Here’s something everyone can be thankful for—the Chinese, Europeans, and tangentially everyone in America and the rest of the world who have spent the better part of last year dodging lead bullets from the factory nation. The European Union’s consumer chief has said that China has made “quantum leaps” in improving its safety protocols, and will therefore not face a ban in the EU.
bans
California's Ban On Phthalates May Spread To Other States
By 10.16.07
Yesterday’s legal action in California against Apple over its use of phthalates may be the opening shot in a nation-wide battle between consumer advocates, health agencies, state and federal entities, and manufacturers of everything from teething rings to consumer electronics to sex toys. Although the ban (which will go into effect Jan. 1, 2009) is limited to California, “lawmakers in Texas, Illinois, Florida, Massachusetts, Maryland, Washington, Maine, Connecticut and New York are expected to introduce similar legislation in the coming months, according to environmental and breast cancer groups that sponsored the California measure.”
Florida City Considers A Ban On Anything Made In China
By 10.4.07
Palm Bay, Florida is irritated with China. They’re considering a ban that would prevent the city from buying anything made in China…. with a few exceptions:
EU May Ban Chinese Toys After October
By 9.17.07
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.
Should Crack Pipes Be Sold At Convenience Stores?
By 6.5.07
The Boston City Council has proposed a ban on the sale of “four-inch glass tubes featuring fake mini-roses” commonly sold at convenience stores, because they’re actually crack pipes. From BostonNow:
They look like novelty items, but they’re not. For sale at convenience stores in Boston, four-inch glass tubes featuring fake mini-roses inside of them are actually crack pipes.
FCC Upholds In-Flight Cellphone Ban
By 4.4.07
Cellphones will stay banned from use during air travel, the FCC confirmed in an order released late Tuesday.
Greed Floats: Carnival Cruise Line Bans Liquids
By 3.29.07
“Carnival spokesman Vance Gulliksen said guests had been bringing on too many nonalcoholic beverages. “There had been some abuse of the previous policy which is why the new policy is more restrictive,” he said.”
Other cruise lines don’t seem to have any such policy. You’d think Carnival would be more worried about the drunk people who are always falling off the ships.—MEGHANN MARCO
Food Industry Funded Group Really Worried (For You) About Trans Fat Bans
By 12.7.06
The Center for Consumer Freedom posted a full page ad in today’s USATODAY.
UPDATE: Vegemite Not Banned
By 10.27.06
Reader David informs us that Vegemite, a salty, paste-like spread, and an Australian national delicacy, was never banned. It was all a hoax. We are upset; there’s nothing we enjoy more than irritated Aussies. We are further upset because we would have known it was a hoax if we had been reading the comments more closely.
U.S. Government Sparks Australian Riot, Bans Vegemite
By 10.23.06
Reminding many Americans of the salty brown discharge of a dehydrated woman with a yeast infection than any real replacement for that prince of sandwich condiments, peanut butter, the rugged Aussie thrives on the stuff. For years, Australian ex-patriates have been mollified into joining the melting pot by regularly importing the “delicacy.”
New York City Lets the Bedbugs Bite
By 9.19.06
The city of New York is experiencing an epidemic of bedbugs with no apparent cause. Officials recently voted down a measure to ban the sale of used mattresses, because, duh, new mattresses are expensive and people need somewhere to sleep.
