It’s been quite a bad news week for babies and their parents — on the heels of yesterday’s recall of 200,000 baby pacifiers by Fred & Friends, Britax has announced it’s recalling 216,000 strollers over the risk of amputation. [More]
consumer product safety commission
Recall Of 200K Pacifiers: While A Baby With A Mustache Is Cute, It’s Not Worth Choking Over
By 1.30.14
Look that baby! She’s got a mustache and a tiny little beard! Isn’t that just so adorable, because see, babies can’t grow facial hair and also she’s a girl? Sure, it might be cute, but the company behind three novelty pacifiers, Fred & Friends, has announced it’s recalling 200,000 over safety concerns. Namely, that a baby could choke on some of the parts included. [More]
Buckyballs Founder Could Be Found Personally Liable For $57 Million In Refunds
By 1.6.14
Buckyballs: cute office toy, or powerful balls of magnetic doom? The inventor insists they’re the former, the Consumer Product Safety Commission insists they’re the latter, and the lawsuit fighting it all out just keeps getting uglier. [More]
Crate And Barrel Recalls 19K Hanging Lamps Because No One Wants Fire To Rain From Above
By 10.24.13
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a Crate and Barrel recall of 19,000 of its hanging lamps. The thing is, it’s great to have light shining down on whatever you’re doing but it’s not so nice when that light is coming from a fiery light fixture hanging above you. [More]
Stinky Drywall Legislation Passes Congress––After Construction Industry Watered It Down
By 1.9.13
The Drywall Safety Act of 2012 passed Congress on New Year’s Day 2013 and is currently waiting for President Obama’s signature. The purpose of the bill is to keep stinky and hazardous drywall out of American homes. Simple enough. Thanks to the miracle of democracy, the bill has been watered down and gives less power to the Consumer Product Safety Commission and more to the building industry to draw up its own voluntary standards. [More]
Fisher-Price Recalls 800,000 Newborn Rock ‘N Play Sleepers Seats Because They Might Be Moldy
By 1.8.13
Fisher-Price has issued a recall of about 800,000 of its Newborn Rock ‘N Play Sleepers due to an insidious problem that could be growing right under customer’s noses: mold. The company and the Consumer Product Safety Commission are warning consumers to stop using the sleepers if they spot mold on it, particularly in between the removable seat cushion and the hard plastic frame of the product. [More]
Seized Pirate Costumes Rendered Decidedly Scarier Due To High Levels Of Lead
By 10.16.12 — Updated: 10.24.12
Attention, Halloween lovers: While you might want to be perceived as dangerous this Halloween, there are some costumes that are so dangerous they’re actually harmful to your health. Shipments of pirate costumes coming from China were recently seized by authorities because they contained high levels of lead. The better to sink you with when you walk the plank, perhaps, but not so great for your health. [More]
Over 1 Million GE Dishwashers Recalled As Flames Shouldn't Be Part Of The Rinse Cycle
By 8.9.12
If it’s too hot, sure, you need to get out of the kitchen. But it shouldn’t be literally too hot because your dishwasher is on fire. To that end, GE is recalling around 1.3 million of its dishwashers due to a possibility for the heating elements to fail and cause fires. [More]
The Maker Of Buckyballs Embarks On Impassioned Campaign To "Save Our Balls" From CPSC
By 8.3.12
The maker of Buckyballs, those powerful tiny magnet desktop toys that can be harmful if swallowed, isn’t going down without fighting the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Last week the CPSC convinced 11 retailers, including Amazon, to pull the toys from sale and sued Buckyballs’ company, Maxfield & Oberton, to get it to stop selling them. But instead, the head of the company is embarking on a media blitz to “save our balls.” [More]
Some Retailers Pull Magnetic Desktop Toy Buckyballs After CPSC Files Complaint
By 7.27.12
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has dealt a swift blow to the makers of desktop magnetic toys Buckyballs after filing an administrative complaint against them earlier this week. The agency says it’s already convinced 10 retailers, including Amazon.com, to stop selling the tiny yet powerful magnets over concerns that children are swallowing them. We’ve already heard from one reader who had a Groupon deal refunded because of the CPSC’s filing. [More]
Toy Manufacturers Try To Block Online Injury Report Database
By 2.22.11
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is set to launch a database in the next few weeks that tracks reports of injuries resulting from strollers and cribs. A group of children’s product manufacturers are trying to coax lawmakers to stifle the database and roll back other health regulations. [More]
Don't Worry, Reselling Children's Clothing Isn't About To Become Illegal. Probably.
By 1.17.09
Reselling your kid’s used clothing could soon violate federal law. Come February 10, the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act will prevent retailers from selling children’s products that haven’t been certified as lead free. Old hand-me-downs, of course, haven’t been certified for anything more than running around the yard. Parents are worried, petitions are being drawn up, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission isn’t doing much to clarify the law.
Hooray! CPSC Agrees To Exempt Some Natural Items From Product Safety Act
By 1.8.09
Step back from the ledge, makers of lovingly hand-carved wooden dolls: the Consumer Product Safety Commission has lurched into action and tentatively agreed to exempt some materials and items from the lead-testing requirements in the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act.
Senate CPSC Reform Compromise Leaves Everyone Bitter, Unsatisfied
By 2.21.08
Nobody likes the compromise reached by Senators to reform the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Industry thinks the revised plan goes too far, while consumer groups want more. For now, the compromise would allow the CPSC to operate without a quorum, inject needed cash into the Commission, and provide for several other nifty provisions.
Attention Shoppers: The Consumer Product Safety Commission Has Run Out Of Power
By 2.9.08
The temporary law powering the CPSC has expired, reducing our supposed watch-dog agency to a neutered shadow that can’t adopt new safety standards, order mandatory recalls, or enforce existing consumer protection laws. The Commission could get back to work with three small tweaks.
