, Forgot To Tell Customers
—>New safety innovations for automobiles can be impressive. Side-curtain airbags are a great development for protecting people in a side-impact crash, and are standard on many models, including the Chevrolet Impala. Unless you're driving an Impala in the Enterprise Rent-A-Car fleet, in which case the airbags were never installed in order to save Enterprise $175 per car. This wasn't really a problem until Enterprise went to sell their used Impalas, and sort of forgot to tell people that the airbags had been removed. More »
Marriott Says Woman Is Responsible For Her Rape
—>[Update: Marriott has dropped the appeal.] If you want to live dangerously, why not try an unrelaxing visit to the Stamford Marriott Hotel & Spa? It features a game room, a BBQ/picnic area, $10 a day Internet access, and the occasional mentally unhealthy transient wandering for days around the parking garage waiting to attack you. Best of all, if you are attacked Marriott will let you take all the credit for it, and then subpoena your friends and professional contacts, thereby permanently ruining any anonymity you hoped to maintain. Because at Stamford Marriott, if you're raped in our parking garage by a guy our security should have noticed and kicked out, don't come crying to us! More »
Attack of the Antibacterial Soaps!
—>Triclosan, a chemical widely used in antibacterial soaps, is turning up in dolphins. The agent gets into oceans after traveling from, for instance, your bathroom sink into wastewater streams. Though 90 to 98 percent of the chemical is broken down before it reaches fresh water, even the small percentage that remains becomes significant due to antibacterial soaps' wide use. More »
Another Month, Another Beef Recall
—>The summer of beef recalls continues, with the creatively named Beef Packers recalling 826,000 pounds of ground beef linked to salmonella illnesses in the western U.S. More »
Airbag Defect Prompts Honda To Recall 440,000 Cars
—>If you own a Honda and don't like getting shot in the face with jagged metal fragments, you may want to keep an eye out for a recall notice. The automaker announced yesterday that it would recall 440,000 Civics, Accords, and Acura TL sedans sold between 2001 and 2003. More »
Houses Passes Strong Food Safety Reform
—>The House of Representatives just passed the bipartisan Food Safety Enhancement Act of 2009. If enacted, the legislation would strengthen the FDA, increase inspections of food facilities, and hopefully ensure that tragedies like the Peanut Corporation of America salmonella outbreak become a thing of the past. More »
Reminder: Distracted Driving Is Bad And Dangerous
—>We had a robust debate on Monday on the use of cell phones and wireless devices while driving. Since then, Consumer Reports Cars has taken a look at the actual statistics for accidents caused by driver distraction, and also the cell-while-driving laws actually on the books in the United States in different localities. Spoiler alert: Texting while driving isn't a good idea. More »
U.S. Balks At Prospect Of Imported Chinese Chickens
—>China is itching to sell their processed chickens directly to the U.S. market, an idea that doesn't exactly thrill our regulators or representatives. Congress banned the import of processed Chinese chickens in 2007, ruffling Beijing's feathers to the point where they're now considering a retaliatory ban on U.S. chickens. Since we're in a recession and Congress doesn't want domestic chicken exporters to lose over a half-billion dollars next year, they may let the Chinese chickens come here to roost. More »
7 Places Around The House To Stash Your Cash
—>Banks are great and all, but everyone should keep a little bit of emergency cash stashed somewhere at home. Frugal Dad offers up a list of seven hiding spots that should beat all but the most determined thieves. More »
Is Bottled Water Safer Than Tap Water? Please...
—>Bottled water isn't any safer than tap water, and could actually be more dangerous, according to a report from the Government Accounting Office. The big difference lies in the government regulator: tap water is covered by the Safe Water Drinking Act, administered by the aggressive and powerful Environmental Protection Agency, while bottled water falls under the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act overseen by the powerless anything-goes industry-lovers over at the Food and Drug Administration. More »
Yesterday, we reported that production at the ConAgra facility where Slim Jims are manufactured will not resume until fall due to damage from the horrific explosion in June. This information is incorrect. Employees will return to work on July 19, and production will resume on July 27. [WRAL] (Thanks, Lon!) More »
Free Bike Protection Is Neither Free Nor Protects All Bikes
—>Brian bought a new bike lock recently. What led him to purchase a nice, expensive lock from On Guard was the package's promise that the lock came with insurance—if his bike was stolen while using the lock, the company would pay for a replacement. He asked a salesperson, who verified the information. Sweet! Then he went online to register his new lock, and learned how the bike lock "protection" really works.
More »
The FDA has issued a new ruling that says egg producers must "test regularly for salmonella and buy chicks from suppliers who do the same," and that eggs "will have to be refrigerated on the farm and during shipment" as well as by wholesalers and in the store. The rule is meant to cut down on the number of egg-related salmonella cases nationwide, which currently are around 142,000 a year. [Washington Post] (Photo: Andreas Kollegger) More »
15 Ways To Protect Your Money While Traveling
—>Bankrate shares 15 tips to protect your stash of cash while traveling abroad. Before leaving, strip down your wallet to the bare essentials, including a backup credit card, and make copies of all financial documents. While abroad, stash the copies and the backup card in your hotel safe, and take common-sense precautions like sticking to legitimate bank ATMs, and avoiding crowds. Hit the link for the rundown of all 15 tips. More »
Recall Roundup - Pretty Much Everything Is Catching Fire
—>The big news in recalls this week was continuing recalls of Simplicity drop-side cribs. Since the company is no longer in business, in order to get the crib away from your children, return it to the retailer where it was purchased. Also, check your home for other problematic recalled Simplicity products. More »
No, Your Dog Does Not Want To Watch Fireworks And Drink Margaritas At The Beach
—>Consumer Reports is always ruining my fun. First, they want me to make sure that the fireworks I set off in my backyard are safety certified. Whatever. Now they're telling me that I shouldn't bring my dog to see fireworks with me. AND that I shouldn't give her any beer, or even let her help herself to the barbecue this weekend. More »
When a power line falls in your neighborhood, be patient. Wait for the proper authorities to take care of it. Above all, don't try to clear it out of the way using an industrial saw. A man in Pond Eddy, NY did that against the advice of firefighters, and was electrocuted. [Newsday] (Thanks, AJ!) More »
How, Exactly, Did E. coli Get In Nestle's Cookie Dough?
—>The recent discovery of E. coli O157 bacteria in Nestlé refrigerated cookie dough and subsequent recall of 30,000 tubs of said dough raises an urgent scientific question: Uh, how did that much cow poop end up in cookie dough? More »
When Is It Worthwhile To Buy Organic?
—>Want to avoid eating pesticides without breaking the bank on organics? The handy "Shopper's Guide to Pesticides" makes it easy to keep track of which fruits and vegetables are likely to have bug spray all over them and which are not. Peaches, apples, bell peppers, celery, and strawberries head up the "dirty dozen" with the highest pesticide load. At the bottom: onions, avocados, frozen sweet corn, pineapple, and mangoes, which have so little pesticide, you're better off buying conventionally grown varieties (unless you're rich). More »
Lead Paint To Cost OKK $655,000
—>The OKK Trading company has agreed to pay a $655,000 fine for violating the federal ban on lead in children's toys. Over the past two years, the California-based company has issued six recalls spanning almost 18,000 toys and baby products. More »
New Survey Says Less Than 20% Of Consumers Trust Food Supply
—>Is it any surprise that after the past few years of outbreaks and recalls, almost no one trusts products from food manufacturers anymore? IBM recently completed a survey of shoppers in the 10 largest cities, and found that a lot of consumers want more information than they currently can get about their food choices. More »
How Did E. Coli Get Into Nestle's Cookie Dough?
—>USA Today is reporting that the FDA is "stumped" by the presence of E. coli 0157:H7 in Nestle Tollhouse Cookie Dough, which was recalled last week. How does bacteria normally associated with raw ground beef find its way into our buckets of delicious cookie dough? Some speculation, inside. More »
Government's New Tire Label Rules Reveal More About The Rubber You're Riding
—>Proposed federal rules will mandate more comprehensive labeling on tires. The new National Highway Traffic Safety Administration label will rate tires' fuel efficiency/gas greenhouse rating, tread ware, as well as the traction they get on wet roads. More »
TGI Friday's Snake Head Incident Becomes A Cold Case
—>The decomposed snake head that a Clifton Park, NY man discovered in his side portion of broccoli has reached the end of its strange, unappetizing journey—for now. Since Consumerist broke the story back in May, there have been no leads. More »
Comprehensive Food Safety Reform Moves Forward In Congress
—>The House Energy and Commerce Committee just approved comprehensive food safety reform, setting it up for consideration on the House floor in the coming months. The Food Safety Enhancement Act was approved by voice vote, indicating bipartisan support and suggesting a relatively smooth passage through the entire House. More »
Grocery Store Just Can't Stop Selling Expired Yogurt
—>Esther doesn't want much. She just wants to buy some yogurt that hasn't expired. It seems that's too much to ask of her local Safeway near Baltimore. More »
Delta Is Going To Flip Out If You Wear A Neck Brace In The Emergency Exit Aisle
—>Ned wears a neck brace when he flies, not because he's injured or disabled, but because he prefers it to one of those floofy neck pillows. This didn't sit well with a Delta flight attendant who was intent on keeping disabled-looking folks out of the emergency exit aisle. The attendant wouldn't leave Ned alone, even after Ned demonstrated his range of mobility and explained that the brace was from a minor car accident thirty-three years ago. Ned managed to hold onto his seat after a chat with the senior flight attendant, but the original flight attendant later came back, "got in [Ned's] face – literally, just inches away" and complained that Ned had "bucked his authority." More »
Flammable Robes Keep Killing People — Recall Reissued
—>Everyone in the market for a robe wants to be kept warm, but having that robe catch on fire and kill you is quite a bit over the line. Such a foible was discovered in Blair women's chenille robes, so Blair and the Consumer Product Safety Commission issued a recall in April. More »
Loaf Of Bread Comes With Baked-In Rodent Goodness
—>Back in 2007, a man in Northern Ireland opened up a loaf of bread and found a whole, mercifully dead, rat. (The BBC is reporting that it's a mouse, but it's either a giant mutant mouse or a rat.) A judge heard the case this week, and fined the bakery �1,000 ($1,653) "plus costs." More »
Mattel Will Pay $2.3 Million Penalty For All Those Lead Toys
—>Remember back when lead toys were all the rage? Oh, those dangerous days, when you couldn't lick a Dora the Explorer doll without fear of memory loss! Well, Mattel and the Consumer Prouct Safety Commission (CPSC) have reached an agreement on how much Mattel should pay for importing toys that exceeded U.S. lead safety guidelines, and the amount is $2.3 million. Maybe now the CPSC can use some of that money to grease the DC wheels and get their new chair nominee confirmed. More »
Passenger Spots Handgun Being Smuggled Past Airport Security
—>An eagle-eyed passenger at Philadelphia International Airport spotted another passenger handing a bag directly to an airline employee — skipping airport security. The passenger alerted the TSA, who located the US Airways flight and searched the bag. Guess what was inside? An unloaded handgun. More »
Woman Sprayed With Pesticide Can't Get List Of Chemicals Because They're A Trade Secret
—>A North Carolina woman out walking her dog last month was sprayed in the face with a gypsy moth pesticide, and subsequently developed "a severe rash and other flu-like symptoms, breathing complications, and nausea for several days." Unfortunately, her doctor can't treat her properly because the company that makes the spray won't tell him what's in it. More »
TGI Friday's Learns That Serving Decomposed Snake Heads Is Bad For Business
—>Back at the beginning of May, Consumerist broke the story of a man who discovered a decomposing snake head in his side order of broccoli at TGI Friday's. We even had charming pictures. The next week, Albany, NY-area news media reported that the snake wasn't steamed with the broccoli, but the restaurant and police still don't know who the herp perp could be. What they do know is that the notoriety from the snake incident has hurt business. More »
Congressional Heavyweights Unveil Food Safety Measure
—>The Food and Drug Administration might actually be able to protect us from dangerous food if Congress passes a bill recently circulated by six powerful members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. The draft legislation would finally empower the FDA to quarantine suspect foods and slap violators with both civil fines and criminal charges. More »
Drunk American Airlines Pilot Arrested Before Transatlantic Flight
—>London police arrested an American Airlines pilot twenty minutes before he was scheduled to fly 204 passengers from London to Chicago. 57-year-old Captain Joseph Crites was four-times over the legal alcohol limit and reeking of booze when he tried to enter his Boeing 777's cockpit. More »
Will CVS Ever Pull Expired Medicine, Baby Formula From Their Shelves?
—>CVS stores across the nation regularly stock expired medicine, milk, and baby formula, according to a damning union report. This isn't the first time CVS has been caught stocking dangerous goods. Last year, New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo threatened a suit after his office caught the pharmacy selling goods over a year past their expiration dates. CVS claims that, despite investing over $160 million in a "perpetual inventory management" system, it's nearly impossible to keep expired items off the shelf because they simply have too much stuff. More »
The FDA Isn't Yet Sure How To Make Our Food Safer But Lots Of Cash Might Help
—>The FDA is set to receive $3.2 billion next year but they don't yet have a plan to make our food any safer. That doesn't sit well with Congressional appropriator Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), who at a recent hearing told Acting FDA Commissioner Joshua Sharfstein: "A lot sounds to me like buzzwords from a past administration." More »
Use Free Trade To Promote Food Safety
—>National Journal has an interesting article about the intersection of free trade and globalization with increased food safety abroad and at home. Rather than reject shipments of Chinese fish for being raised in disgusting environments, the US should require trading partners to set and enforce their own strict food safety standards and use globalization as a way to promote better standards worldwide, instead of a race to the bottom. More »
Food Companies: Our Food Probably Isn't Safe Enough For Your Microwave. Good Luck!
—>As the food supply chain gets longer and harder to control — food companies are basically giving up and placing the responsibility for food safety on you, the consumer. In fact, one food giant, General Mills, has essentially conceded that cooking their food in a microwave isn't good enough. More »
Jardine Crib Recall Program Tells Customers To Screw Themselves
—>Aw, get a load of that smile. That's my 3-month-old daughter, Emma, whom I found out has been sleeping in a wooden minefield rather than a crib. More »
Using a cell phone as your home phone comes with a risk Although consumers can save money by canceling their land lines, they risk dropped calls and difficulty being located if they ever need to call 911. What do you think: are the savings worth the risk? [Consumer Reports Electronics] More »
Snake Head On T.G.I. Friday's Plate Wasn't Cooked With Broccoli
—>Lab tests are back on the side dish serpent an upstate New York man found on his plate at T.G.I. Friday's (a story we broke, with pictures). The snake wasn't cooked with the broccoli. It wasn't cooked at all. More »
Obama Picks CPSC Head So They Can Finally Do Their Job
—>Obama nominated Inez Moore Tenenbaum as Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) head and Robert Adler as commissioner. He is also also Congress for $107 million more in funding and plans on beefing up the total number of commissioners to five. [Reuters] (Photo: ashi) More »
How To Wash Your Hands You're probably not scrubbing and rinsing long enough; try singing the guitar riff to "Layla" while you wash. [Consumer Reports Safety] More »
Track The H1N1 Swine Flu Across The Globe
—>Everyone's still unsure whether the H1N1 Swine Flu is a mild outbreak or something worse, but in the meantime you can amuse yourself with this grim Google Map of suspected and actual cases around the globe. It will give you something to do until the time comes when you have to decide between joining Randall Flagg or Mother Abagail. More »
Salmonella Found In Alfalfa Sprouts
—>Raw alfalfa sprouts have been linked to salmonella outbreaks across the country, according to the FDA. Recent salmonella cases have been diagnosed in Michigan, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, and West Virginia, and the FDA is linking this outbreak to salmonella infections a few months ago in other states, including Iowa, Kansas, and Nebraska. (Photo: Erin Collins) More »
Trader Joe's Salmon Comes With Delectable Organic Free-Range Worm
—>Reader David was eating his dinner of Trader Joe's Chimichurri salmon when he found an unexpected garnish: a rather dead and fully cooked worm. It was brown and roughly an inch long. He e-mailed the company, then brought the fish (and worm) back to the store for a refund. While the store supervisor's handling of the situation was stellar, the reaction from Trader Joe's corporate has been...nonexistent. More »
Packaged Frozen Meal Preparation Requires...Food Thermometer?
—>When I throw a frozen meal in my messenger bag on my way out the door for work, it's because I don't have the time or the facilities for complicated meal preparation at work. Marie Callender's may not be aiming their new "Pasta al Dente" frozen meals at the key lunch-at-work demographic. More »
Beware Of Fake Facebook
—>Reader Eric says he got a fairly realistic-looking Facebook phishing email and wanted to warn others not to click. More »
Texas has issued the largest fine in the state's history to the peanut company blamed in the salmonella outbreak: $14.6 million. [AP] More »
Peanut distributor refuses to recall peanuts On March 23rd the FDA advised consumers to dispose of any peanut or peanut containing products made or distributed by Westco or Westcott that they find in their homes. That same day it requested a formal recall of all Westco and Westcott products containing peanuts from PCA, and a few days later it requested access to some of its distribution records, but Westco refused to cooperate. [Consumer Reports] More »
Salmonella Found In "Critical Areas" Of Pistachio Plant
—>The pistachio recall has been expanded after FDA inspectors found salmonella contamination in "critical areas" of Setton Pistachio of Terra Bella, Calif. More »
Stay Informed About The Pistachio Salmonella Apocalypse
—>There have been quite a few "salmonella pistachio" recalls in the past few days, so the FDA has set up pistachio HQ on their website. You can search and/or browse the Pistachio Recalled Products List, learn about salmonella, and generally freak out about contaminated pistachios. More »
Yamaha ATV Problem: Death, Solution: Free Repairs And Free Helmets
—>The CPSC has announced a a free repair program to address safety issues with all Yamaha Rhino 450, 660, and 700 model off-highway recreational vehicles. More »
Pistachios Recalled For Salmonella
—>The FDA recalled three different kinds of pistachios this week for salmonella. [Consumer Reports Safety Blog] (Photo: ?o??ƒx™) More »
If you recently bought organic brown eggs from a Costco, Safeway, or Pack 'n' Save in California or Nevada, you should check to make sure they're not part of yet another salmonella recall. [MSNBC] (Photo: Bonzo McGrue) More »
Country Of Origin Labeling Officially Begins Today
—>The long-awaited country of origin labeling or COOL will be enforced beginning today — so you can expect to see a "COOL" on "muscle cuts and ground beef (including veal), pork, lamb, goat and chicken; wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish; fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables; peanuts, pecans, macadamia nuts and ginseng." More »
Obama Announces Plans To Make Food Safe For Human Consumption
—>President Obama this week declared war on the Chinese Poison Train, announcing that the FDA will receive $1 billion in new funds for modern testing labs and additional food safety inspectors. Inspecting less than 5% of our food processing plants is apparently a "hazard to public health, and "it is unacceptable." So what's really behind the new policy shift? No, it's not those melamine murders or salmonella outbreaks. It's seven-year-old first daughter Sasha Obama! More »
Judge To Growers: Pasteurize Your Almonds
—>Finally, you can nosh on delicious almonds safe in the knowledge that they're pasteurized and salmonella free. A federal judge this week tossed out a lawsuit aimed at blocking new rules from the Department of Agriculture requiring growers to pasteurize their almonds. Growers are now whining that U.S. consumers area about to get hooked on raw yet dangerously delicious European almonds. More »
Baby Products: Now With Formaldehyde!
—>More than half of the baby products recently tested by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics were found to contain trace levels of formaldehyde and dioxane. Though the study didn't accuse Johnson & Johnson of dumping barrels of the potential carcinogens directly into their baby products, the dangerous chemicals can form during the manufacturing process as other ingredients break down. The full list of 48 tested baby shampoos, lotions, soaps, and wipes—including some well-known products you probably have on your shelf—inside. More »
Our food safety problems have been solved! [The Onion] More »
Dog owners who value their fingers might want to give up their retractable leashes in favor of the more traditional, less amputation-prone fixed-length leash. [Consumer Reports] (Photo: me and the sysop) More »
Private Food Safety Inspectors Routinely Give Seal Of Approval To Dangerous Food
—>Large companies routinely rely on private audits to prove that their food is safe even though private auditors are dangerously incompetent, according to a New York Times investigation. The private auditor who inspected the Peanut Corporation of America plant responsible for unleashing the massive salmonella contamination was trained to audit bakeries and repeatedly gave the plant a "SUPERIOR" rating, partly because he "never thought that [salmonella] would survive in the peanut butter type environment." More »
No More BPA Baby Bottles In US?
—>Philips Avent, the nation's largest seller of baby bottles, announced today that it will voluntarily stop selling bottles containing the controversial chemical bisphenol A (BPA). Attorneys general from Connecticut and New Jersey had written a letter to several bottle makers asking them to stop, and the Washington Post says the six largest baby bottle manufacturers in the country have voluntarily complied. More »
Woman Finds Tiny Mammal Vertebra In Peanut M&M
—>A woman in Atlanta bit into a blue peanut M&M and discovered a tiny, blackened bone, probably from a nut obsessed animal who crept into the M&M to eat the peanut, then died of remorse. A Mars rep told the customer it was probably just a peanut twig. Whatever; by our estimations, this animal is most likely smaller than a peanut M&M, but has a comically wide and very short neck. Hmm, maybe we should instead ask an expert to deduce where this bone came from, which is what the customer did. More »
Tainted Peanut Butter Problems Will Go On For Some While, Says FDA
—>Our sister blog at ConsumerReports.org notes that "current salmonella outbreak caused by tainted peanuts could drag on for as long as two years," according to the FDA. The Peanut Corp of America may be history, but because peanut butter has such a long shelf life, and because they're still adding products to the recall list, there may be food items lurking in pantries across the U.S. that are loaded with disease-causing peanuty badness. More »
Obama Administration Asks Meat Industry To 'Voluntarily' Follow Stricter Labeling Guidelines
—>Earlier this week, U.S Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack told consumer groups that "he will ask the meat industry to voluntarily follow stricter guidelines for new package labels designed to specify a food's country of origin." If they don't comply, "the administration will write new rules." The request won't please meat packing companies, who often mix Mexican with U.S. beef before selling it. More »
How Does Salmonella Get Into Peanut Butter? Bird Feces.
—>Here's something you probably don't want to know, but we're going to tell you anyway. Scientific American interviewed Michael Doyle, director of the Center for Food Safety at the University of Georgia to find out how salmonella got into peanut butter in the first place. His theory? Bird Feces. More »
Peanut Corp Has Gone Out Of Business
—>It was bound to happen, and it looks like it just did: Peanut Corporation of America has filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and will liquidate its assets to pay off creditors. More »
Search For All Recalled Peanut Butter Products With This Widget
—>Here's a handy widget, courtesy of the FDA, that you can use to determine whether or not your Valentine's Day goodies are a trap set by an angry lover. More »
Salmonella Peanut Butter Plant Owner Living Incarnation Of Evil Cartoon Character
—>Congressional testimony reveals that Stewart Parnell, owner of the Peanut Corp. of America which lies at the center of the investigation over salmonella-tainted peanut-butter that's killed nine people, is like a living cartoon. More »
The House Commerce Committee is currently holding a hearing on the salmonella-tainted peanut butter. Included on the witness list are the families of several people who were killed or sickened by the peanut butter, as well as the president and plant manager of the Peanut Corporation of America. It's really compelling testimony, and we're sure the grilling of the PCA people will be intense. You can watch it online at C-SPAN or the committee's website. (Photo: goaliej54 and greefus groinks) More »
FBI Raids Salmonella Peanut Butter Plant
—>FBI agents raided the Georgia plant suspected in the current salmonella peanut butter outbreak that has been linked to 600 illnesses and eight deaths in 43 states. The company is accused of knowingly shipping the tainted products. More »
Peanut Butter Sales Down 25% Over Salmonella Fears
—>Fears of salmonella have drive down sales of peanut butter 25%, far beyond the actual amount of peanut butter affected by the recall. Guess few people actually read the recall notices to see which products and batch numbers are pulled, they just see Peanuts + Butter = Death. [NYT] (Photo: amyadoyzie) More »
So, Who's To Blame For The Salmonella Outbreak? PCA, The FDA, The CDC...
—>We know there's salmonella story fatigue setting in, but this new overview from yesterday's Senate hearing is the best yet as far as piecing together exactly how salmonella-tainted peanut butter made it into our food supply for such a long period of time, and why it took so long to trace it back to a single rotten peanut plant in Georgia. Ultimately the blame lies with Peanut Corporation of America (PCA) for failing to maintain its factory and for not destroying lots that tested positive for salmonella, but both the FDA and the CDC had a role in it, too. One example: the FDA didn't even know the plant produced peanut butter or peanut paste until 2007. More »
FEMA Food May Contain Salmonella Peanut Butter
—>Food kits distributed by FEMA as part of a disaster relief effort in Kentucky and Arkansas may contain some of that awesome salmonella peanut butter we've been hearing so much about. More »
Peanut Corp Says Salmonella Plant Was Regularly Inspected, Given Good Ratings
—>Peanut Corp. of America is now saying that its Georgia plant was regularly inspected by the FDA and given a "meets or exceeds" rating. This doesn't excuse the company from its own failings, but we think it points out what President Obama recently noted, which is that the FDA inspection system doesn't seem to work very well. More »
Obama Orders Review Of FDA In Wake Of Salmonella Outbreak
—>President Obama has had it up to here with poor FDA oversight, particularly of salmonella-infested peanut factories, and he's called for a review of the underfunded organization, according to U.S. News & World Report. More »
Senator And Representative Call For Criminal Investigation Of Salmonella Peanut Company
—>Responding to FDA reports that the company responsible for the salmonella-tainted peanut butter that has infected over 500 people knew its products were contaminated, two members of Congress have called for a criminal investigation into Peanut Corporation of America . More »
How Unscrupulous Food Manufacturers Manipulate Lab Tests
—>In yesterday's Peanut Corp. post, our commenter microguy07828 left a detailed explanation of how food manufacturers sometimes play dirty when it comes to getting the lab results they want on a product. We though it deserved more visibility in light of yesterday's accusation that the Peanut Corp. of America knowingly shipped tainted peanut butter. As microguy07828 puts it, it "happens more often than you would think." More »
Peanut Corp. of America Knowingly Shipped Tainted Peanut Butter
—>The news about Peanut Corp. of America's complete abandonment of food safety gets worse: now it seems that the company knew its peanut butter had salmonella, but shipped it anyway. When the product tested positive, the company shopped around for another lab to provide "acceptable" results. More »
Who's Watching Our Nation's Honey Imports? Pretty Much No One
—>The Seattle P.I. reports that "two-thirds of the honey Americans consume is imported and almost half of that, regardless of what's on the label, comes from China." The first problem with that is some Chinese honey is "tainted with banned antibiotics" such as ciprofloxacin and chloramphenicol. The second problem, according to U.S. honey producers who are upset about the lack of oversight, is that whenever contaminated honey is discovered, many companies just sent it back to the importer and never tell the FDA—which means it can be resold elsewhere, including to other U.S. packers. More »
A Big List Of Peanut Butter Products That Don't Have Salmonella
—>As our nation's peanut tragedy continues, some of you must being getting tired of preparing your own peanut treats from scratch. For you people, the American Peanut Council has compiled a list of brands that DO NOT contain salmonella. You are so very welcome. More »
Salmonella Peanut Butter Plant Repeatedly Violated Health Codes
—>The Georgia peanut plant responsible for the salmonella outbreak that has sickened nearly 500 and killed at least 7 was repeatedly cited with health code violations for being "not properly cleaned and sanitized." More »
Impoverished Consumers Overwhelm British Site That Sells Expired Food
—>Impoverished and hungry Britons can't get enough of Approved Food, a site that sells expired but still edible food for up to half off. Even after shutting down for two days to grapple with a ten-fold rise in traffic, the site warns that they still have to process 12 days worth of backorders. But can't expired food give you salmonella or herpes, you ask? Nope! FDA regulations don't require most foods to carry expiration dates, and selling expired food isn't a violation of federal law. More »
Salmonella Spares Nation's Critical Supply Of Do-Si-Dos
—>Fear not, cookie monsters, the Girl Scouts say their eponymous wares are not affected by the salmonella-infected peanut butter responsible for at least 453 illnesses and 5 deaths. [Press Release] (Photo: tracyhunter) More »
Animal lovers out there can rejoice, US Airways says that no pets were lost in flight 1549 — either in the cabin or in the cargo hold, as US Airways does not accept pets as cargo. [Newsday] More »
US Airways Aircraft Almost Had To Make Emergency Landing Two Days Before Splashing Into The Hudson
—>CNN is reporting that two days before US Airways flight 1549 splashed into the Hudson, passengers on the same airplane say that they heard loud noises coming from the engines and that they were told there might have to be an emergency landing. More »
453 Illnesses, 5 Deaths Connected To Tainted Peanut Butter
—>The peanut butter recalls just keep on coming — as an outbreak of salmonella that has sickened 453 people and contributed to 5 deaths in 43 states continues. More »
As Salmonella Recall Expands, FDA Warns Consumers To "Postpone Eating" Many Peanut Butter Products
—>The FDA still hasn't tracked down all that yummy salmonella-contaminated peanut butter, and until they do, they want consumers to stop eating all "commercially-prepared or manufactured peanut butter-containing products and institutionally-served peanut butter." No, this doesn't mean the jar of Skippy on your shelf, but it does seem to cover cookies, cakes, and ice cream; pretty much any shrink-wrapped peanut butter snack. More »
Pool Operators Slow To Comply With New Safety Law; Make Sure They Do
—>The Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act—which requires filtration systems to have special safety covers—was named after a 7-year-old who was killed in 2002 when she was trapped at the bottom of a hot tub by "hundreds of pounds of suction force." It's not the sort of accident that happens frequently, but when it does it's a grisly and horrific event. Unfortunately, despite the law being in effect since the middle of last month, and the fact that pool operators have known about it for over a year, CNN reports that many pools still haven't been brought into compliance. More »
Kellogg: "Please Don't Eat Our Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers"
—>Can't make it to your local prison, hospital, or school cafeteria to get in on this year's peanut butter salmonella craze? Kellogg may have you covered at the nearest snack vending machine. The company has announced that it doesn't want anyone eating its Keebler and Austin brand peanut butter crackers right now while it investigates whether they're action packed with salmonella stowaways. More »
Salmonella Peanut Butter Explains Some, But Not All Illnesses
—>For those of you following along with the 3-month-long salmonella outbreak — the Minnesota Department of Health has confirmed that the strain of salmonella in the commercial peanut butter is the same as the one causing the outbreak. More »
There's Salmonella In The Peanut Butter... Again
—>For the past three months or so, the FDA and the CDC have been working to find the source of an outbreak of salmonella typhimurium that has sickened at least 400 people nationwide. Now the Minnesota Department of Health thinks they may have found the answer in a jar of institutional peanut butter not sold to the public. More »
Airlines Fail To Kill Passengers 2 Years Running
—>For the first time in the history of jet airliners, US airlines have gone two years without any passengers dying. This is all the more amazing considering the last two years have seen a number of incidents where passengers were stuck onboard on the tarmac for hours without food, water, and in some cases, with a river of human refuse leaking down the aisle. Said an MIT professor who studies aviation safety, in a remark both whimsical and macabre, "If you see a child in the airport today or tomorrow...that child has a greater chance of growing up to be president than failing to reach his or her destination safely." More »
Is Local Food Safer Than Industrial Food?
—>So food from green markets and community supported agriculture is cleaner and healthier than that grocery store schmaltz, right? Not so fast, says E.coli litigation king Bill Marler, who recently wrote that convincing local food producers to keep their food clean will be one of the top ten food safety challenges of the year. More »
Consumers Union Asks Nancy Nord, CPSC To Do A Better Job Explaining These New Toy Testing Rules
In this letter (PDF) sent to CPSC chair Nancy Nord, and released to the public, Consumers Union and a bunch of other consumer interest groups ask the CPSC to please do its part to clear up all the confusion over the coming Toy Testing Apocalypse. Don't want to read the whole thing? Here's a much shorter summary: More »
Chairwoman of Chinese dairy company pleads guilty in melamine case, may face death penalty. [Reuters] More »
Homeland Security Boss: Before 9/12/01 Hijackings Were "Regular, Routine"
—>BoingBoing's Joel Johnson recently interviewed departing Homeland Security boss Michael Chertoff — and we all know how much you love "security theater"... More »
Got Kids? Glass Coffee Tables Can Be Crazy Dangerous
—>An 11-year-old girl from Providence, R.I. recently died after falling into or jumping on a glass table. She suffered a severe puncture wound and died of uncontrollable bleeding. More »
In which Consumer Reports employees harm themselves or their real estate with consumer products, part 2. In this episode, a CR staffer's son uses the stove's self-cleaning feature without removing a plastic cutting board from inside the oven. Yes, the fire department was involved. They had to pull the range out of the kitchen and leave it to cool in the driveway. Awkward. [Consumer Reports] More »
Tales Of Consumer Reports Employees Injuring Themselves With Products
—>Nobody is perfect, it seems, not even the folks at safety-conscious Consumer Reports. They've put together a group of stories from employees who managed to injure themselves with various products. More »
How To: Carve A Pumpkin Without Butchering Yourself
—>We like you, so in the interest of getting you and your family to Thanksgiving with all of your fingers attached, we'd like to direct your attention to some pumpkin carving "how to" info. More »
United Airlines Pilot Is Too Drunk To Fly
—>This whole "drunks on a plane" thing is getting out of control. First it was the passengers, then the flight attendants... now it's the pilots. More »
Buy Or Be Stabbed
—>The global economy is crashing, credit markets are playing ice age, and you consumers have a simple choice: buy things now or prepare to be stabbed next year. More »
The Idiot-Proof Way To Securely Use Public Wi-Fi
—>We talk a lot on this blog about personal data and privacy, but not so much about how to secure that data on your own computer. That's because a.) we're not Lifehacker and b.) the solutions frequently bloat into crazy, jargon-filled recipes that scare away the non-IT crowd. Not this time! For all you novices, here is a single idea you should consider that will help keep your personal data personal, and make your identity that much harder to steal. More »
New Color Coded Hospital Bracelets Save Lives, But Raise Privacy Concerns
—>Confusion about what those color coded bracelets mean can cause deadly medical mistakes, but if the bracelets are standardized — is everyone going to know your business? More »
Did China Cover Up The Melamine Milk Scandal Because Of The Olympics?
—>The New York Times says that China's state-controlled media has admitted that "one of China’s biggest dairy producers received consumer complaints about its baby milk formula as early as December 2007 — much earlier than previously thought and nine months before the producer ordered a nationwide recall because of concerns that the formula had been adulterated with a toxic industrial chemical." More »
14 Brands Of Pet Food Recalled
—>Mars Petcare US is recalling 14 brands of dry dog and cat food made between February and July of this year, after two people who may have had contact with some of the food became infected with Salmonella. If you feed your dog or cat any of the brands listed below, here's how to check the package code. More »
Maybe Quiznos Should Find A Better Place For This Cleaning Rag
—>This is the view when you order a toasted whatever from the Quiznos in Warren, New Jersey: a cleaning rag and a bug zapping racket. Mmmm...toasty! More »
Update: 41 46 Million Americans Drink Pharmaceutical Waste
—>If you weren't one of the 41 million Americans drinking water contaminated with sex hormones and pharmaceutical waste, welcome to the club! Testing prompted by the AP's damning investigation has revealed that another five million people, including residents of Reno, Colorado Springs, and Chicago, now sip the potentially dangerous pharmaceutical soup. More »
Target's Generic Meds Are Maybe Too Generic
—>We're big fans of Target's smart approach to package design for medicine. They may want to give a little more thought to their OTC generics, however—how about using more distinct labeling for the children's line, for example? One reader explains why this would be a lot safer. More »
Wegmans' New Metal Spring-Flavored Bagels Recalled
—>Wegman's is recalling all in-store made bagels and bialys (flattened bagels) sold between August 24th and September 9th "because the bagels may contain pieces of a metal spring from a mixer that entered the dough." If you have some, return them to your store's customer service desk for a refund. Wegmans says this doesn't affect their frozen bagels. More »
Discover The Wacky Side Of Food Poisoning
—>Did you know Jesse Jackson was hospitalized with food poisoning last week? Or that a recipe typo in a Swedish food magazine left four readers poisoned? These are two of the many interesting facts we just learned after a few minutes browsing the BarfBlog, a food safety blog with categories like "Celebrity Barf" and "listeria". More »
The FAA cited three major airlines for safety violations. None of the breaches put people or passengers at risk, said the FAA. [Washington Post] More »
20 Drugs That Probably Won't Kill You, But Potentially Could, Maybe
—>Don't freak out or anything, but the FDA is going to publish a list of medicines that could kill you. Or not. They're not really sure. Still, there is going to be a list, and if it shows a medicine that you're taking, then, um, yeah, sorry to hear that... More »
Toys R Us Cracks Down On "Death Crib" Makers
—>One of the main features that a crib should have is "does not accidentally kill the baby," so Toys R Us has decided to crack down on the manufacturers of the cribs that it sells, says the Chicago Tribune. More »
Most Verizon FIOS Installations Violate National Electric Standards
—>A two-year investigation has concluded that most Verizon FIOS installations fail to meet national safety standards, and could cause fires or electrocutions. FIOS is famous for house fires, but New York's Public Service Commission first started its investigation back in 2006 after several inspectors discovered improperly grounded installations. More »
Air Canada Cuts Inflatable Life Vests In Order To Save Fuel
—>Airlines are cutting things like entertainment units, snacks and beverages in order to raise revenue and cut fuel costs, but what about those inflatable life vests? Do we need those? Air Canada's regional airline "Jazz" doesn't think so. More »
E. Coli: FDA Will Allow Spinach, Lettuce To Be Irradiated
—>For the first time ever, the FDA is going to allow manufacturers to irradiate produce at levels that can kill bacteria that causes food-borne illness, says the New York Times. The produce in question, spinach and iceberg lettuce, have, in recent years, been linked to widespread outbreaks of serious illnesses. More »
The FAA says the Southwest Airlines isn't going to be able to weasel its way out of paying that $10.2 million fine for missing aircraft inspections. [Bizjournals] More »
FDA Declares Bisphenol A Safe
—>Bisphenol A, or BPA, is the chemical used in various plastic bottles and can linings that Canada recently banned, consumers in Arkansas, California, and Ohio have filed lawsuits over, and Playtex and Nalgene have stopped using. The fear is that it's toxic—studies on animals in Canada have shown that it's damaging, and some tests in the U.S. suggest it's harmful to humans as well. Critics of the anti-BPA movement point out that the human studies rely on super high dosages that never occur in real life, and that making safety decisions based on the general public's fears isn't exactly scientific. More »
FAA To Fine American Airlines $7.1 Million For Safety Violations
—>The FAA is not pleased with American Airlines. They say the airline should pay $7.1 million in fines for deferring maintainence and not complying with employee drug testing requirements. AA says the fines are too severe and will appeal. More »
Forget Your ID? TSA Places Forgetful Fliers On A List That Helps Track "Potential Terrorists"
—>USAToday says that the TSA was placing fliers who forgot their ID in a database along with people who have been questioned for "suspicious behavior" or who "violated security laws." In an interview, TSA chief Kip Hawley told the paper that the "the information helps track potential terrorists who may be "probing the system" by trying to get though checkpoints at various airports." More »
Walmart Takes Salmonella Peppers Very Seriously
THE QUOTE: "Obviously, food safety is very important to us. It's a matter we take very seriously," said Walmart spokesperson Daphne Davis Moore . "We'll take a very close look at it."
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Another day, another child wearing Crocs is injured while riding an escalator at the Atlanta airport. Hey, parents. Stop letting your kids wear these on moving walkways and escalators, will ya? [WSBTV] (Thanks, Ryan!) More »
10 Practical Tips To Keep Your Cellphone From Killing You
—>Have you heard, cellphones are deadly. Science told us so this week when Dr. Ronald B. Herberman of the esteemed University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute realized that cellphones emit death rays that fry your brain and turn you into a baby-eating Communist, or give you cancer or whatever. Dr. Despair isn't a downer though! Inside, 10 practical ways to keep your precious little brain safe from those ubiquitous chirping cancer slabs... More »
New Jersey Man Blows Up Apartment While Spraying For Bugs
—>Don't call Isias Vidal Maceda for advice if you see a creepy critter crawling across your apartment. While spraying for bugs, the New Jersey resident blew out his kitchen windows and started a fire that destroyed 80% of his apartment. Sound outlandish? According to TV, it's entirely plausible... More »
Health Officials: We Finally Found Salmonella In A Jalapeño!
—>Government inspectors finally stumbled across a jalapeño which contains the same salmonella strain (Salmonella Saintpaul) that has been responsible for the recent salmonella outbreak in the United States. Health officials found the offending Mexican-grown jalapeño in a Texas plant. However, there are still many questions which need to be answered. More »
FDA: Go Ahead And Eat Tomatoes, We Give Up
—>Well, the FDA isn't sure what caused that salmonella outbreak, but they're lifting the tomato warning anyway, according to the Associated Press. They'd still appreciate it if you tried not to eat raw jalapeno and serrano peppers, because, well, they have to tell you not to eat something, I guess. More »
L.L. Bean Backpacks Are For Trusting Souls
—>Reader j. sent us the above scan of a page from an L.L. Bean catalog. j. says: More »
Police Officer Awarded $40,000 Over KFC's Urine-Tainted Food
—>A police officer and his family from Sydney, Nebraska have been awarded $40,000 from their lawsuit which alleged that a KFC/Taco Bell store had served them food contaminated with an employee's spit and urine in 2005. The lawsuit stated that fellow workers actually saw the employee taint the food and told management who failed to alert the family, according to the AP. Consequently, the officer's two sons became violently ill. His 4-year-old was hospitalized and treated for gastroenteritis and dehydration. Details, inside... More »
6 Common Food-Safety Misconceptions
—>Since health officials seem to have very little idea about the source of the recent salmonella outbreak, perhaps it's wise to educate ourselves a little more on the basics of food safety. Test your knowledge with Forbes' list of some common food-safety misconceptions. The list, inside... More »
In Mass. a new law has gone into effect requiring all children under 8 years old or shorter than 4' 9" use a booster seat when riding in a car. Picturing our parents trying to make us do this when we were 7 is hilarious. [Boston Herald] More »
Angry, Intoxicated 1st Class Passenger Uses Emergency Slide So He Doesn't Have To Wait For Coach
—>An intoxicated first class passenger on a Delta Air Lines flight from New York to Guyana became so angry that coach passengers were allowed to exit before him that he "yanked open an emergency hatch and slid down the chute," says the AP. More »
Confusing: Paint Mask Should Not Be Used With Paint?
—>Reader Mike is confused by this 3M Latex Paint and Odor Respirator with Valve. The front of the package lists "disposable aerosol spray paint cans" as something the mask "helps provide relief" from. However, the instructions seem to say that you shouldn't use it with paint spray. What should he do? More »
Want Safe Skies? Strap This Remote-Controlled Stun Device To Yourself!
—>Make of this what you will, as the story comes from the Reverend Sun Myung Moon's church-owned Washington Times and may be more fiction than fact, but "a senior government official with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has expressed great interest in a so-called safety bracelet that would serve as a stun device, similar to that of a police Taser." Yes, the EMD Safety Bracelet from Lamperd Less Lethal is designed to make flying a fun experience once again. Just check out everything it can do:
- Take the place of an airline boarding pass.
- Contain personal information about the traveler.
- Be able to monitor the whereabouts of each passenger and his/her luggage.
- Shock the wearer on command, completely immobilizing him/her for several minutes.
More »
Health Officials: Did We Say Tomatoes? We Meant Jalapeño Peppers
—>After causing the tomato industry to lose an estimated $100 million, health investigators have essentially recanted their contaminated tomato theory and have focused their attention on jalapeño peppers. The Baltimore Sun reports that new interviews with salmonella victims have revealed that many of them ate salsa containing jalepeños. Other common Mexican food ingredients such as cilantro are also being investigated, however, no new samples have tested positive for salmonella. Details, inside... More »
Heath Inspections: The Taste Of Chicago Is Apparently The Foulest Thing Ever
—>The always excellent Chicago Reporter informs us that the annual mass tourist migration known as the Taste of Chicago is basically the foulest thing ever. If you'll recall, last year the Taste was struck by an outbreak of salmonella— so this year the Reporter has gathered some disgusting statistics and anecdotes guaranteed to make you think twice before buying those tickets. More »
8 Common Foodborne Illnesses And Their Symptoms
—>Our nation's recent salmonella outbreak has rekindled discussions about foodborne illnesses and how they spread. The good news is that most of these illnesses can be avoided with proper food processing and preparation procedures along with simple hand washing. If you don't know your botulism from your mad cow disease, CalorieLab has put together a list of 8 of the most prevalent foodborne illnesses and their symptoms. Check out the list, inside... More »
So, We're Probably Never Going To Know Where The Salmonella Came From
—>The FDA still has no real idea where those salmonella tomatoes came from. They suspect both Mexico and Florida, but as you may have noticed: Florida and Mexico are kind of big. And there's no real evidence aside from a guess by the FDA based on the "time frame" of the outbreak matching up with the harvest in those locations. More »
Yum! Brands Restaurants Now Serving Tomatoes
—>Junk food connoisseurs will be elated to learn that according to Fox 5, Yum! Brand restaurants are now restocking tomatoes after the recent salmonella outbreak which has forced many restaurants to take them off the menu. Federal officials say that the outbreak has sickened 277 people nationwide. The Yum! Brand restaurants include Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, A&W and Long John Silver's. This article does not imply, however, that their food alone won't make you sick. More »
That New Shower Curtain Smell Is The Smell Of Chemical Pollutants
—>A new report says that the smell given off by new vinyl shower curtains is chock-full of dangerous chemicals, reports the Los Angeles Times. Researchers tested PVC curtains purchased at Bed Bath & Beyond, Kmart, Sears, Target, and Wal-Mart, and found that all of them contained "high concentrations" of what's technically known as "bad stuff"—"One of the curtains tested released measurable quantities of as many as 108 volatile organic compounds into the air, some of which persisted for nearly a month." Update: the report is receiving criticism from some medical and science experts, including a spokeswoman for the CPSC. More »
BW3 Has A Nuanced Understanding Of Food Safety
—>Reader Dennis took this photo at a BW3 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He says: More »
Salmonella Outbreak: Which Tomatoes Are Safe?
—>McDonald's, Wal-Mart, Burger King, Outback Steakhouse and Taco Bell have all pulled their fresh tomatoes after 145 people have become ill with salmonellosis, including 23 hospitalizations. The illnesses have been linked to certain types of tomatoes, but not all tomatoes, so here's a helpful cheat sheet that will keep you salmonella-free: More »
Crocs + Escalator = Yet Another Mangled Foot
—> Another small child's foot has been mangled by the combination of the especially-grippy Crocs clogs and a moving escalator, according to WSBTV: More »
Seventeen people have been hospitalized because of a salmonella outbreak that the CDC is now linking to large, raw tomatoes. There have been 40 cases in Texas and New Mexico, as well as an additional 30 cases in 7 other states. The exact source of the tomatoes is still unknown. [AP] More »
My Wife Was Attacked In The Parking Lot And Rite Aid Won't Help!
—>Virginia police are unable to track down the creep who grabbed Michael's wife in a Rite Aid parking lot because Rite Aid is refusing to hand over its security tapes. Even worse, the store manager apparently knows the creepy grabber guy and is also refusing to help. Michael wrote to Rite Aid's corporate office begging them to cooperate with law enforcement. He hasn't heard back in two days. More »
As if you needed a reason not to wear Crocs, here's another story of a kid whose foot got caught in an escalator while wearing the damn things. The kid was fine, the escalator was repaired, the bottom of the Croc is chewed up, and "Crocs stands by its design." [CBS5.com] More »
Recalls: Scotts Caught Selling Fertilizer With Invalid EPA Registration Numbers
—>Apparently, Scotts forgot that they were supposed to register their fertilizer with the EPA because they were caught selling products that not only had never been registered, they had "invalid" registration numbers printed on the packages and some products had misleading labels with inadequate safety instructions. Whoooops. More »
More Children Are Drowning In Pools And Spas, Says The CPSC
—>Here's some bleak news, more children are drowning in pools and spas lately, says the CPSC. The increase in deaths is probably due to a increase in the number of pools and spas in the U.S., but Consumer Reports warns that some pools are more dangerous than others. More »
Louisiana Sonic Employees Spat In Drinks
A representative for a Sonic restaurant in Eunice, Louisiana has admitted that two of their employees were spitting in customers' drinks. "It was brought to my attention by the manager of the store that the incident was brought to his attention that an employee had spit in a drink of a customer," said the rep. Oh, good. So long as something was brought to someone's attention. More »
Pregnant? Asthmatic? Don't Like Rollercoasters? Stay Away From NYC Elevators And Escalators
Unless you're willing to risk being stranded with 14 other passengers several stories underground in a cattle car elevator on a hot summer day, or plunging at extreme speeds down an escalator with a broken chain, you might want to steer clear of NYC's subway system lifts. The New York Times has published the results of an extensive investigation that includes tales of daily breakdowns, comically undertrained mechanics, and about $1 billion spent over the past decade. More »
The CDC says several large salmonella outbreaks going back to 2006 were started by tainted dog food. "This is the first time human illness has been linked to dry dog food," says a CDC epidemiologist. Always wash your hands after handling pet food. More »
Do You Know What Grade Of Beef Taco Bell Uses? Do They? Does Anyone?
—>A reader sent us the contents of a Better Business Bureau complaint filed against Taco Bell. It describes how a customer tried repeatedly to find out what grade beef Taco Bell uses in its food, and how nobody at the company was able or willing to provide an answer. Not surprisingly, the BBB complaint also went unanswered. Let's just hope they're not sourcing their beef from forklift cattle, which is like downer cattle but has odd prong-shaped bruises on the side. More »
Food and Water Watch is suing the FDA for failure to comply with a Freedom of Information Act request to disclose the plans for how it goes about inspecting various food products. [Food and Water Watch] More »
FDA Report Cites 49 Safety Issues At Merck Vaccine Plant
—>Between November of last year and this past January, the FDA "cited 49 areas of concern, including a failure to follow good manufacturing practices" at Merck & Co. Inc's vaccine plant in Pennsylvania. A Merck spokesman says that most of the incidents were found and reported by Merck's own employees, and that they occurred in the manufacturing process, not the vaccines themselves: "He stressed that no contamination was found in finished vaccines and that Merck was addressing all the problems." More »
Food Companies Threaten Higher Prices If FDA Increases Safety Oversight
—>Last week, the Grocery Manufacturers Association told lawmakers that if the FDA doubled its safety oversight budget by increasing fees from food companies, they'd have to raise prices to make up the cost. That's right: affordable food or safe food. Choose one! More »
Recalled Heparin Contaminant Confirmed, And Congress Grills FDA On Inspections
Researchers have identified the chemical in the contaminated blood thinner Heparin that killed 81 people in the U.S. and made patients here and in Europe sick:The researchers freeze-dried the heparin and used a combination of nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and liquid chromatography-mass...
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Should Companies Replace BPA Baby Products In The U.S.?
There's nothing official about BPA in the U.S. (yet), and there's no legal reason (again, yet) for a company to refund or replace any products that have BPA in them.
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Midwest Airlines: The Milwaukee Brewers Are More Important Than You
—>Midwest Airlines flies the Milwaukee Brewers on their planes through a "charter service" says the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, but the Brewers weren't grounded like the over 100,000 other passengers who were booked on MD-80s. More »
Pilots Complain That Cash-Strapped Airlines Are Skimping On Fuel
What's the surest way to save money on rising fuel prices? Don't use it! MSNBC has gathered pilot complaints from a database NASA maintains for the FAA, and they show that airlines are challenging pilots' refueling decisions, urging them to carry only the minimum fuel required by FAA regulations in...
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The Crocs Fad Is Over?! Profits Down, Will Close 1 Factory
—>Like Zubaz pants before them, Crocs seem to be well on their way to assuming their rightful place of honor in the bad fad hall of fame as the company slashed its sales forecast and announced that it would be closing a plant in Quebec due to decreased traffic in its US stores. More »
USDA Accused Of Bullying Inspectors Who Reported Safety Violations
—>First the FAA makes their own inspectors cry in front of Congress and now the Associated Press says that the head of the federal inspectors' union is alleging that the USDA told him to "drop the matter" when he reported food safety violations at slaughterhouses. When he refused, he was placed on "disciplinary investigative status." More »
US Airways Pilot Who Fired Gun In Cockpit Will Himself Be Fired
—>The US Airways pilot who accidentally fired his weapon in the cockpit of a plane will be fired, says CNN. The pilot, Capt. James Langenhahn, 55, was not available for comment. He told investigators that he was stowing his weapon in preparation to land when the gun went off. The bullet pierced the jet's fuselage but did not hit any crucial wiring or instrumentation, according to the TSA. More »
17th Fatality Sets Colorado Ski Slope Death Record
—>Safety is important, people. This year's skiing season is going out on a sombre note as a new record was set for the most skiing or snowboarding deaths on Colorado ski slopes in a single season. More »
Canada May Become First Country To Classify BPA Toxic
—>Canada is about to become the first country to declare bisphenol-a (BPA)—used in baby bottles, drink containers, and as a liner in cans—a toxic chemical, reports the New York Times. An anonymous source has said that the work by Canada's chemical review program to list BPA as a toxic chemical "was complete and was recently endorsed by a panel of outside scientists." The announcement is expected any time between today and the end of May. More »
Southwest Passengers Sue Over Missed Inspections
—>The AP is reporting that four Southwest passengers have filed a federal lawsuit alleging that Southwest broke its contract with passengers by skipping important safety inspections... over a period of six years. More »
Malt-O-Meal, Puffed Rice Cereal Recalled For Salmonella
The recalled products were distributed nationally under the Malt-O-Meal brand name as well as under private label brands including Acme, America's Choice, Food Club, Giant, Hannaford, Jewel, Laura Lynn, Pathmark, Shaw's, ShopRite, Tops and Weis Quality. The cereals have "Best If Used By" dates from April 8, 2008 (coded as "APR0808") through March 18, 2009 (coded as "MAR1809").
More »
American Cancels 933 More Flights, Raising Total To Over 2,500
—>The trouble continues at American Airlines! They've cancelled 933 more flights today. This raises the total number of flights canceled this week to 2,500, as the airline struggles to perform a backlog of neglected safety inspections on its MD-80 aircraft. More »
Delta has canceled a few flights on MD-80 aircraft. [Fox Business News] More »
Drugs In The Water No Big Deal, Says NYC Official
—>In regards to a headline grabbing AP investigation that found the drinking water of major cities contained trace amounts of an array of pharmacopoeia, the deputy commissioner of New York City's Department of Environmental Protection, "A person would have to drink one million glasses of water to get the dose of even one over-the-counter ibuprofen tablet or the caffeine in one cup of coffee...Even at eight glasses of water per day, this would take the average person over 300 years to consume." So for those of you hoping to replace your medicine cabinet just by draining the Brita, sorry Charlie. However, there are no studies on the long-term effects to human of small exposure to a vast array of drugs, although, the Times notes, they have been shown to cause mutations in fish. More »
FAA Says Southwest Tried To Hide Safety Problems
—>There's a congressional hearing going on right now over the unsafe Southwest Airlines planes. It seems like the FAA's Southwest Airlines operation was a smörgåsbord of delicious corruption that put many lives (and careers) at risk by becoming too cozy with the airline it was supposed to regulate. More »
United Airlines Cancels 31 Flights
—>United Airlines canceled 31 flights today to test the fire suppression system. It's just the latest in a series of self-imposed groundings and butteningups by airlines hoping to avoid the negative PR Southwest experienced when a CNN investigation three weeks ago revealed the airline flew over 100 plans with thousands of passengers while skipping required safety inspections. More »
Buick Doesn't Tell Dealerships About Fire Hazard
—>There are efficient ways to initiate a recall and issue safety notices, and then there's the Buick way. After determining a potential fire hazard in the certain Pontiac Grand Prix and Buick Regals, Buick sent out safety notices in advance of a probable recall to its customers. It alerted them of the hazard, and recommend they have a mechanic investigate any suspicious burning smells. What they neglected, however, was to inform their dealerships of the hazard. Reader Tculkin, who had already complained of burning smells to another mechanic, followed the advice in his safety notice and immediately called his local dealership. The dealership had no idea what he was talking about. Literally, they didn't get the memo. Details, inside... More »
Delta Canceling 275 Flights Through Friday To Complete Wiring Inspections
—> It's official—Delta has said they're canceling a total of 275 flights, or about 3% of their worldwide schedule (we don't know what the US percentage is), to complete inspections of wiring in 117 planes. To check whether your flight is impacted, visit this page on Delta's site. More »
Spinach Facilities Are Unsafe, Disgusting And The FDA Doesn't Care
—>If you like spinach you might not want to read a new report from the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform called "FDA and Fresh Spinach Safety." More »
Delta Says It May Cancel More Flights Today Over Inspection Issues
Delta will announce sometime today whether or not it will ground more of its planes to perform additional inspections, reports CNN. Yesterday, while American Airlines was grounding 200 of its planes for safety inspections, Delta also canceled an unnamed number of flights.
More »
American Airlines canceled 200 flights today for safety inspections. Concerns arose over how a particular bundle of wires was attached to MD-80 airplanes. This is different from the bolt safety issue affecting Boeing 737s. [CNNMoney] More »
We hear a lot of horror stories about bad satellite TV installers, but they do serve an important function in the world. If one had been available to this gentlemen he might not have shot his wife. [KSDK] More »
There's Salmonella In The Cantaloupes!
—> The FDA is detaining shipments of "cantaloupe from Agropecuaria Montelibano, a Honduran grower and packer, because, based on current information, fruit from this company appears to be associated with a Salmonella Litchfield outbreak in the United States and Canada." More »
Get Info On BPA-Free Baby Products Via Text Messaging
—> If you've got a baby and you're concerned about buying unlabeled products that contain Bisphenol A or BPA—which some studies have indicated may lead to adverse health effects in humans—the website Z Recommends has just launched a free text messaging service that lets you query their database of companies while you're standing in the store. They've also got a printable wallet-card you can carry with you, which serves as both a cheat-sheet for the text service and a quick reference source for major companies. More »
Southwest Airlines Grounds 42 Planes, Suspends Workers
—>The FAA says that Southwest Airlines has grounded at least 42 planes for "possible structural damage," says the Dallas Morning News. The announcement comes after the FAA proposed record-breaking fines after an investigation uncovered that Southwest may have kept 46 planes flying even though they required safety inspections for fuselage damage. More »
AP: 41 Million Americans Drink Water Contaminated With Antibiotics, Anti-Convulsants, Mood Stabilizers, And Sex Hormones
—>A soup of pharmaceutical waste spews from the faucets supplying drinking water to 41 million Americans, according to a disturbing study from the Associated Press. At least 24 major cities are affected, including New York, Washington, Boston Chicago, and Los Angeles.
Here are some of the key test results obtained by the AP: More »
If you keep a gun in the house, don't use the Stack-On P-B 201 Pistol Box sold by Walmart to keep it safe and out of sight. A local news investigation found the pistol safe can be opened with a normal filing cabinet key. [WMCTV] More »
Did FAA Allow Southwest To Fly Unsafe Planes To Avoid Flight Disruptions?
Yesterday the FAA sought $10.2 million in civil damages from Southwest Airlines for neglecting to inspect the fuselages of 46 of its planes.
More »
Charges Filed Against Importers Of Toxic Toothpaste
—> On Tuesday, the city of Los Angeles and the FDA charged the heads of two U.S. importing companies with 14 counts each of "receiving, selling and delivering an adulterated drug," for their roles in importing and distributing over 70,000 tubes of toothpaste containing diethylene glycol (DEG) instead of glycerin. "Each count carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $1,000 fine." More »
A TSA screener contaminated a 14-year-old boy's sterile backup feeding tube in the name of national security: "If I can't open it, I can't let you on the plane." [WFTV via BoingBoing] More »
Retired Safety Inspector Picks Up Slack For CPSC In Brooklyn
Martin Bennett is a 69-year-old former inspector for the Consumer Product Safety Commission who retired over six years ago.
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A gas leak at the Plymouth, New Hampshire Walmart has lead to the hospitalization of three workers. [Boston .com] More »
FAA: New Planes Are Held Together With "Substandard" Parts
—>Terrible news for anyone afraid of flying: the FAA is reporting that the newest passenger planes are held together with "substandard" parts. The oversight at several supplier factories was so shoddy that workers were caught using rulers made of scotch-tape and paper. More »
Go Buy A Shredder Right Now
—>A shredder is an indispensable tool for keeping your identity safe and secure. If you receive credit card offers or have old bank statements littering your files, then you can't do without a cross-cutting shredder to slice and dice your personal information into an indecipherable medley of confetti. Frugal For Life points out a few of the many reasons we all should be devout shredders. More »
Lead Found In Dental Appliance
—> Finally! It's been so long since we've posted about anything tainted with lead that we were starting to wonder if all the world's trade problems had been resolved—but now comes a new study that found 210 parts per million (ppm) of lead in the porcelain veneer of a dental crown ordered from China. That's a lot less than the CPSC's current 600 ppm threshold, but a lot more than the international standard of only 90 ppm. The good news is it's highly unlikely developing children will need a mouth full of crowns and bridges. The bad news is it's yet another example of how hazardous material can slip undiscovered into the marketplace—and your mouth. More »
24,000 Cribs Recalled For Faulty Railing
—>The CPSC has announced the recall of 24,000 cribs for a faulty railing that puts children at risk of falling out. More »
The Humane Society of America has sued the USDA in an attempt to close a loophole that allows downer cows who aren't otherwise ill into the food supply. They claim the loophole increases the risk of introducing mad cow disease to humans, and leads to abuse against the cattle—like with, oh, say, a forklift. [Wall Street Journal] More »
The FDA Wants More Money
—>Unlike Nancy Nord (she's the CPSC boss that tried to hint to Congress that her agency needed more funding through sly winks and interpretive dance numbers), the FDA chief is ignoring Bush's "do not ask for more money" rule and demanding more funds. More »
Beware Dirty Lemon Wedges At Restaurants
—> The slightly alarmist HealthInspections.com has a story about dirty lemon wedges in restaurants—apparently they're a "witch's brew of bacteria," to use the hilariously over-the-top language of the video narrator, who speaks in a parody of a newscaster voice. Our favorite trick of theirs: overlaying gigantic bacteria animations on everyday objects, as you can see in this screen capture. But anyway, the point is a microbiologist from New Jersey found various bacteria on three quarters of the lemons she tested from 21 different restaurants: "The very first sample that we took was loaded with fecal bacteria." More »
In response to consumer backlash, Verizon has decided to make it so alarms on its new phones don't go off on its phones when you dial 911. This is so if you hide and call 911 when a prowler breaks in, you don't give them a handy homing signal. [KOMO] More »
22,000 People Died As Bayer Reaped Profits, Withheld Key Study From FDA
—>The FDA yanked the heart surgery drug Trasylol off the market last November, but a medical researcher now claims that 22,000 lives could have been saved if Bayer AG hadn't withheld the results of an earlier internal study proving the drug's danger. An FDA committee held hearings in September 2006 to determine Trasylol's safety, but three of the committee members had a financial interest in Bayer, and the drug maker had underwritten the committee chairman's research. More »
Pokemon Valentine's Day Lollipops Should Not Contain Razor Blades
—>A 10-year-old elementary school student found a razor blade in the Pokemon lollipop he was about to hand to his sister. Dollar General, which sold the lollipop for $1, immediately recalled the remaining Pokemon Valentine Cards and Pops from its 8,300 stores, but they are concerned that "most of this candy has already been purchased." More »
Dancing Deer Apologizes For Blondie-Encrusted Metal Spear
—>Dancing Deer wasted no time responding to yesterday's post featuring a two-inch metal spear in a package of blondies. Trish Karter, Dancing Deer's President, Chief Deer, and Floor Sweeper sent tipster Helen a wonderfully detailed apology and promised to conduct an investigation. Read her excellent mea culpa, after the jump. More »
Glass Baby Bottles Hit The Market To Answer Concerned Parents' Fears Of Plastic
—> Earlier this month, several consumer groups announced that heated plastic baby bottles leach bisphenol A "in amounts that were within the range shown to cause harm in animal studies." Now a reader writes in to tell us that companies are already starting to respond to the issue with announcements that they'll be releasing glass bottles in addition to plastic versions. More »
Recalls
A Life of Faith Charm Bracelet Sets (lead), Polaris All-Terrain Vehicles (fire), Soft Air USA Remote-Controlled Helicopter Toys (Fire and Burn), GE Gas Clothes Dryers (shock), Trek MT220 Girls Bicycles (frame failures), eeBoo Corp Sketchbooks with Colored Spirals (lead). More »
Birds Live In Virginia Safeway Store
Jose writes, I thought that the long lines and the produce always being out of stock was bad enough, but then I noticed the small family of birds living at my local Safeway (Nutley St, Fairfax, VA).
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FDA Wants To Open A Field Office In China
—>The FDA tells Reuters that it wants permission to open a field office on China so it has some "boots on the ground." Rather than inspecting food, this proposed FDA expansion team's main function would be to lobby the Chinese government for more stringent regulations. Be still our beating heart. More »
The EPA says hot tap water can contain as much lead as a cheap toy from China—"We call it dollar-store tea," says an EPA spokesman. Okay, seriously, the EPA said none of that but they do warn you to not drink hot tap water.
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Members Of Congress Implore Mattel To "Do The Right Thing," Recall Lead-Tainted Toy Blood-Pressure Cuff
—>56 Members of Congress want to know why Mattel CEO Robert Eckert refuses to issue a nationwide recall for a toy blood-pressure cuff that is contaminated with lead. The affected blood-pressure cuff, sold as part of the Fisher-Price Medical Kit, was recalled exclusively in Illinois after Mattel received a complaint from State Attorney General Lisa Madigan. Legislators want Eckert to stand by a pledge made to reassure a jittery public before the holiday buying season that Mattel would 'earn back our trust with deeds, not just with words.' More »
White House Mulls Another Industry Shill To Head CPSC
—>The Washington Post reports that the Administration is considering another industry hack to head the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC). They have in mind is Gail Charnley, a scientist who has testified on behalf of and writes articles supporting the views of tobacco, energy and pesticide companies. She's not thought of as a consumer advocate per se but as someone hired by industry to represent their point of view," said Lynn Goldman, a former assistant administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency. Awesome. Last time around, the White House tried unsuccessfully to install Michael Baroody, a lobbyist for the National Association of Manufacturers, as CPSC head. Should Charnley fail, there's probably some guys from Enron still looking for work. More »
Dairy Queen Owner Exclaims "Good God Almighty, Where's My Manager?" After Workers Moon Drive-Thru Window
—>Hey St. John's Dairy Queen workers, you forgot to make your Facebook group private. Now your hilarious little videos of each other mooning the drive-thru and waging indoor snowball fights are all over Canadian television. They just don't understand your jokes about "using meat the next day that wasn't kept overnight in the cooler." Neither do the health inspectors. More »
Chinese Exporters Use Kosher Certification To Quell Food Safety Concerns
—>Kosher certification is the new darling of health-conscious consumers who misguidedly believe that biblically blessed health standards can reign in the excesses of commercial food production. Even Chinese exporters are betting that kosher certification can convince foreign consumers that their wares are safe. To companies, certification is just a marketing tool: it lends the aura of safety without offering any actual food safety benefits.
Many Chinese companies were unfamiliar with the concept: One furniture maker asked for kosher certification, drawing a polite rebuff. Another facility asked to get certified as kosher even though it was smoking eel on site, a kosher no-no. The company was turned down; it is now building a separate, kosher-only facility. More »
CPSC Boss: Toys "Are Safer Than They Have Ever Been"
—>Consumer Reports takes issue with some of the statements CPSC chairperson Nancy Nord said in a recent speech: More »
The FDA's announcement today that cloned beef and dairy is safe was met with criticism by several consumer groups, which isn't surprising, and the US Department of Agriculture, which is—they say that food producers should continue to honor a "voluntary moratorium" for the indefinite future...
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RECALLS: Kash N' Gold Tinker Bell Novelty Lamps (lead), A.O. Smith Exhaust Fan Electric Motors (fire), Shims Bargain Pacifiers (choking), TJ Promotions Coin Banks (lead), Lowe's Torchiere Lamps (fire), Honda ATVs (loss of speed control), Intermatic Digital Timers (shock), Pacific Cycle Children's Trailer Bicycles (can detach from adult bicycle), Canondale Scalpel Mountain Bikes (crashing), Mark's Quality Meats Beef (E.coli), New Era Mexican-Style Beans (botulism), Raw Oysters Harvested from the West Karako Bay Section of Growing Area 3 in Louisiana (norovirus), Shangai Chaojimengnan (actually Viagra). More »
Last year was the safest year to fly in more than four decades, says the private Aircraft Crashes Record Office (ACRO). Hmm—maybe United has just been trying to take the record for safest flights by cancellng them all. [Reuters] More »
Texas: 14,800 pounds of stolen ground beef may be contaminated with E. coli, says the USDA. So, uh, just for now, don't buy any ground beef from the back of a truck. [Reuters] More »
As part of a 3-month fire-safety campaign, the Chinese city of Zhuhai has banned all Christmas trees and related flammable decorations from all stores, malls, restaurants, and other public spaces: "Those that fail to rectify the situation will be subject to legal measures like suspension or closure." [Reuters] More »
TSA Declares Victory, Achieves Same Vaunted Status As IRS
—>The IRS is celebrating the results of an AP poll that ranks the TSA as the most hated arm of the federal government. More than anything, Americans apparently hate being inconvenienced by seemingly pointless and arbitrary security checks.
The AP poll, conducted Monday through Wednesday, found that the more people travel, the less they like TSA. More »
RECALLS: Man's Trading Company Super Magnets (aspiration, intestinal hazards), Pre-Filled Heparin Lock Flush Solution (Serratia marcescens, life-threatening injuries, death), Empire Silver Teething Rings (choking), Manttra Pressure Cookers (burn), Liberty Apparel Girls' Hooded Sweatshirts with Drawstrings (strangulation), Lenox Covered Warmer Dishes (fire, burn). More »
CNN Wants You To Be Very Afraid Of Parking Lots
—> CNN has a hilarious article about shopping safety that you should certainly read before you hit the mall this weekend for last-minute gifts. We're all for safety, but according to this article, letting your senior citizen wander off from the rest of the family is like like tying a fawn to a skateboard and pushing it into a den of lions: "He has to be at least 75 or 80 years old. Now, he's a potential victim." More »
RECALLS: Royal Seafood Baza Inc. Dried Roach (botulism), Top Line Specialty Produc Green Paradise label" Fresh Italian basil (salmonella), Specialty Merchandise Corporation Snowman And Christmas Tree Candles (fire), DEWALT Cordless Drills (fire), Remington and McQuay "ComfortPac" Air Conditioners and Heat Pumps (fire). More »
RECALLS: Victoria's Secret Stuffer Bear (choking), Discount School Supply Giant Measuring Chart (lead), AAFES "Soldier Bear" Toys (lead), Honda Walk-Behind Lawn Mowers (laceration), Bombardier Ski-Doo® Model Year 2008 MXZ X 600 RS Snowmobiles (crashing), More »
If you have babies visiting you this holiday season, don't let them sleep on air mattresses, says the CPSC. They've received several reports of suffocation deaths because the mattresses can be too soft for infants. The same goes for waterbeds, although if you have a waterbed then you're probably living in 1982 and this blog hasn't been invented yet. [CPSC] More »
Meat Industry Discovers Consumers' Trust Has Eroded
—> The meat and poultry industries have learned that if you poison your customers enough times, they'll eventually start losing trust in you—although, oddly, they won't change their purchasing habits. That's the takeaway from a study carried out by Meatingplace.com (snicker) and "its sister publication POULTRY" (ha ha WHERE'S CHRIS HANSON). However, no description of the study is provided other than that Zoomerang.com was used, so we're not sure if the results are at all meaningful. We're just glad the meat industry is starting to notice something's wrong. More »
British retailer John Lewis is selling the world's most unintentionally disturbing baby bathtub ever. At least we hope it's unintentional. [BoingBoing] More »
Whole Foods is recalling its 365 Organic Everyday Value™ Swiss Milk Chocolate Bars with Rice Crisps, 3-ounce size, with a Best If Used By date of 11/21/07, because the batch may contain undeclared hazelnuts, walnuts, and pecans. [FDA] More »
NPR Tests A Toy Safety Text Message Service
—>NPR went to a local Walmart to test a new toy safety search that works via text message, and while the shoppers there were definitely interested in being able to retrieve chemical test results right there in the store—the service didn't work very well in practice. More »
22 Children Died Toy-Related Deaths In 2006
—>Toy injuries were responsible for 22 deaths and 220,500 emergency room visits in 2006, according to a report from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The report looked at injuries affecting children under 15 and found that most deaths were caused by asphyxiation or collisions associated with riding toys, scooters, toy pegs, and rubber balls. More »
Peter Pan Driver Idles Bus For Thirty Minutes To Punish Passengers Who Complained About Swerving
—>A Peter Pan bus driver took revenge on passengers who complained about his unsafe driving by refusing to let anyone off the bus while making an unexpected thirty minute stop in Framingham, MA. One angry passenger who noticed the driver's erratic swerving, Brian Moore, blogged about his experience as a surprise hostage on the trip from New York to Boston. More »
Kids who spin yo-yo waterballs around their heads can get them wrapped around their necks, leading to tales of temporary blindness, blackouts, and neck scars. Today New Jersey voted 71-to-7 to ban sales of the toy. [Newsday] More »
China and US sign product safety pact. Lucky thing they got that one banged out before Christmas. [AP] More »
China Pulls Carcinogenic US Pringles From Hong Kong Shelves
—> Ah, the game is afoot, China! See how the worm turns! Cliché #3 should go here! China has pulled some unofficially imported (from the U.S.) Pringles chips because they contain potassium bromate, a preservative that we Americans happily ingest in order to breed a race of lumpy super-capitalists—but that China, Hong Kong, and other countries have banned "because tests have found it to be carcinogenic." More »
Most Recalled Meat Is Eaten, Never Recovered
—>Most recalled meat is eaten before it can be returned to the factory, according to a nauseating analysis by USA Today. Well-publicized and timely recalls catch slightly less than of all affected meat, a stunning accomplishment when compared to the recovery rates for tainted meat that sickens people. More »
Man Finds Used Condom In Southwestern Whopper, Sues Burger King
—>Van Miguel Hartless is suing the owner of a Rutland Burger King after biting into a Southwestern Whopper that contained a used condom. When Hartless complained to the manager, he "laughed off the incident." More »
Recalls: Starbucks Fusion Coffee Mugs (burn), Home Depot Holiday Figurines (lead), Scope Apparel Boys' Hooded Sweatshirts with Drawstrings (strangulation), RC2 First Years 3-in-1 Flush and Sounds Potty Seats (lead), RC2 First Years Newborn-to-Toddler Reclining Feeding Seats (falling), Sears Personal Identity-brand V-neck sweaters with hood (strangulation), Basic Editions-brand girls' clothing sets (entrapment, strangulation), TKS-brand children's pants (entrapment), Collins International Oscillating Ceramic Heaters sold at Menards (fire), Polaris Ranger RZR 800 EFI Utility Vehicles (fire, burn), Bowflex® Ultimate 2 Home Gyms (injury). More »
Fake Brake Pads Made Of Kitty Litter? Knockoffs Can Be Dangerous
—> Consumer Reports warns us that knockoffs aren't just found on the streets of NYC, where peddlers push fake Gucci and Prada bags to giggling tourists. There are now "brake pads made of kitty litter, sawdust, and dried grass; power strips, extension cords, and smoke alarms with phony Underwriters Laboratories (UL) marks; medical test kits that give faulty readings; toothpaste made with a chemical found in antifreeze; and cell-phone batteries that could explode. Online drugstores claiming to operate from Canada but actually based in other countries have peddled "Lipitor" and "Celebrex" pills stored under uncontrolled conditions and containing the wrong active ingredients." More »
CPSC Has No Full Time Amusement Ride Inspector
—>If you've always just assumed there must be someone in charge of making sure those traveling carnivals have safe rides, you're right. It's our friends at the CPSC. Trouble is, they don't actually have even one person whose full time job it is to ensure the safety of such rides, says the Washington Post.
The agency's 90 field investigators — who oversee 15,000 products, work from their homes and live mostly on the East Coast — are so overstretched that they frequently arrive at carnival accident scenes after rides have been dismantled. More »
Old Navy Recalls Boy's Jacket, Offers $5 Gift Card
—>This Old Navy boys windbreaker has a waist drawstring, a big "no no" according to the CPSC's children's clothing safety guidelines. You can either cut the drawstring out, or return the jacket to Old Navy for a full refund and get a $5 gift card for your trouble, meaning you've essentially been paid $5 to let your kid to wear a jacket. More »
Recalls Are A Headache For Toy Drive Organizers
—>Toy drive organizers are recruiting extra volunteers to help them "throw away" recalled toys, says USAToday. More »
An amusing animation depicting the CPSC's epic failures through song and dance, brought to you by Consumers Union, makers of Consumer Reports. Unfortunately, neither the Chinese Poison Train nor Snively Whiplash made an appearance. [NotInMyCart] More »
FDA Is So Underfunded It Can't Protect Consumers
—> Today, an advisory panel to the FDA will present its findings developed over the past year. The result is "a scathing review of the state of the FDA" that says it's "so underfunded and understaffed that it's putting U.S. consumers at risk in terms of food and drug safety." More »
Man Arrested For Smashing "Dangerous" "Toy Lamp" Outside Walmart
—>Based on an advocacy group's "10 Most Dangerous Toys" list, an Arkansas man became convinced that a Dora the Explorer lamp sold at Walmart posed an imminent electrical shock threat to any children for whom which it was bought, so he conducted his own personal recall... More »
FAA: Southwest Engine Experienced Vibration. Passengers: The Engine Exploded!
According to the FAA, Southwest flight 438 returned to Dallas' Love Field on November 17 when the plane "experienced a vibration in the number 2 engine" shortly after take-off.
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Too Stinky To Fly: "Unfamiliar Smell" Grounds Southwest Flight
—>An "unfamiliar smell" grounded a flight from Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Thursday after flight attendants noticed the smell shortly after take off. More »
CPSC Issues Holiday Safety Brochure
—> Nancy Nord and the CPSC have published what might the densest collection of common sense "advice" we've ever seen: the "2008 Holiday Decoration Safety Tips" brochure, which you can download here if you need to. Among their tips: buy fire-resistant or non-flammable items whenever possible, don't leave candles unattended, and don't overwhelm the CPSC with "too much" power. More »
Asbestos Found In Several Products
Lead-tainted toys are old news! This Christmas, the new new thing is asbestos-tainted toys and other products.
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Recalls: Dick's Sporting Goods Lazy Loungers and Recliners (collapsing), Chintzy Reeves International horse ornaments (lead). More »
RECALLS: 686,500 Nissan Altima and Sentra cars (engine stalling), Bon-Ton hooded sweatshirts (strangulation), Dick's Sporting Goods "Power Bolt" Pitchbacks (laceration), Meijer Firepits (can tip over and start fire), Performax and Wilton 10" Sliding Miter Saws (laceration), 95,927 pounds of American Foods Group beef (E. coli), 98,000 pounds of Double B Foods frozen sausage products (Listeria). More »
Senator Durbin On Toy Safety: "It Might Just Be A Good Christmas For Books Or Movies"
—>Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) is the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government, which recently held hearings about the state of toy safety in the U.S. What did Sen. Durbin take away from those hearings? More »
Dialing 911 Could Be Dangerous
—>Dialing 911 sets off a loud alarm on newer Verizon phones, potentially putting customers in danger. Imagine dashing under your bed at the sound of an intruder breaking through the front door, only to wonder if you should call 911 from your cellphone because it would reveal your location. A Texas woman was forced to make a similar decision when she discovered that the security chain guarding her vacant property was missing.
She grabbed her new Casio G'zOne phone from Verizon Wireless, which to her horror made an audible alarm when she called 911. More »
Consumer Reports Recommends Electric Turkey Fryers Rather Than Propane
—> Consumer Reports recommends that consumers try new, safer electric turkey fryers this Thanksgiving. Propane powered fryers have this nasty habit of setting themselves on fire—a feature that tends to annoy Consumer Reports, the fire department and the burn unit at your local hospital. More »
Early Sesame Street DVDs Have "Adults Only" Warnings
—>The producers of Sesame Street have slapped volumes 1 & 2 of the eternally running children's show with the following warning: "These early 'Sesame Street' episodes are intended for grown-ups, and may not suit the needs of today's preschool child." Why? Cookie Monster carries a pipe in one recurring parody—and then eats it. Oscar the Grouch is too grouchy and mean. And in the first episode, a grown man—Gordon—asks a little girl to come home with him for milk and cookies... and she does! More »
Cars Are Getting Safer, 34 Vehicles Are "Top Safety Picks"
The institute's tests are tougher than those run by the federal government, and automakers often make changes in the vehicles and pay the institute to re-run its tests to garner better scores for advertising. General Motors Corp. altered the side air bags in its 2008 Saturn Vue to earn a top pick after they failed to deploy correctly in the first test.
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Toys R Us Advertising Date Rape Drug Laced Aquadots As A "Door Buster"
—>We've been getting several complaints today about Toys R Us' "Door Buster" newspaper ad. They're still advertising the GHB-laced Aquadots, despite the recall. (Right next to some ominous-looking Thomas & Friends toys, we might add.) More »
Toys R Us Tries To Reassure You After Year Of Recalls
—>Toys R Us has written a reassuring letter to its customers outlining its toy safety policies and threatening to discontinue selling products from any company that ignores them. Since Toys R Us still sells Mattel toys and Thomas & Friends wooden train sets, it's hard to imagine a company that wouldn't make the cut. More »
What To Do With A Recalled Toy
—> In the best scenario, you'll never make it out of the store with a recalled toy—if you manage to find one still on the shelves, retailers (at least the big ones) will likely catch it at check out because the UPC code will have been flagged. But for those times when you do end up with something that has to go back to the Island of (Really) Misfit Toys, here are some things to consider to reduce problems on your end. More »
The 10 Worst Toys For 2007
—> Boston-based World Against Toys Causing Harm Inc., or W.A.T.C.H., has announced its top-10 list of the worst toys you can buy kids this Christmas. This is a rather pointless year for a list like this, considering the massive expansion of the Unsafe Toy Industry; in fact, the first item on their list was recalled back in October for lead paint. Still, there are some fun discoveries on the list, like "Sticky Stones," small piles of easy-to-eat magnets, and the "Spider Man 3 New Goblin Sword," because its "spring-loaded blade expands to more than 3 feet long, creating the potential for facial injuries." If they could just combine the Goblin Sword with the Oozinator, we'd have a Dateline special on our hands. More »
The Norwegian food safety authority suprise-inspected Norway's "largest erotic chain store" and determined it was violating food labeling laws by not including nutritional info on things like penis-shaped pasta and edible panties. [Reuters] More »
Carbon Monoxide-Treated Meat Is Here To Stay, For Now
—> In hearings today, the meat producers Hormel Foods Corp and Cargill Inc testified that the practice of treating meat with carbon monoxide to preserve its red color is safe and should be allowed. As a compromise, they suggested a label on all CO-treated meat and fish that reminded consumers to refer to the date on the package to determine its freshness. According to Reuters, "officials at the Food and Drug Administration and U.S. Agriculture Department said they stand by the safety of the carbon monoxide practice and would revisit the process if new data becomes available." More »
Dollar Store children's sunglasses (lead), Nike Football Helmet Chin Straps (they can break), Iceberg Enterprises folding chairs (falling), Del Rey tortillas (nausea), Tortilla land Beef Tamales (pieces of metal), Napastyle Romano Pitchers and Tumblers (lead), Kroger Light Caesar Salad Dressing (undeclared milk, eggs, and anchovies). More »
CPSC Head To Washington Post: My Trips Paid For By Manufacturers Were Okay!
—>A letter to the editor by CPSC chairperson Nancy was published in the Washington Post today. She feels that the Washington Post misrepresented the nature of several trips she took, trips which were paid for in full or in part by companies under her agency's domain. Particularly, she got peeved about people saying how the CPSC has only one toy inspector. More »
AquaDots (contain chemical that turns into date rape drug GHB after you eat it), Packaged Terminal Air Conditioners (PTAC) and Heat Pumps (PTHP) (fire), "Robot 2000" collectible tin robot (lead), Dizzy Ducks Music Box (lead), Winnie-the-Pooh Spinning Top (lead), Duck Family Collectible Wind-Up Toy (lead), Dollar Store Super Wheels (lead), Dragster and Funny Car toy (lead), Northern Tool & Equipment "Big Red" Wagons (lead). More »
"Hide Your Old Pills In Poop"
The Reuters headline is so perfect, we can't improve upon it. Hide your old pills in poop, folks, before you discard them, especially ones that are frequently abused like the painkillers oxycodone, morphine, and fentanyl, and the stimulant methylphenidate.
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Swimways "Skippy" Pool Toys (laceration), Hunter Fan Warm Mist Carefree Humidifier (fire), Polaris Industries Snowmobiles (fire), Hartz Mountain Corporation Recalls Vitamin Care for Cats (Salmonella). More »
Mattel Announces Recall Of 155,000 Toys
—> Today Mattel announced a recall of 155,000 Mexican-made toys being sold in countries throughout Europe and the United States. There's no lead contamination this time around; the recall was announced "due to concerns that small pieces could detach from the toys and cause children to choke." The product is the Laugh & Learn Learning Kitchen Toy, part of the Fisher-Price range. More »
White House Is Proposing Its Own Version Of Product Safety Plan
—> Today the White House will announce its own plan for how to tighten the country's slack product safety practices. The proposal is being offered as an alternative to the one Congress has come up with, which the White House—along with industry trade groups and Consumer Product Safety Commission head Nancy A. Nord—think is too mean to manufacturers.
The White House version suggests stationing inspectors in other countries to inspect goods before they are shipped to U.S. shores, because "with $2 trillion in imports annually, inspections at the ports had become ineffective." We're not sure how the math works on that one—unless sharks or pirates consume large amounts of imports during transit, the same number of goods leave foreign ports and arrive at ours, and having inspectors all in one place where they can work together, instead of spread out in each foreign country, seems a more efficient use of resources. But we're probably just stupid from too much lead. More »
Attention Flyers: Your Pilots May Be Asleep
—>A controversial hunk of data from NASA released recently had the following terrifying anecdote: On a red-eye flight from Baltimore to Denver not one but both pilots fell asleep. As in not awake. More »
Cargill Recalls 1 Million Pounds Of Tainted Beef
—>Agribusiness monster Cargill is recalling 1 million pounds of beef that may be contaminated with E. coli. The potentially tainted meat was butchered between October 8 and October 11 at the "Cargill Meat Solutions" slaughterhouse in Wyalusing, PA. According to Cargill, there have been no reports of illness. After the jump, the long list of recalled products. More »
FDA: Glow In The Dark Shrimp "Not A Food Safety Issue"
—>Seattle shoppers want to know why the FDA won't investigate bioluminescent shrimp appearing at local Thriftways and Quality Food Centers. More »
CPSC Chair Rebuffs Calls For Resignation
Despite Democrats clamoring for her resignation, CPSC chair Nancy Nord says she's staying put. Nord is a shill-bag. She couldn't answer direct questions from Congress. She couldn't even say "yes" when they asked her if the CPSC needed more money. Toss all the bums out and get some new ones in quick.
More »
Totino's and Jeno's pepperoni and sausage frozen pizzas (E. coli), Ribbit Board Games (lead), Toys R' Us Elite Operations Toys (lead), "Galaxy Warriors" Toy Figures (lead), Limited Too Pearl-like Bead Attachments sold with Girl's Gift Sets (lead), Hickory Barbecue Sauce Packed Under Various Private Labels (undeclared anchovies). More »
Fake Red Meat: Meatpackers Warn Consumers To "Use The Sell By Date"
—>As we've already mentioned, packing meat in carbon dioxide keeps it from turning brown, but doesn't keep it from spoiling—making it more likely that consumers will buy, and eat, nasty spoiled meat. More »
CPSC Tells Companies, "Don't Recall Products On Your Own"
—> A CPSC spokeswoman said this week that Wal-Mart's independent recall of lead-tainted toy animals on October 19th was all well and good, but that they should have included more information that consumers need in order to act quickly—including how many products were sold, when they were sold and at what other retailers, and the name of the manufacturer. Said the spokeswoman, "We are not big fans of when companies handle recall announcements independently of the agency. It can cause confusion and doesn't always provide consumers with the information they need." More »
Counterfeit "Square D" Circuit Breakers (fire), Oki Data Americas C9600 Digital Color Printers (shock), Target Recalls Home Patio Sets (falling), President's Choice Chocolate Chunk Brownie Cookie (undeclared milk). More »
China Arrests 774 People Over Safety Issues
—> China has arrested nearly 800 people over the past two months in a "nationwide crackdown on the production and sale of tainted food, drugs and agricultural products," writes the New York Times. The country announced the number officially today on their website, but did not provide details on the violations involved. The announcement is part of a larger campaign to not only rehabilitate China's image around the world, but to address concerns that its domestic products are even less likely to be safe. More »
USDA Says Defunct Canadian Meatpacker Was Source Of Recent E.coli Beef Contaminations
—> The U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service has used "DNA fingerprints" to trace the source of recent U.S. outbreaks of contaminated beef back to one shoddy supplier in Alberta, Canada. The company most likely responsible is Rancher's Beef, Ltd, which went out of business on August 15th, but not before helping sink Topps and contributing to nearly 100 illnesses in the U.S. and Canada. More »
California Police Seize 375 Pounds Of Bathtub Cheese
—>Meet Floribel Hernandez Cuenca and Manuel Martin. California police arrested the pair on "felony cheese making charges" after they tried to sell 375 pounds of bathtub cheese at an open-air market in San Bernardino. Bathtub cheese, otherwise known as "illegal soft cheese," can cause a range of maladies including listeria, salmonella, and everybody's favorite gut goblin, E. coli.
The 375 pounds of seized illegal cheese included panela, queso fresco and queso oxaca varieties, the [California Department of Food and Agriculture] says. It was a significant find, the department says. More »
How To Avoid Staph
—> Now that MSRA, or methicillin-resistant staph, has taken the lead as America's Worst Infection, killing more people annually than AIDS, it's a good time to learn a little more about how to avoid it, how to identify it, and what to do if you suspect you have it. The New York Times offers a brief, helpful article about the topic, answering questions like "What can I do to lower my risk of catching it?" and "Where does it lurk?" More »
Blue Ribbons Meats in Florida is recalling over 8,000 pounds of "seasoned beef and meatloaf" frozen patties due to suspected E.coli contamination, although no illnesses have been reported yet. The patties were shipped to a Florida correctional institution and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This is the fifth E.coli-related recall this month. [Reuters] More »
Bumbo "Baby Sitter" Seats (severe head injuries), Repair Kits Ready To Be Sent To Parents and Caregivers With Recalled Simplicity Cribs (entrapment and suffocation), Family Dollar Purple Halloween Pails with Witch Decorations (lead), DecoPac Football Bobble Head Cake Decorations (lead), Jo-Ann Fabric Stores Toy Garden Tools (lead), Fisher Price Go Diego Go Boat Toys (lead), Dollar Tree Beary Cute, Expressions, and Sassy & Chic Children's Metal Jewelry (lead), WeGlow Children's Metal Jewelry (lead), Blastrac BG 250 Series Concrete Grinders (injury from ejected parts), Kawasaki Power Tool Kits Battery Chargers (burn, laceration), Blue Ribbon Meats Beef Patties (E. coli). More »
A Bunch Of Groups Compromise On State Meat Inspections
—> From the "boring but important" category of meat-related news, the Consumer Federation of America has joined with other advocacy groups as well as union and labor groups, under the assistance of men and women in Congress, to work out a compromise in response to July's ill-conceived attempt by Minnesota Rep. Collin Peterson to do away with the federal inspections requirement for interstate meat sales. The new plan augments Peterson's measure in a way that ensures state-inspection procedures meet or exceed federal ones. More »
See All CPSC Toy Recalls On One Page
—>So the CPSC is always recalling all sorts of crap, like the surprising candles which could lead to fire, or the snowboards which could lead to falling, but as a concerned parent, all you care about is the toys. The freakin' toys. The ones with the lead and the chokey parts. Well, even though their website coder probably doubles as the meatloaf server at lunchtime, they've got a catchall page that is your go-to spot for all the toy hazard related recalls. Just memorize the simple URL: http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/category/toy.html. More »
Home Automation 64 Zone Wireless Receivers (failure to receive security signal), Toyota Siennas (faulty door lock). More »
If you're doing holiday shopping online but want to know where your toys are made before you buy them, check out the list at FatBrainToys. They don't sell things like Bratz or Hot Wheels, but if you're in the market for unique (sometimes even "educational") toys, it's a good place to start. [FatBrainToys.com] More »
Game Pieces Sold with "Cars" Backpacks (choking), Reynolds Bicycle Forks (falling), previously repaired Cybex Treadmills (fire), 2006 Line X-Fly and Line Pro Ski Boards (falling). More »
How To Carve A Pumpkin Without Severing An Artery
—>Its' pumpkin carving time, folks, and while fake blood is cool—real blood isn't. More »
Russia Bans Import Of U.S. Chicken, Pork
—>Russia has banned the import of chicken and pork from 30 U.S. facilities in the wake of a midsummer audit. Russia has not disclosed what, if anything, the audits uncovered, according to a concerned spokesman from the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council.
All of the banned poultry plants were major suppliers of U.S. poultry to Russia and are some of the most efficient facilities in the country, the export council said. More »
Now At Dairy Queen: The Worst Food Safety Record In The Industry!
—>Dairy Queen is the king of food safety violations, according to nationwide health inspection reports. Hygiene issues comprise almost 25% of DQ's violations; busy employees apparently can't be bothered to wash their hands or store food at the proper temperature. More »
25 Safest Cars Of 2007
—>These are the 25 cars you're least likely to die in, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Picks 2007. They do front and side crashes at high speeds. They see how much of a crick in the neck you get after being hit in the rear. One thing that stands out is that cars with optional electronic stability control are getting good grades. More »
Payless Girls' Boots (falling), Kong Maxx Ladder Stands Sold at Gander Mountain (falling), Sportsstuff Air Pumps included with Launch Pod Water Trampoline (laceration), Gymboree Toy Pirate Swords (laceration), Shain's of Maine Kahlua Brownie and Double Fudge Brownie Ice Cream (undeclared egg). More »
Despite problems involving Chinese-made goods sold in the U.S., a Chinese spokesperson says that orders for Christmas toys are "up" and that factories can't keep up with demand. But he also says, "I urge the importers of Chinese toys to come to China and buy more Chinese toys and I wish children around the world a Merry Christmas," which makes the claim sound like PR spin. [Reuters] More »
Albert's Skull Pails Filled With Halloween Candy Mix (lead), Antioch Cool Clip™ and Mini Cool Clip™ Bookmarks (lead), Guidecraft Tabletop Puppet Theaters (lead), John Deere Gator Utility Vehicles (injury), Nautilus Bowflex® Ultimate 2 Home Gyms (injury), Plow & Hearth Recalls Aluminum Chimenea (fire, burn), Dunkin' Donuts Glow Sticks Due (choking, strangulation), Procycle Rocky Mountain-Solo Bicycles (fall). More »
Yamaha Snowmobiles 2007 Model Year PZ50 (injury, death), Oro Disc Brakes on bikes (loss of braking), 2007 Huffy "Howler" and "Highland" Bicycles (crank falling off, loss of control), Lochmead Farms Country Fresh Chocolate Premium Ice Cream (undeclared almonds), Arko Veal Co Beef Patties Mix (E. coli), J & B Meats Corporation Inc various meats (E. coli). More »
USDA Food Inspector Calls Job "Just A Joke"
—>An article in the Chicago Tribune takes yet another look at our broken food safety system, declaring that a USDA Food Inspector's job is now less about inspecting meat and more about inspecting paperwork.
After the Jack in the Box case, the USDA required each meat plant to adopt a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point plan. The plans let companies design their own food safety measures, usually around the need to process beef quickly. More »
ConAgra Recalls Pot Pies Because Nobody Uses Their Microwave Properly
—>ConAgra is voluntarily recalling their pot pies while they rewrite vague cooking instructions that led 160 people in 31 states to contract salmonella. ConAgra's current packaging orders hungry consumers to microwave their pot pies until cooked thoroughly, an instruction most consumers can't follow.
It is relatively easy to figure out when a hamburger is well done by checking to see that it is no longer pink. But it's preposterous to expect consumers to know how the cooking power of their microwave compares with others. More »
"Jeff Gordon" Mini Helmets (lead), Kipp Brothers Bendable Dinosaur Toys (lead), Cracker Barrel Princess Magnetic Travel Art Set Lap Desks (lead), Disney™ Deluxe Winnie-the-Pooh 23-Piece Play Sets (lead), J.C. Penney Deluxe Wood Art Sets (lead), J.C. Penney Breyer 2006 Stirrup Ornaments (lead), Wegmans Food You Feel Good About Country Wheat Rolls (actually potato rolls, with undeclared milk allergen), Aliki Chicken Broccoli Fettuccine Alfredo Made with White Chicken (Listeria), J.C. Penney "Alyssa" Shag Rugs (fire), Ross Stores Turtle Sprinklers (laceration), Collections Etc. Inc. Double Hammocks (falling), Alltrade Tools Recalls Power Tool Batteries (burn and laceration), Fisher Controls International, Gas Regulators (leaks). More »
60% Of Lipsticks Contain Lead
—>Well, this explains a lot about children's beauty pageants: the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics tested 33 brand-name lipsticks, including brands like Cover Girl, L'Oreal, and Christian Dior, and are reporting that "61 percent had detectable lead levels of 0.03 to 0.65 parts per million (ppm)." One-third of the lipsticks tested had levels higher than 0.1 ppm, the FDA's safety limit for lead in candy. More »
ATA Tries To Have You Arrested For Using Your iPhone In "Airplane Mode"
—>The iPhone has a setting that makes it safe to use on an airplane. So-called "airplane mode" disables cell phone, radio, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth signals, thus allowing you to watch movies staring Jennifer Love Hewitt while flying through the air. More »
Buy All The Toys You Need Now, Because Prices Are Going Up
—> Just buy 'em and scrape off the lead paint. Why? Because toy makers will be passing the cost of higher-quality and better-made toys on to you next year. Says one analyst, "Anything that's a new introduction, you can make that price point $19.99 rather than $14.99." More »
Doctor To U.S.: "We Need To Eat More Feces"
—> Americans should have more poop in their diets, writes a doctor at Slate. Like superbugs and anti-bacterial products, we've become too successful at cleansing our food supply of all manner of contaminants—so that kids, for example, "have zero experience with routine gut infections, and when they encounter one that has slipped past our pipes and filters, the result can be catastrophic." More »
Don't Eat Chicken Or Turkey Pot Pies Right Now
—> You can add another item to your special "unsafe food" list for October: chicken and turkey pot pies, including the Banquet brand and generic store brands that have "P-9" stamped on the side, which may contain salmonella. Several cases of salmonella poisoning have now been reported in various states, and ConAgra and the USDA are asking consumers not to eat the product while they investigate. More »
Winn-Dixie Stores Prestige Chocolate Ice Cream (
unmentioned almonds).
More »
Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation ground beef (E. coli), More Topps Meat Company ground beef products (E. Coli). More »
House Investigators: The Chinese Government Can't Protect Its Own Citizens, Let Alone Ours
—>Investigators from the House Energy and Commerce Committee spent two weeks snooping around China and probably haven't eaten since. Their investigation revealed a tattered regulatory framework, unable to protect Chinese citizens, let alone foreigners. Among the disturbing facts uncovered: More »
Predatory Tow Trucks Steal, Sell Cars To Junk Yards
—>Predatory Tow trucks are prowling about Florida, looking to gin up extra cash by hauling perfectly good cars to salvage yards. The tow truck operators make up to $100,000 each year by preying on seemingly abandoned cars. By the time the rightful owners start asking questions, their cars are already cubes.
Investigators say salvage yards aren't held responsible as long as they get the proper paperwork. More »
Robots And Science Will Keep Our Food Safe
—>The Administration envisions a future where science and technology keep our food supply safe and secure. The multi-agency working group tasked with improving food safety has yet to agree on final recommendations, but both interest groups and the Administration seem dead set against new inspectors. Instead, the working group wants to build upon the current system of random inspections to better target potential dangers among the $2.2 trillion worth of goods imported each year. More »
Nintendo Wants To Give You Some Jackets For Your Wii
—>We mentioned this in "morning deals" but thought we'd post about it, too. Nintendo is offering up to 4 free grippy-type Wii remote jackets to customers who've already purchased the Wii. More »
IonizAir™ Table Top Air Purifiers (fire), Razor® E300 Electric Scooters (detaching handlebars), Campbell's Chunky Baked Potato With Cheddar & Bacon Bits (chunks of hard plastic). More »
Various KB Toys Recalls Wooden Toys (lead), "Pirates of the Caribbean" Medallion Squeeze Lights (lead), Dollar General Frankenstein Tumblers (lead), "Totally Me!" Children's Decorating Sets (lead), Baby Einstein Discover & Play Color Blocks (lead), Dollar General metal keyrings (lead), Antioch Bookmarks and Journals (lead), Sports Authority Alpine Design Aluminum Water Bottles (lead). More »
Kraft is recalling 23,000 cases of Baker's Premium White Chocolate Baking Squares after FDA testing "detected the presence of salmonella in some 6-oz. packages." So far no illnesses have been reported, so if you're the opportunistic con-artist type, you've got a shot at being first-to-media on this one. [Reuters More »
Honeywell International Gas Valves (fire, burn), Jensen's Seattle Style Wild Smoked Salmon Spread Lemon Dill and Onion (Listeria), Quong Hop Tofu (Listeria). More »
Meat Industry Showing Signs Of Larger Problems
—> This summer, almost 6 million pounds of beef were recalled due to E. coli contamination. Last week, almost 22 million pounds of frozen hamburger meat were recalled after reports surfaced of E. coli infections. It was the biggest meat recall in 10 years, and "the American Meat Institute (AMI) says it noticed a slight rise in positive E. coli tests by the government this summer," says a USA Today article. In fact, 2007 is the first time in 3 years that the rate of positive USDA sample-tests have gone up. At the same time, the Chicago Tribune reports that in July, a congressman from Minnesota slipped a special measure into the 2007 farm bill that would reduce the need for federal inspections for small meat producers. More »
Should Artificially Colored Meat Have A Warning Label?
—> Over a year and a half ago, we alerted readers to the sneaky practice of using carbon monoxide to indefinitely preserve raw meat's red color—several stores admitted to the practice, and while the small amount of gas used does not pose a health risk, the perma-red meat can make it harder to detect spoilage. Now, in the wake of so many food and product safety scandals, the government has proposed a new mandatory warning label as part of the Food and Drug Import Safety Act of 2007. It would read:
Carbon monoxide has been used to preserve the color of this product. Do not rely on color or the 'use or freeze by' date alone to judge the freshness or safety of the product. Discard any product with an unpleasant odor, slime, or a bulging package.
More »
Qwest Launches Customer Internet Protection Program
—>Qwest would like you to know they've launched some fancy new "Consumer Internet Protection." More »
Target Recalls Plush Boys Rattles (choking), Cook's Essential Electric Toasters (fire), Timberland Recalls Steel Toe Boots Due (foot injury hazard). More »
Safety Experts Urge FDA To Ban OTC Cough And Cold Meds For Kids Under 6
—>The New York Times is reporting that safety experts are urging the FDA to consider a ban of all "over-the-counter, multisymptom cough and cold medicines for children under 6." More »
Mini Zooper Doll Strollers (severed fingers, entrapment), Estes-Cox X-15 Flying Model Rockets (impact injury), Colanta Cheese (Staphylococcus aureus). More »
Participating In A Clinical Study? You're On Your Own
—> The FDA's own parent department, the Department of Health and Human Services, just issued a report that says the FDA "does very little to ensure the safety of the millions of people who participate in clinical trials," according to the New York Times. The FDA has 200 inspectors, some of whom are part-time, to monitor 350,000 testing sites—and even when they reported "serious problems," their findings were downgraded 68% of the time by higher-ups in Washington. More »
Kolcraft's "Sesame Beginnings" Travel Play Yard (strangulation). More »
Consumer Group Finds Lead In More Children's Toys
—>Extremely high levels of lead were found in a Go Diego Go backpack, a Superfly monkey and a pair of Circo Lulu boots, the Center for Health, Environment and Justice (a group dedicated to ridding the world of PVC) reported in a new study released yesterday. In all, 11 items they tested contained lead levels and/or heavy metals well over the safety standard, 10 of which contained PVC, or vinyl. The backpack had levels of 4,600 parts per million. The CPSC standard is 600 parts per million. More »
More Thomas & Friends™ Wooden Railway Toys (lead), Happy Giddy Gardening Tools and Children's Sunny Patch Chairs sold at Target (lead), Britain's "Knights of the Sword" Series Toys (lead), Jo-Ann Stores Children's Toy Rake (lead), Guidecraft Floor Puppet Theaters (lead), : Rhode Island Novelty Children's Spinning Wheel-Metal Necklaces (lead), More TOBY N.Y.C. Children's Metal Jewelry (lead), Quesos Sabrosos Mexicanos Queso Cincho de Guerrero (salmonella). More »
Hamburger Recalled For E. Coli After 6 Illnesses Reported In New York
—>6 people have fallen ill due to e. coli contaminated frozen hamburger, according to the Associated Press. Three of the illnesses required hospitalization. More »
Liveblogging The House Energy And Commerce Committee Hearing On Food Safety
—>Starting today at 10 a.m., the powerful Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, John Dingell (D-MI), will hold a hearing on H.R. 3610, The Food and Drug Import Safety Act of 2007, or, as we have dubbed the bill, The Poison-Free Food Act. The bill would dramatically alter the FDA's handling of imported foods, empowering the agency to:
- Issue mandatory recalls;
- Limit food imports to ports clustered near FDA inspection labs;
- Require a country of origin labels for food, drugs and medical devices;
- Subject exporters to a strict certification program administered by the Department of Health and Human Services.
The Committee will hear from two panels: The first will see FDA Commissioners and regulators defending their agency, while the second will host a panoply of foodies, including the Coalition for a Stronger FDA, the Center for Science in the Public Interest, the Grocery Manufacturers Association, and Big Pharma.
More »
BCI Single Post Swing Sets (falling), Baby's Bliss Gripe Water (cryptosporidium), Organic Pastures Raw Cream (Listeria monocytogenes), Private Selection Classic Churned Light Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream (unidentified eggs). More »
A class-action lawsuit was filed yesterday against Simplicity Inc., Target Corp., and Graco Children's Products Inc. for their roles in the unfolding defective crib recall. The lawyer who filed the suit originally represented the family of a 9-month-old who died in 2005 from one of the badly-designed cribs, which can be dangerous if assembled incorrectly. [Chicago Tribune] More »
Head Of National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Didn't Know How To Properly Install A Car Seat
—>A Detroit News article about Nicole Nasson, head of the National High Traffic Safety Adminsitration, which oversees, among other things, child safety seat standards, reveals that until this summer, she didn't know how to properly install a child safety seat. More »
Simplicity Cribs (failures resulting in deaths), select Bravo! Poultry Products for Dogs and Cats (Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes), Quong Hop Tofu (Listeria monocytogenes) More »
"Parents, Don't Use Crib Bumpers" Says Study
—> From 1985 to 2005, crib bumpers—the soft padded things parents use to protect their little bundles of dna from injury—have caused 27 deaths and 25 injuries in babies 2-years-old or younger, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Two universities are now cautioning that crib bumpers may not be worth the risk. More »
Customer Catches McDonald's Refilling Milkshake Machine With "Soiled Towels Only" Bucket
—>Cellphone cameras may well be the downfall of fast food: A McDonald's customer in Orlando witnessed employees refilling the milkshake machine from a bucket market "Soiled Towels Only" and snapped a picture with her cellphone. She sent the photo to Orlando's WFTV. More »
Hypochondriacs Rejoice! CSPI Launches Foodbourne Illness Outbreak Database
—>Here's a nifty little tool for you hypochondriacs, the CSPI has put together an easily browsable database of all the foodbourne illness outbreaks in the US! Did you know that lima beans caused an outbreak of Clostridium perfringens at an Illinois jail in 1996? Now you do! More »
REI Novara Afterburner Trailer Bicycles (can detach from adult bicycle...). More »
Liveblogging The House Energy And Commerce Subcommittee Hearing On Toy Safety
Parading before you today will be two familiar panels: The first will feature acting Consumer Product Safety Commission Chair Nancy Nord and Commissioner Thomas Moore, who skipped out of last week's hearing for a dentists appointment. The second will be devoted solely to Mattel CEO Robert Eckert.
More »
Hey, Why Aren't Your Toys Made In China?
—>The New York Times took a look at some European toy makers who decided to let the Chinese Poison Train pass them by. Why didn't they outsource their manufacturing to China? More »
Dole Hearts Delight salad mix (E. coli), Braun Normal Saline Flush syringes (particulate matter in the saline), Stone Meats 5 lb lean meat (pieces of metal). More »
EU May Ban Chinese Toys After October
—> China's toy imports make up more than half the toy market in the EU, and apparently their lax safety record hasn't escaped the grim, existential gaze of Europe. Meglena Kuneva, an EU commissioner, put it quite bluntly in front of the EU's internal market and consumer protection committee last week: "This is the last warning. If there's an unsatisfactory report in October we will [impose] the next layer of measures. Among them is a ban on products," which the Associated Press reports could include toys. More »
Toy Prices To Rise 10%
—>Toys will be 10% more expensive next year thanks the toy industry's latest attempts to protect American children from defective merchandise. Toy makers will use the hike to offset the cost of retaining independent labs to both test for defective and dangerous toys, and provide a measure of PR security.
Consumers could also see higher prices on other Chinese imports such as fish and children's apparel, but the big price gains in toys could be more jolting. More »
China Appoints Tough Anti-Poison Czar
—>Meet Wu Yi. The 68-year old Vice Premier, the highest ranking woman in the Communist Party, has been tasked with one mission: toss the Chinese Poison Train back into the rapidly industrializing nation's toy-chest. More »
Federal Government Boldly Declares: "It Is Impossible To Inspect Our Way To Safety"
—>Inspections will not keep Americans safe from potentially dangerous foreign imports, according to a Presidential working group representing 12 federal agencies. The working group believes that the sheer number of products arriving at our ports - goods worth $2 trillion, last year - make the development and deployment of an inspection regime impossible. The alternative inspires little confidence. More »
Back to Basics IT400 Iced Tea Makers (fire), Harry and David Hearthside Soups, Southwestern Chicken Chili Mix (undeclared milk). More »
Organic Pastures Dairy Company Grade A raw cream (Listeria monocytogenes), Great Wall Brand Chinese Wolfberry (undeclared sulfites), Cook's Essentials Convection Ovens with Pull-Out Rotisserie and Deni Convection Ovens with Rotisserie (fire, electrical shock) More »
Design Flaws In Toys Cause Far More Injuries Than Lead
—> Lead isn't what you need to watch out for with American toys—it's design flaws and the policies of irresponsible toy companies, says E. Marla Felcher on Slate. One study "recently found that of all the toys recalled since 1988, 76 percent involved design flaws. Kids choked, were strangled, and were burned by toy makers' design mistakes."
The reason so many toys were recalled this summer is not that there weren't enough regulations. It's that toy makers were ignoring the regulations that are already on the books. And the new testing proposal won't stop them from continuing to do so.
More »
Liveblogging The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing On Toy Safety
—>Today is a big day for Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL). Starting at 11am, the Chairman of the powerful Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government will kick off a series of hearings examining the toy industry's seemingly magnetic attraction to lead paint. Durbin, whose Subcommittee has jurisdiction over the Consumer Product Safety Commission's budget, will grill toy industry representatives, consumer advocates, and members of the government over plans to protect America's children from the dangers silently lurking on toy shelves by establishing an independent testing regime. More »
A family in Hainan, China worried that it had a tainted bottle of water on its hands, so it gave the water to a pet chicken; the chicken died "within a minute." We smell a new export opportunity here for Chinese manufacturers—your very own house chicken to peck out any tainted toys, toothpaste, or pet food. And maybe it can sniff the popcorn, too. Reuters already made a chicken-choking joke, so we'll pass. [Reuters] More »
U.S. & China Meet To Discuss Product Safety
—> Today begins the Sino-US Consumer Product Safety Summit, "an effort to sooth the black eyes that China and the U.S. are sporting after months of revelations that China is sending tainted products to the U.S. and the federal government has been doing little about it," writes Dennis Rockstroh on his San Jose Mercury News blog. More »
Graco, Comfortsport, Cosco, Eddie Bauer, Safety 1st (check specific models, strap slippage), Shaw's Fresh Ground Round Beef Patties (e.coli), Jensen's Seattle Style Wild Smoked Salmon Spread Lemon Dill and Onion, PCC brand Smoked Salmon Spread (Listeria monocytogenes), Zencore Tabs (potentially harmful, undeclared ingredients). More »
Hayes Company "Avant Yarde" Decorative Glaze Outdoor Candles (fire, burn), Melanocorp Melanotan II (pretending their drug is FDA approved, when it's not). More »
Children, Crocs And Escalators Combine To Produce Mangled Feet
—>Crocs are both extremely popular and extremely good at gripping surfaces, which can become a problem when they are combined with small children and moving escalators. More »
Accessory Toys (
lead), Fisher Price Big Big World 6-in-1 Bongo Band toys (
lead), Fisher-Price Recalls Geo Trax Locomotive Toys (
lead), NettoCollection "Moderne" and "Loft" Cribs (
entrapment, strangulation), d-Scan Jubee Bunk Beds (
collapse). Mattel's CEO appeared in a
new apology video, featuring shots of people in lab coats going through the motions of testing toys (we like how the guy in the beginning nods his head as he writes down a figure, nice lil piece of overacting there).
More »
Dell Laptop Catches Fire In Shanghai Office
—>Just when you thought it was safe taste to eat a pomegranate... a Dell laptop catches fire and self destructs! This time, on 9/03, in a Shanghai office. More »
More Mattel Lead Painted Toy Recalls Tomorrow
—>Toy-giant Mattel will recall yet more toys covered in deadly lead-tainted paint, the AP reports. More »
Mattel's Reputation With The CPSC Is Officially Crappy
—>Mattel is being investigated (again) by the CPSC over the timeliness of its latest batch of recalls. According to the WSJ, Mattel knows it is required to inform the agency within 24 hours of receiving information about a defect that could cause injury—it just doesn't do it because it thinks its not fair. More »
CPSC Has Only One Full-Time Toy Tester
—>The CPSC is so underfunded that they can only afford one full-time toy tester, and his impact test area is located in the swing area behind the door to his cramped office, NYT reports. More »
US Sends Substandard Products Overseas
—>Here's some depressing news: US companies increasingly export products that do not meet our safety standards, says the Washington Post. More »
Nation's Largest Car Seat Maker Recalls 19 Models
—>Dorel Juvenile Group, the nation's largest maker of car seats, is recalling 19 models of car seats, including the Eddie Bauer and Costco Cosco brands. More »
California Moves To Ban Teen Driver Cellphone Use
—>A bill banning drivers under 18 from using cellphones passed the California Assembly today. It doesn't even allow hands-free device use. The Highway Patrol asked for, and got, the offense classified as a secondary infraction, which means you can't get pulled over simply for breaking this law. More »
Toys "R" Us Imaginarium Wooden Coloring Cases (lead paint), B&F System Emergency Tool Kits (fire and shock), Berko Electric Toe-Space Heaters (fire), Aloha Housewares "Aloha Breeze" Portable Electric Heaters (fire), Life Is Good Zippity Hoodie and Sherpa Full Zip Children's Hooded Sweatshirts with Drawstrings (strangulation). More »
Bagged Spinich Recalled For Salmonella
—>Metz Fresh LLC has recalled bagged spinach sold in the continental US and Canada after one sample tested positive for salmonella. There have been no illnesses reported so far. More »
Oregon Scientific Weather Radios (failure to receive national weather service alerts), Toddler and Youth Nylon Bucket Hats sold at Bass Pro Shops (strangulation), Bella Cucina Death by Chocolate cookies (undisclosed walnuts). More »
Meet The X-MET3000TXR+ Handheld Lead Detector
—>In response to growing concerns about toxic levels of lead in paint and metal on children's toys, Oxford Instruments has developed a hand held electronic lead detector, a veritable rock boulder on the tracks of the Chinese Poison Train. More »
Loose Bolt Might Have Caused Last Week's China Airlines Super Explosion
Airlines worldwide are urged to check the nut and bolt assemblies on 737 series 600 through 900. Stateside, these planes are flown by Continental, Southwest, Delta, American, and Alaska Airlines. More »
Researchers Hack Remote Keyless Car Entry Devices
—>Researchers have figured out a way to hack remote keyless car entry devices. The threat to the consumer is minimal, it takes several hours to crack the code, but it does give one pause, especially considering that if the Keeloq's manufacturer added a few simple measures they could render the exploit nearly useless. More »
Kids Watering Cans (
lead), Caterpillar Steel-toed Logger Boots (
not actually shock resistant).
More »
If You Buy Expensive Electronics, Be Careful. You Might Be Being Followed...
—>Hey there, he's a tip from our good friends up in Canada: If you're buying expensive electronics don't assume you're not being followed to your next destination! More »
China pledges to increase product quality standards in the wake of recent recalls, makes point of noting how 50% of its goods are made by foreign companies. [NYT] More »
Time Warner Repairman Jailed For Sexual Assault
—>If a creepy Time Warner repairman says he wants to 'be with you' while on a service call, you probably shouldn't let him back in your house. After making the comment, Steven James Hernandez was dispatched back to the house to fix a problem outside; instead, he decided to bang on the 28 year-old woman's door. From KENS 5:
Police said the banging at the door lasted at least 15 minutes, and the man at the door was Hernandez. More »
Shindaiwa Backpack Blowers (fire), Calligaris ICE Bar Stools (falling). More »
Basic Editions-brand Girls' Clothing Sets (entrapment), Priddy "Trucks" Shaker Teether Books (choking), Sleepi Crib Foam Mattresses (entrapment), AC Adapters sold with Network Hard Disk Drives (burn), J.C. Penney Windsor Spindle-Back Side Chairs (fall), Los Angeles Salad Company Genuine Sweet Baby Carrots (bacterial infection) More »
Address Books and Journals (
lead), Krasdale Gravy Dry Dog Food 5lb Bags (
salmonella), one unaccounted for Red Flannel Large Breed Adult Formula Dry Dog Food 50lb Bag (
salmonella).
More »
Chinese factory took used chopsticks and resold them, without even disinfecting first. [Reuters] More »
Hampton Direct Magnetic Toy Train Sets (lead). More »
Boy Catches Fire After Wearing Pajamas With 500 Times The Safe Level Of Formaldehyde
—>A New Zealand boy suffered third-degree burns after his Chinese-made pajamas, a brand recalled for containing 500-900 times the safe levels of formaldehyde, caught fire after he sat near a gas heater. More »
Avoid Hazardous Supplies When Back-To-School Shopping
—> If you're back-to-school shopping for your kids, here are a few guidelines for what to buy—and what not to buy, as well as some tips for inspecting the local playground and soccer field: More »
FDA Reverses Course, Decides Now Might Not Be The Time To Close Half Its Field Labs
—>Bowing to pressure from Congress, the FDA has decided not to close more than half of its field labs. The ill-timed plan to consolidate seven of the agency's thirteen labs in the name of efficiency and modernization was already under review by a Presidential panel, and had raised the ire of the powerful Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, John Dingell, who recently introduced legislation to block the reorganization. More »
Regal King Gourmet Seafood Ready-to-Eat Seafood Dips (bacterial infection), Clarion N.I.C.E. P200 Navigation and Entertainment Systems (fire), Confidence, Inc METABOSLIMTM Apple Cider Vinegar brand dietary supplement (undeclared drug ingredient). More »
Bentleys 520 Arnages (wrong bolts attached to the wheels), Gilchrist & Soames 0.65oz/18ml hotel toothpaste (poison), Eastern Illini Electric Cooperative Recalls Junction Boxes (fire), Giftco Gold Pine Cone Candle Sets, (fire), Bosch Skil Circular Saws (laceration), Classic Beauty Rest Electric Warming Throws (fire). More »
Chinese Car Fails Frontal Crash Test In Spectacular Fashion
Last month Chrysler struck a deal with the manufacturer of the Chery Amulet, shown in the above crash test video. In accordance with the deal, Chery would manufacture small cars for import into the US. More »
Window Blinds (
strangulation), 2007 Raleigh Cadent Bicycles with Carbonage Carbon Forks (
loss of control), Sherwin-Williams Hi-Heat Aerosol Coating Cans (
serious facial injury), Plan 9 LED lights (
fire), IMI Cornelius frozen carbonated drink dispensers (
fire), Coldwater Creek Shawl Collar Sweaters (
fire)
More »
Smell Your Makeup!
—> Consumer Affairs says bad makeup can harbor nasty bacteria, and can lead to such unpleasant face decorations as conjuctivitis or peri-oral dermatitis (little red bumps that look like acne). They suggest you tattoo permanent eyeliner and lipstick so you don't have to worry about makeup. No, wait, that's what we suggest. They actually suggest throwing out your eye makeup and liquid foundations after three months, powders after a year, and application sponges after a week. Oh, and smell your makeup: "An unusual odor usually means that it contains bacteria." More »
Class Action Filed Against ConAgra For The Great Peanut Butter Recall Of 2007
—>39 individuals who contracted salmonella after consuming Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter have slapped ConAgra with a $5 million class action suit. An additional 2,200 people have expressed interest in joining the action against the agribusiness giant. From the Daily Report: More »
Bulletproof Backpacks For Kids
—> Because it's every American's right (duty?) to be scared, and to shop, someone has invented the perfect terror protection must-have for back-to-school: bulletproof backpacks! The inventors, both of them fathers of school-age children, say the special plate sewn into the back of the bag can withstand not only bullets, but machetes, hatchets, and Ka-bar knives. More »
Peter Pan Peanut Butter Coming Back For Your Children!
—> After several months of absence from store shelves due to a much-publicized salmonella problem, Peter Pan brand peanut butter is back, this time with a "100% satisfaction guarantee" and a redesigned container. The new batches are coming from a different production facility than the one that led to 625 Peter Pan-related salmonella infections in February of this year. So how does ConAgra Foods protect their brand and spin the product re-launch without reminding consumers why there needs to be a re-launch in the first place? More »
FDA Ban Fails To Catch 1 Million Pounds Of Chinese Seafood
—>1 million pounds of shrimp, eel, and catfish somehow slipped past the FDA's ban on Chinese seafood. All seafood covered by the ban arrives at U.S. ports under an import alert, which ostensibly prevents the fish from leaving until private testing proves the absence of banned antibiotics and drugs. Chinese importers, resorting to tricks possibly gleaned from Wile E. Coyote, evade the FDA by shipping their contraband under the names and addresses of companies unaffected by the import alert. From the AP: More »
Lead-Tainted Charms From China Very Unlucky
—> The poisonous lead story continues this week with news that 20% of trinkets and charms sold in the United States still contain dangerous levels of lead. In a surprise to no one, "of the 17.9 million pieces of jewelry items pulled from the market since the start of 2005, 95 percent were made in China." Here's a good scare quote to drive home the danger:
Jewelry is perhaps the most dangerous place for lead because children can swallow an entire ring or pendant, causing acute poisoning, which can cause respiratory failure, seizures and even death, whereas neurological damage and learning deficiencies are often associated with exposure to lead paint. Many children also tend to suck on jewelry or put it in their mouths, allowing lead to be absorbed into their bloodstream.
More »
Recall Aftershock: Consumer Safety Commission Brought Back From Near Death For Six Months
—> Congress just put your wiretapping dollars to work, by amending a homeland security bill to allow the Consumer Product Safety Commission to regain "its full authority to oversee the safety of thousands of household products," says the Washington Post. The reprieve only lasts for six months, but during that time it allows the commission—which has been hobbling along in an inactive state since January because of an ongoing member vacancy—to meet and take action on matters of consumer safety with only two members present. More »
Stephen Colbert Weighs In On Botulism, Chinese Poison Train, Subprime Lending
Who's reading us now? Stephen Colbert weighs in on a bunch of Consumerist topics with more gravitas than we can muster ourselves. Sorry we missed the whole "dentist puts boar tusks in your mouth while you're anesthetized" story. We'll try to do better next time. More »
Albertson's Jumps On The Recall Bandwagon, Pulls Green Beans From Shelves
—> Is nothing safe, not even house brand canned vegetables? Reuters reports that on Thursday, supermarket chain Albertson's announced a recall of its private label French style green beans because of fears they may be contaminated with botulism. More »
Hey, Let's Not Die Of Botulism From Eating Recalled Food
—>A reader who works at a health department has asked Consumerist to remind everyone to search their cabinets, their friend's cabinets, the cabinets at their church and the cabinets of any kitchens at work for products included in the botulism recall. More »
Consumerist Prevents You From Getting Mugged?
—>Reader Geoff was at a gas station with his girlfriend when a shady looking dude approached them and started asking for money so he could pay someone to unlock his car and free the 11 month-old kid whom he'd locked inside... in a dark corner of the next parking lot over. Hm. Was he telling the truth? Geoff writes:
Dear Consumerist, More »
House Passes Food Farm Bill
—>Farm policy for the next five years will remain largely the same under a bill passed Friday by the House. The $286 billion measure, H.R. 2419, was approved 231-191. Despite Michael Pollan's pleas, the farm bill never transformed into a consumer-friendly food bill; though several billion dollars will go towards conservation spending, nutrition programs, and aid to fruit and vegetable growers, a significant chunk of the bill, $42 billion, will fund subsidies to farmers and agribusiness. The Senate is expected to write its own version of the farm bill in September. More »
Candy From Denmark Not As Filthy As Previously Reported
—>Remember when we said exports from countries not named China were also tainted and filthy? It turns out the exports aren't as tainted and filthy as the New York Times originally reported. The Times explains that a "methodology problem was discovered" after the Danish Embassy complained that their candy was refused by FDA inspectors only 82 times, not 520, as the Times claimed. From the Gray Lady:
When the data was re-analyzed, it showed that the number of candy shipments rejected from Denmark had not been higher than the number of seafood shipments rejected from China, as the article stated. The number of shipments rejected from China was also misstated; it was 331, not 391. More »
Starbucks Prefers Not To Make You Ill
—> Reader Patrick sent us this photo of a Starbucks that was unwilling to poison its customers. He says, " Hurray for having a conscience!" More »
American Airlines Fined $231,000 For Unsafe Work Conditions At O'Hare
—>American Airlines faces fines of up to $231,000 for unsafe work conditions that include fall hazards, electrical and fire hazards, hygiene issues, blocked exits and storage of oxygen and acetylene cylinders, according to the Chicago Tribune. More »
Crystal-decorated pacifiers (aspiration, ingestion), Toro electric blowers (projectiles). More »
Fruit Fly Infestation Shuts Down Macy's Food Court
—>Health inspectors found over 200 fruit flies infesting the lower level food court of the Macy's State Street store in Chicago. Inspectors first discovered the infestation last week after a disgusted customer complained to 311. Food court employees apparently were not bothered by either the fruit flies or the health inspectors. From the Chicago Tribune:
"Not only did they not do anything, the problems seemed to get worse," [Tim Hadac, spokesman for the Chicago Department of Public Health] said. "It was a surprising and disappointing lack of adherence to basic food safety regulation... We stopped counting fruit flies when they hit 200."
The inspectors also found:
More »
Brave Log Splitters (injury), Sky Rangers Park Flyer Radio Control Airplanes (explosion), Pottery Barn Crib Bumpers (entanglement), Sauder Woodworking TV Stands (collapsing, injury). More »
What's For Dinner? Mutant Rice
—>The FDA retroactively approved a strain of genetically modified rice that infiltrated our supermarkets after escaping from a 2001 experiment. Six years ago, Avenits Crop Science introduced Liberty Link, a transgenic rice strain resistant to Liberty, an Aventis weed killer. The Liberty Link experiment ended abruptly when StarLink - a transgenic corn strain made by Aventis that was approved only for use in animal feed, not for human consumption - was found in Kraft taco shells. The ensuing public relations disaster led to Aventis' sale to the German pharmaceutical company Bayer, which immediately discontinued Liberty Link's production. Yet somehow, the transgenic rice survived... More »
Carrying an iPod, or any electronic device, increases your chance of serious injury, if struck by lightning. More »
China To US: Fix Your Own Food Supply Issues First
—>China says the US should fix its own food supply issues and stop picking on China. The Chinese government issued a statement saying that they are trying to fix food export issues but that the US should fix its own issues first. More »
Black & Decker Trimmers/Edgers (laceration from projectiles), Rockingham deluxe reclining lounge chairs sold at Menard (collapsing). More »
You're Less Likely To Die In A Plane Crash If You Sit In The Back
—>In a plane crash, the seats in the back are the safest, Popular Mechanics statistical analysis of three decades of airplane crackups finds:
For several weeks, we poured [sic] over reports filed by NTSB crash investigators, as well as seating charts that showed where each passenger sat and whether they lived or died. We then calculated the average fore-and-aft seating position of both survivors and fatalities for each crash. We also compared survival rates in four sections of the aircraft.
Populists may harvest some pleasure from the fact that First Class passengers are paying a premium for an increased 20% likelihood that they will die when the airplane plummets to the earth.
More »
Easy-Bake Ovens (finger amputation), Atico Coffeemakers sold at Walgreens (fire), Playskool Sippy Cups (choking, THULE Bike Racks (amputation). More »
Off-road Motorcycle Brake Master Cylinders (failure), Vance Kitira Cinnamon Spice Candles (fire), "Soldier Bear" Toy Sets (lead), Meyer Cooking Torches (fire) Ol' Man Treestands (fall), Payless Children's Clog Shoes (choking), Sportsman's Warehouse Flashlights (fire), Genuine Innovations Combination Tire Inflators and Hand Pumps (injury), Florida Wal-Mart Children's Earrings (lead). [CPSC.gov] More »
Mood In Airport Security Line Found Tense
The Today Show's report on TSA procedures is mainly a bunch of crap everyone knows already, but we decided to edit together all the passenger interviews from the story to give a little dose of the current passenger mood regarding security lines. Takeaway: they hate them and would like to be able to bring on baby formula to feed their children. More »
"Veggie Booty" Salmonella Outbreak Continues, More Children Sick
—>The FDA has announced that they have independently confirmed that the seasoning used in "veggie booty" is contaminated with salmonella. The outbreak, which has now sickened 61 children from 19 states, continues to grow. Please, stop feeding "Veggie Booty" to your children. Salmonella can cause serious infections that are sometimes fatal in young children. More »
Tainted Exports Also Come From Countries Not Named China
—>Remember the Washington Post's analysis of FDA Refusal Reports? The New York Times double-checked the Post's work and found that China isn't the only country exporting filthy salmonella-infested goods. Exports from India, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic have all been stopped at the U.S. border for failing to meet basic sanitary requirements.
Salmonella was the top reason that food was rejected from India, and it was found in products like black pepper, coriander powder and shrimp. "Filthy" was the primary reason food was stopped from Mexico, and the rejections included lollipops, crabmeat and dried chili.
More »
Can China Tame The Chinese Poison Train?
—>Both The Washington Post and The New York Times have done a magnificent job examining the complex nature of the Chinese Poison Train, but the Times finally cut to the chase and asked the million-dollar question: can China tame the Chinese Poison Train? The solution requires China to reform an ailing regulatory regime.
As many as 17 bureaucracies have overlapping responsibilities in just the food and drug sphere, and they jealously guard their power. The Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture, the State Administration of Industry and Commerce, and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine have all vied for monitoring roles. More »
Lawsuits: Tyson Ground Beef Sold by Walmart Put Me In The Hospital
—>A woman has filed a lawsuit after ground beef made by Tyson and sold by Walmart put her in the hospital for 3 weeks, she says. From KOTV:
Melinda Pierce says she bought some Tyson hamburger meat at the Muskogee Wal-Mart on June 4th and made enchiladas with it two days later. More »
"Veggie Booty's" Salmonella Seasoning Contains Contaminated Ingredients From China
—>Robert's American has "pinpointed" the source of the salmonella ingredients: China. According to the company, the seasoning for Veggie Booty and the recently-added-to-the-recall snack "Super Veggie Tings Crunchy Corn Sticks" is made from ingredients that are primarily imported from China. More »
Safeway Continues To Sell Contaminated "Veggie Booty"
—>Reader Scott tells us that his Mother-In-Law purchased "Veggie Booty" from the Safeway in Roseville, CA on July 4. Veggie Booty has been linked to 52 cases of salmonella across 17 states, and has been recalled nationwide. More »
Many SUV And Truck Headrests Suck, Don't Protect Against Injury From Rear Collisions
Why should you care? Because you're more likely to need the protection of a headrest than you are an airbag. Rear collisions are common. The above painfully boring, yet awesome, video from the folks at the IIHS shows a failed test of a 2007 Dodge Nitro seat. (Hey, we like crash test dummies, ok?) You can see that the head is not supported from behind, which would cause the dummy to sustain neck injuries and have to wear one of those embarrassing neck brace things to school the next day. More »
Food Labels Lack Country Of Origin Info Despite 5 Year Old Law
—>Unlike seafood, the meat, produce and nuts you buy don't have a country of origin label, despite a 5 year old law that says they should, according to the New York Times. Lobbyists and congresspeople have managed to hold off enforcement of the law since it was passed in 2002, but now proponents of country of origin labels (COOL) think they may have enough momentum from the Chinese Poison Train to finally make the label a reality. From the NYT:
"No. 1, there's a basic consumer right to know," said Michael Hansen, senior scientist at Consumers Union, an advocacy group that publishes Consumer Reports magazine and supports the labeling law. "People are more and more concerned about the food they eat." More »
U.S. Companies Start Testing, Screening Chinese Products
—>U.S. companies are developing new safety measures in response to the continued rumbling of the Chinese Poison Train. The measures, along with renewed federal interest in food safety, suggest that we may be in the midst of a food safety revolution similar to the one that reformed the meatpacking industry after the publication of Upton Sinclaire's "The Jungle."
For the companies, the problem is two-fold: figuring out exactly what to test for and maintaining control over their network of suppliers, even as they turn to China for vast quantities of imports at lower prices.
Three companies are trying three different strategies to cope with the uncertain quality of China's exports:
More »
FDA: Veggie Booty Snack Food Contaminated With Salmonella
—>The FDA is warning consumers not to eat Veggie Booty snack food, because there is a risk of salmonella contamination. Reader Ethan asked us to announce this recall because "Pretty much everyone I know who has a toddler buys this stuff." We'd never heard of it, but Salon.com calls it "crack for babies" and says it smells "funkier than poop." Ok. More »
Consumer Reports squarely places the blame for unsafe Chinese products on everyone. More »
At Least 450,000 Imported Chinese Tires Missing Important Safety Feature
—>An importer of tires based in New Jersey is asking the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for help recalling 450,000 imported light truck tires from China, according to CNN Money. The tires are the focus of a lawsuit involving a fatal crash "in which two construction workers were killed and a third was severely injured when a van rolled over," according to the New York Times. The lawyer representing the lawsuit claims that the company only came forward after being named in the suit. From CNN Money:
The tires, made by Hangzhou Zhongce Rubber Co., have an insufficient or missing gum strip, a safety feature that helps prevent the tires from separating, the lawyers and a consumers' group said in a statement. The group, Safety Research & Strategies, is urging retailers and wholesalers to stop selling the tires.
The importer says the tires were sold under the names Westlake, Telluride Compass and YKS.
More »
U-Haul's Trucks Are Unsafe, Not Maintained
—>Part 2 in a LA Times investigation into U-Haul's business practices and safety record isn't any less bleak than part 1. The LA Times investigation has uncovered that U-Haul fails to properly maintain their aging fleet of vehicles while mechanics "hang paper" (forge safety inspections and repairs) to keep the trucks and the money rolling.
During a yearlong investigation, Times journalists surveyed more than 200 U-Haul trucks and trailers in California and other states and found that more than half were overdue for a company-mandated "safety certification," a check of brakes, tires and other parts typically required every 30 days. More »
U-Haul Knowingly Rents Deadly Trailers
—>U-Haul knowingly rents unsafe tow trailers that have the potential to kill customers. A yearlong investigation by the L.A. Times found that U-Haul's practices unnecessarily expose customers to the dangers of trailer sway.
Traveling downhill or shaken by a sharp turn or a gust of wind, a trailer can begin swinging so violently that only the most experienced — or fortunate — drivers can regain control and avoid catastrophe.
Trailers can sway when towed by vehicles lighter than the trailer. U-Haul regulations allows trailers to outweigh the tow-vehicle by up to 25%, openly flouting guidelines set by automakers. For instance, U-Haul allows a 2007 Crown Victoria to haul 4,400 pounds, even though Ford suggests that the 4,100 pound vehicle tow no more than 1,500 pounds. "Two U-Haul competitors, Penske and Budget only rent trailers to customers renting trucks heavier than the trailers. Safety is the reason."
More »
The FDA Wants To Fire 196 Food Safety Analysts
—>Congress has questions about an internal FDA memo calling for the sacking of 196 food safety analysts. The memo, titled "New Organization Staffing," was released to the House Energy and Commerce Committee as part of an ongoing investigation into the contamination of spinach, peanut butter, and other assorted items. The FDA currently inspects less than 1% of regulated imports. Chairman John Dingell (D-MI) and Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations Chair Bart Stupak (D-MI) sent a letter to the FDA expressing their displeasure with the cuts.
"This number represents 37 percent of the total number of lab analysts currently working in the Office of Regulatory Affairs laboratories," the letter states. "This slashing of analysts comes after an already 24 percent reduction in lab analysts between 2003 and 2007. To say the least, these numbers are deeply disturbing."
The analyst cuts are part of a larger FDA plan to close 7 of the 13 labs that test samples from inspections. The FDA is willing to reconsider its position, but it first wants Congress to pony-up more cash.
— CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER More »
Chinese Poison Train Defeats FDA, The Prequel
—>Ten years ago, the FDA tried and failed to identify the driver of the deadly Chinese Poison Train. The investigation started when diethylene glycol produced by a state-owned company was mixed into fever medicine, killing 88 Haitian children.
The F.D.A.'s efforts to investigate the Haiti poisonings, documented in internal F.D.A. memorandums obtained by The New York Times, demonstrate not only the intransigence of Chinese officials, but also the same regulatory failings that allowed a virtually identical poisoning to occur 10 years later. The cases further illustrate what happens when nations fail to police the global pipeline of pharmaceutical ingredients.
The Chinese Poison Train hides behind a veil of secrecy and lies, after the jump...
More »
Beef Recall Expanded To Eleven Western States
—>5.7 million pounds of beef distributed by United Food Group may be infected with E. coli. The beef bears sell-by dates from April 6-April 20; though the beef won't be found on supermarket shelves, it might still be in your freezer.
The recalled products were shipped to stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming. They were sold under the brand names Moran's All Natural, Miller Meat Company, Stater Bros., Trader Joe's Butcher Shop, Inter-American Products Inc. and Basha's. More »
Crash Test Your Car!
—>Ever wanted to see what your car would look like if a dummy drove it into a wall (a dummy other than the cousin who borrowed your car for a joyride)? Admit it, you think about it when you get a lousy trade-in price. Thankfully, there's the Consumer Reports Crash Test videos, where you can see how your car will hold up against things like short concrete walls and other typical objects found along a highway. More »
Walmart Pet Food Recalled Due To Salmonella Contamination
Only one specific lot of 55 pound bonus bags of Ol' Roy Complete Nutrition dry dog food was affected. Pets who eat the food or people who handle it could be infected with salmonella, so if you've purchased this dog food you're going to want to throw it out and return
the empty bag to Walmart for a refund.
More »
Safeway Recalls Ground Beef Due to E. Coli Contamination
If you live in Arizona and bought ground beef at Safeway, you'll want to return it for a refund or discard it.
More »
Roller Shoes Send 1600 Uncoordinated People To The Emergency Room
—>Here's a shocking update, putting little wheels on the bottom of your shoes is dangerous. No! Yes! 1600 emergency room visits last year were blamed on roller shoes or "heelys." For those of you not familiar with "heelys" they're the wheeled shoe that sends children floating past you like the nun in Blues Brothers as you walk around Target shopping for paper towels and Diet Coke. More »
200 More Sickened by Recalled Salmonella Peanut Butter
—>Look, we don't know how else to say this. Throw away the m*therf***ing recalled peanut butter! You're making us crazy! Stop getting sick! STOP IT! More »
Get Ready To Show ID When Buying Cough Syrup
—>In a move that we still haven't processed the logic behind, Stop and Shop will now require young people to prove they are 18 by showing ID before buying cough medicines that contain Dextromethorphan. Cough syrups, for example Robitussin, will produce a hallucinogenic experience if, say, one was to drink the entire bottle. Also, you might die. More »
Baroody To Receive $150,000 Pay Off From National Association of Manufacturers
—>This is re-goddamn-diculous. From the New York Times (emphasis ours):
A senior lobbyist at the National Association of Manufacturers nominated by President Bush to lead the Consumer Product Safety Commission will receive a $150,000 departing payment from the association when he takes his new government job, which involves enforcing consumer laws against members of the association.
This guy has no business being the head of the CPSC. The reason there is a Consumer Products Safety Commission in the first place is so that there is something to keep tabs on people like Michael Baroody and the companies he represents.
Mr. Baroody said in the letter that the payment would not prevent him from considering matters involving individual companies that are members of the manufacturers' association, many of whom are defendants in agency proceedings over defective products or have other business before the commission. Nor would it preclude him from involvement with smaller trade groups like those representing makers of home appliances and children's products that have alliances with the association.
Oh no, $150k won't influence his opinion. It doesn't need to, his opinions are already known. He's a lobbyist, for pete's sake.
More »
Deadly Recalled Toy Still Available At Walmart, Target, Kohl's And More
—>Magnetic toys that killed one boy and injured more than 2 dozen others are still available for sale in many Illinois stores according to Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan. The attorney general's office found the recalled toys at several stores all over the state, and a Chicago Tribune reporter was able to purchase the toys Wal-Mart, Target and Big Lots stores in the northwest suburbs. More »
There's Salmonella In The Target Risotto
—> Like that Archer Farms Four Cheese Risotto you bought from Target? Too bad, throw it out. Random testing by the FDA found salmonella contamination. Don't you dare eat the following: More »
BBQ Grilling Safety Tips
Be sure there are plenty of clean utensils and platters. To prevent foodborne illness, don't use the same platter and utensils for raw and cooked meat and poultry. Harmful bacteria present in raw meat and poultry and their juices can contaminate safely cooked food.
More »
D.I.Y. Related Emergency Room Visits Increasing
—>The CDC clams that: "Each year, approximately 36,000 people are treated in hospital emergency departments for injuries using chain saws." And then, of course, is the fact that although nail gun injuries are increasing rapidly— work-related nail gun injuries have stayed the same. What's going on here? More »
Stop Michael Baroody
—>A campaign to stop Michael Baroody from getting nominated as head of the Consumer Product Safety Commission sprung up at StopBaroody.com. While Baroody was Executive Vice President of NAM, the manufacturer's lobby: More »
FDA Names "Food Safety Czar"
—> The FDA has appointed a "Director of the Food Safety and Security Staff," which the media has shortened to "Food Safety Czar." The new Director of Food Safety is David W.K. Acheson, M.D, whom we will, naturally, be nicknaming "David W.K." More »
It's National Playground Safety Week!
—>Oh joy! National Playground Safety Week! The week when 20-somethings can look back and remember the day, nay, the hour when playgrounds went from insanely fun labyrinths of dangerous wood and metal to orange and red plastic monstrosities capable of generating enough static electricity to reanimated a recently decreased pet. More »
FDA Spokesperson: Is Bagged Salad Safe To Eat? "No, I Don't Believe It Is."
—>When NPR asked the FDA "point man" on "all things e. coli" whether bagged salad was safe to eat he replied, "No, I don't believe it is." Good enough for us. More »
Mice On A Plane: Search For Escaped Pet Mouse Grounds Flight For 4 Hours
—>A Vietnam Airlines flight was grounded for more than 4 hours while flight crews searched for an escaped pet mouse that had been spotted by a passenger. It is suspected to have been smuggled aboard by its owner, who has not been identified.The mouse was eventually found in the airplane's food compartment. More »
Walmart Pulls Tainted Pet Food By Day, Restocks It By Night
—>Walmart is recalling tainted pet food during the day, only to restock it again at night. This egregious display of corporate ineptitude was detailed to The News & Observer by Walmart merchandise supervisor, Johnnie Walker.
Walker said he had removed the products earlier in the week, but clerks restocked the shelves overnight, unaware that the pet food had been recalled. "At night they didn't know better," Walker said. "It's just confusing."
Though the pet food recall has expanded to over 100 brands, Walmart has been unable to implement a recall strategy that extends beyond blocking the purchase of tainted items at the register. If your pet wants food, consider shopping somewhere other than Walmart.
— CAREY GREENBERG-BERGER More »
FDA: Dog Chews Contaminated With Salmonella
—>The FDA is warning that certain dog chews have been contaminated with salmonella. The product in question, American Bullie A.B. Bull Pizzle Puppy Chews and Dog Chews, were manufactured by T.W. Enterprises of Ferndale, Washington. More »
Pizza Hut: Wear Your Seatbelt, Get Free Pizza
—>Here's another one for the "Book It!" haters, Pizza Hut is giving away free pizza to Ohio High School kids if they're seen wearing their seatbelts during Ohio's "Buckle Up for a Successful Season" campaign. More »
Target Bikes Recalled For "Frame Failure"
—>If something is going to fail on our bike, the frame isn't our first choice. The CSPC has issued a recall of two bikes, sold exclusively at Target for about $100. Triax PK7 and Vertical PK7 Bicycles have a frame that can crack "while in use, causing the rider to lose control and suffer injuries from a fall or collision." More »
Exploding Batteries On A Plane: Recent In-Flight Fires Prompt Warnings About Loose Batteries
—>After one fire broke out in a overhead compartment on a JetBlue flight and another on an American Airlines aircraft flying from Argentina, the Department of Transportation has issued a warning to passengers traveling with loose batteries. The batteries in question are the type that power laptops, camcorders, and other "rechargeable" devices. If not stored properly the batteries can overheat and ignite. More »
Walmart's Ailing Recall System
Walmart watcher "Behind the Counter" has identified the weakness in the retailer's notoriously ineffective recall system.
1. Wal-Mart is notified that they're selling the Gravy Train of Death. Or Ol'Roy's Six Feet Under Special.
2. Wal-Mart's Bentonville drones place a "sales restriction" on the item(s) in question. This is done by looking in a computer and seeing which of the products the company is selling, finding the appropriate UPC(s) and blocking those UPC(s) from being scanned at the register. Any register. Anywhere there is a Wal-Mart. Yes. The computer in Bentonville has tentacles all over the planet.
3. The Bentonville drones send an e-mail to the Dept. 8 [pets] manager and some other people, including the Service Desk (because customers can of course return their recalled items) telling them to pull the merchandise from the sales floor.
4. Oh wait. There isn't a #4.
Number four is important. Emails can go unread. Sales restrictions can be
circumvented.Walmart's success is largely attributed to precise supply-chain management. Why is it so difficult for the largest retailer in America to deploy an effective recall system?
— CAREY GREENBERG-BERGERLand sakes a mercy! It's been RECALLED! [Behind The Counter]
PREVIOUSLY:
Woman Buys $1,000 In Tainted Pet Food At WalmartRecalled Pet Food Still On Walmart Shelves
Here's A Great Idea: Non-Childproof Lighters That Look Like Toys
Reader "homer simpson" found these lighters at a Fred's Super Dollar Store in his home state of Mississippi. The lighters are not childproof and are displayed next to the check out counter where kids can reach them. What a great idea. "homer simpson" writes:Every time i go there my 3 yr.
More »
Prevent Your Dryer From Catching Fire
—>Krunk4Ever! says that if you use dryer sheets you can extend the life of your dryer and prevent it from catching fire by washing the lint filter with hot soapy water and a brush once every six months. More »
NYC Health Department Closes 'Hip' Union Square 'Coffee Shop'
Yesterday, would-be Coffee Shop diners were shocked to see their neighborhood hotspot shuttered. "I wasn't surprised about Taco Bell, but this?" a regular patron, Ursula Pilter, 34, said. "It's such a hip place. I just can't believe it."
Oh, no! Not 'hip' restaurants! You mean rats don't know they're not cool enough to hang out at the Coffee Shop?
—MEGHANN MARCO More »
Salmonella Peanut Butter Still Stalking Nation's Children
—>People. You need to toss your Peter Pan or Great Value brand peanut butter if the jar says "2111" on it. The plant that produced the peanut butter has been closed for 3 weeks, but cases of salmonella linked to the peanut butter continue to rise. More »
FDA to Review Children's Cold Remedies
The agency has for decades promised to review systematically the safety of all old drugs, but for a variety of reasons like budgetary constraints, time and popularity of a particular drug has not done so.
We, like the reader who sent this story in, find it troubling that "popularity" is a factor in deciding whether or not to review the safety of a drug. The New York Times doesn't explain in detail what is meant by this quote, but we're hard pressed to think of any explanations that would make us say, "Wow, that's really awesome."
More »
Michael Baroody Gets CPSC Nomination Nod, White House Confirms
—>The White House broke its press blackout and confirmed that Bush intends to nominate Michael Baroody for chairman of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, WSJ online reported today at 5:20 pm. More »
Lead Prompts Recall Of Children's Necklaces, Earrings, And Rings
Kmart and Big Lots! are voluntarily recalling 121,000 necklaces, earrings, and rings that contain lead. This stunning announcement is sure to devastate Valentine sweethearts in pre-schools across the nation. More »
Massive Pound-And-A-Half Rats Infest KFC/Taco Bell In The West Village
CBS 2 cameras caught dozens of them early Friday morning through the window of this closed KFC-Taco Bell in the West Village. More »
Smokey Bear Says 5-Light Multi-colored Floor Lamps Cause Campus Fires
—>SUNY Fredonia warns a cheap decorative lamp is setting dorm rooms on fire. Pretty, inexpensive lamps like these can often be found in college dorms and studio apartments.
In two separate student rooms, the plastic shades melted on the lamps. In one room, this caused the build-up of toxic fumes and the melted plastic from the shade burned a hole in the bedspread. The second instance involved another student who had turned on the lamp and, within 15 minutes, the shade melted and the heat began to turn a poster on the wall brown.
Underwriters Laboratories, the group that certifies that things won't burn down dorms and studio apartments, believes the lamp in question is different from the one they approved. They are withholding their seal from new lamps, effectively shutting down production.
More »
Bush Expected To Nominate Industry Lobbyist To Head CPSC
The President plans to install Baroody over President's Day weekend as a recess appointment. The recess appointment, which is usually reserved at the end of a session or during the Senate's summer recess, will be effective until the adjournment of the 110th Congress in 2008. After that, if the Senate doesn't confirm the nominee, the position again becomes vacant.
More »
Recall: Salmonella In Dole Cantaloupes
The Dole Fresh Fruit Company recalled several thousand cartons of imported cantaloupes after the fruit tested positive for salmonella. The recall, which covers the eastern United States and the Canadian province of Quebec, is the second prompted by salmonella fears this week. Dole said there had been no reports of illness as a result of the contaminated cantaloupes, which were grown in Costa Rica.
More »
Trans-Fats Banned In Philadelphia
The Philadelphia City Council has unanimously passed a city ordinance banning trans-fats from most dishes served by restaurants: More »
Almost 1 Million Easy-Bake Ovens Recalled
—>Hasbro is recalling 985,000 Easy-Bake ovens due to reports of children's hands getting stuck inside the oven, resulting in burns and lacerations. More »
US Food Safety Is Broken: Different Agencies Oversee Open-Faced vs Closed-Faced Sandwiches
A report was released Wednesday by the Government Accountability Office that designated Food Safety as a high risk area "because of risks to the economy and to public health and safety." The report finds that: "The current fragmented federal system has caused inconsistent oversight, ineffective coordination, and inefficient use of resources," and they've recommended a fundamental reorganization of the entire system. More »
Why Pyrex Bowls "Explode"
A reader wrote in because he set his Pyrex bowl on the stove top to reduce some broth, and the bowl promptly "exploded."
More »
Getting A Self-Charging Smoke Alarm Is Better Than Dying In A Fire
—>If you are anything like us, and you may well be, you forget to do things like change the batteries in your smoke alarm. Or, worse yet, you remember to take the batteries out when the thing starts beeping, but you forget to replace them. One potential answer to this problem is the self-charging smoke alarm. Simply screw the detector into a ceiling mounted light socket (providing you have one) and never need to change a battery again. This is an especially good idea for places where fires start, but people do not always go, or would not be annoyed by a beeping reminder. Garages, laundry rooms, etc. They're a bit more expensive than your typical cheap-ass smoke alarm, but may be worth it for the forgetful among us.—MEGHANN MARCO More »
Study Finds Higher Levels Of Nicotine In Cigarettes
NPR has an interesting report on The Harvard School of Public Health's findings that nicotine levels in cigarettes are rising, despite tobacco companies' promise not to work to increase the levels of the addictive substance in their products. More »
Chemicals in Cosmetics You Should Avoid
Consumer Reports has an article about chemicals in cosmetics that are probably not that awesome for your health. They're called phthalates and they are found in nail polish, body lotion, perfume, hair spray, and more. More »
CPSC Enters Semi-Neutered Status
—>The Consumer Product Safety Commission entered semi-neutered status this weekend. More »
Taco Bell e. Coli: It Was California Lettuce
One likely problem is the proximity of ranching and farming operations in parts of California. Cattle and other animals harbor the bacteria, which is shed in their feces.
More »
Using a Portable Generator Indoors Can "Kill You in Minutes"
—>According to the CPSC, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of deaths caused by people using portable generators indoors, so a new label is being required on all portable generators. " The CO produced by one generator is equal to the CO produced by hundreds of running cars. It can incapacitate and kill consumers within minutes." More »
Cheapest Safest Automobiles
What's the safest car for the least amount of money?
More »
Most Car Seats Fail "Disastrously" In Crash Tests
—>Consumer Reports has tested several models of children's car seats and most "failed disastrously" in side-impact tests at 38 mph, and front-impact tests of 35 mph. "The car seats twisted violently or flew off their bases, in one case hurling a test dummy 30 feet across the lab." Um, whoops. More »
How KFC Went Trans Fat Free
—>Business Week has an interesting article about all the R&D that went into Trans Fat Free KFC. More »
FDA Even Closer To Allowing Cloned Meat With No Special Labels
We reported Tuesday that the FDA was expected to find in favor of allowing cloned meat and milk from cloned animals to enter the food supply without special labeling. On Thursday the FDA issued the expected statement in favor of cloned meat. More »
FDA Expected to OK Cloned Meat
Is cloned meat safe? The government seems to think so. According to the Seattle Times, "A long-awaited study by federal scientists concludes meat and milk from cloned animals and their offspring are safe to eat and should be allowed to enter the food supply without special labeling." More »
Dirty Birds: Chicken is Full of Bacteria
—>A particularly disgusting survey by Consumer Reports claims that their "analysis of fresh, whole broilers bought nationwide revealed that 83 percent harbored campylobacter or salmonella, the leading bacterial causes of foodborne disease." Ew! Cheaper birds weren't more likely to have bacteria, "Overall, chickens labeled as organic or raised without antibiotics and costing $3 to $5 per pound were more likely to harbor salmonella than were conventionally produced broilers that cost more like $1 per pound." Birds also harbored antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria. "Twenty percent of campylobacter samples were resistant to ciprofloxacin (Cipro)" So that's awesome news. More »
FDA Calls For Stricter Warnings on Tylenol and Other OTC Drugs
"Non-prescription pain relievers used by millions of U.S. consumers need stronger health warnings regarding liver or stomach risk, the Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday." The drugs in questions are acetaminophen (Tylenol), and NSAIDs like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin). In particular acetaminophen is associated with liver problems. More »
Charges Dropped in "Liquid Terror" Plane Plot
—>A Pakistani judge has dropped charges against the main suspect in a purported terror plot to blow up airlines with half a sports drink bottle full of dangerous liquids. This plot is the reason you now have to fly with a ziplock bag full of tiny toiletries, and the reason we have started to pay attention to the quality of hotel soaps. From BBC News: "Anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi found no evidence that he had been involved in terrorist activities or that he belonged to a terrorist organization. As well as forgery charges, Mr Rauf has also been charged with carrying explosives. But his lawyer says police evidence amounts only to bottles of hydrogen peroxide found in his possession." More »
Small Cars Break Easily, Except For Nissan Versa
—>Subcompacts save gas but they may not save your ass in a crash. Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reviewed eight small cars and only the Nissan Versa received a high score in front, rear, and side impacts. More »
Video: 2007's Safest Cars, Lots Of Smashing Metal
Just pray the car companies had good beta testers to weed out the bugs... — BEN POPKEN More »
Safest Cars For 2007
—>The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a non-prof car safety testing group funded by auto insurers, released their 2007 top safety picks yesterday. More »
HOWTO: Fry A Turkey
Obviously, it's too late to thaw a fresh turkey in time for tomorrow. You can, however, snag one at the store and fry the sucker. Lifehacker says: More »
Target Recalls 190,000 Really Gender-Specific Toys
—>Target is recalling a whopping 190,000 play-set type toys. "Some of these toys contain lead paint, which is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health effects. Also, some of the toys have sharp points, posing laceration or puncture wound hazards. The recall involves "Kool Toyz" brand toys, including sets containing die-cast cars, playground set, doll house set, dinosaurs, trucks, boats and planes. The packaging is primary blue and has the "Kool Toyz" logo is on the upper left corner of the packaging." If you have these toys, take them away from children and bring them to Target for a full refund. More »
Consumerist Ask Metafilter Round-Up
I recently received a bill from my local utilities company stating that they had accidentally undercharged me for the last year. Now they want me to pay 438.53. Here's the letter, is there a way out of this? [Link] More »
Self-Check Kiosks Pose Airline Safety Threat
Having conquered the imminent threat of self-immolating shampoo, airline safety has returned to "iron-clad" status. Yeah right, all the terrorist need is a credit card with the same as someone flying that day. Using such a card, one can print a boarding pass and get on the aircraft. Creating the card would require access to a credit card writer, which hasn't proved an obstacle for numerous identity thieves and ATM hackers. More »
Angry Pilot: Leave This Plane if You Want to Live
—>A comforting thought for anyone whose fear of flying has them questioning the safety of the airplane: If the pilot says it's safe, you can take some comfort in getting onboard. After all, the pilot's life is on the line, too, if anything would go wrong. More »
Hardee's Unfazed By Water Cut-Off
Bunnyspatial wrote to us about a local Hardee's that was conducting business with its water turned off, and the fascinating implications that raises: More »
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Warns: "Kids Are Idiots."
—>The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's newsfeed is a daily source of hilarity. "Barbecue recalled for fire hazard!" it warns. "Trampolines recalled for falling risk!" it hollers and cries. I rarely click though: the actual details could only disappoint. I like living in a world where the government needs to issue daily reminders verbalizing common sense. More »
2006 Jeep Cherokee Is The Best Car Ever... To Run Over Little Kids
—>It's debatable, the best automobile in the world. So many contenders. Do you go for gas efficiency? Sleek looks? The powerful throbbing of its engine? Whether or not it can transform into a giant robot? More »
The Land of Maiming Misfit Toys
—>Toys have gotten a lot less interesting now that safety standards are more rigorous. The days of accidental maimings, scaldings, immolations and gougings are over. What are you to give that sniveling, obnoxious brat nephew of yours for his birthday now? More »
Top 10 Non-Mutating Cell Phones
That gigantic pulsating growth bulging out of the side of your head sure is socially awkward, isn't it? Your fellow movie theater patrons incessantly complain about the fluorescent glow. The erratic squirting of radioactive goop has ruined many a bar mitzvah. And you certainly aren't comfortable with what you suspect is the growth's nascent sentience, exhibited in the hypnotically commanding undercurrent of murderous thoughts which you can hear sometimes at night. More »
Avian Bird Flu Got You Down? Don't Reuse That Surgical Mask!
—>The oncoming avian flu pandemic is set to turn our nation's metropolises into apocalyptic nightmare cities filled overturned buses, conflagrating skyscrapers and Starbucks filled with corpses whose doorways have been hastily marked with a chalk cross; where the only sound will be phlegmatic hacking, the ululation of orphans and the incessant tolling of a hand-rung bell. More »
How Not To Use A Trampoline
—>Years ago, when I was a daredevil lad, I once used a pair of pogo stilts to jump off of the roof of my house and onto my backyard trampoline. It seemed like a great idea at the time. For a brief moment, I was Icarus, soaring godlike into the stratosphere. The next thing I know, the nose cone of an oncoming Logan-bound Airbus had exploded into my crotch. As I plummeted a truly terrifying distance back down to the earth, I realized that my options were not really very good: either I fell, allowing the impact with the black asphalt below to trigger the nasal expulsion of my own gelatinated pelvis, or I braced with the pogo sticks and risked jumping even higher. Possibly directly into the sun. More »
The Flying RyanAir Horror Show
Although I personally love RyanAir for allowing me to fly anywhere in Europe practically for free, I've known enough people who've worked behind the scenes to know it's a pretty horrific company to work for — or even fly with — if you know what they know. Cheapness, apparently, doesn't come cheap... it comes with a huge cost in customer service and, more importantly, competence and safety. More »
Musings on 10 Minute Pizza Deliveries from Papa John
—>Papa John's is promising to get your pizza to you in ten minutes or less. Granted, this is carry-out deliveries at lunch time only... but it raises the question: how soon until we see ten minute pizza deliveries, from telephone call to your door? More »
Toddlers Too Fat For Child Safety Seats
—>Millions of American parents are dealing with a new problem: how to squish that gelatinous piece of lard into a too-small child safety seat. More »
Jon Stewart on Trucker Bombs
—>We're sure you're as fascinated by the trucker bomb phenomenon as we are. Honestly, we are seriously considering making our next Consumerist photo contest dedicated to them, or perhaps merely a contest to see who can send the most trucker bombs to Poppy Z. Brite's house in payback for the many literary trucker bombs she's forced us all to endure over the years. Note to Poppy's attorneys over at CyberTrialLawyer.com: just kidding! More »
This Week's Best Product Recall: Electrocuting Aquarium
—>The Aquapod 12 Gallon Aquarium, right, is a wonderful product that combines every consumer's two favorite elements: water and chaotically spurting electricity. More »
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