What you see is apparently not always what you’re getting in L.A., says a county Seafood Task Force that took on the problem of mislabeled fish in the food industry. The group found that a whole slew of issues that were widespread across supermarkets and restaurants alike that could pose health problems for consumers. [More]
safety
Tiny Terrors: This Holiday Season’s Troublesome Toys Include Choking Hazards, Lead
By 11.20.12
Don’t want your kids messing around with potentially dangerous phthalates, picking up traces of lead or swallowing tiny toy parts? You might want to check out the U.S. Public Interest Research Group’s 27th annual survey of toy safety. The someone ominously titled “Trouble in Toyland” report looks into the most common dangers plaguing the toy industry and also gives tips on how to avoid buying anything that could potentially harm a child. [More]
Just A Friendly Reminder That You Shouldn’t Be Surfing The Web While Driving
By 11.20.12
If there’s one thing you should be paying attention to while driving, it’s not what that hilarious comedian on Twitter just tweeted or the interminable display of baby pictures flowing down your Facebook newsfeed. Nope. It’s that thing you’re guiding your massive hunk of metal along — the road. A new survey from State Farm says there are a lot of drivers out there distracted by the Internets who should be minding where they’re going instead. [More]
Toyota Recalling 2.77 Million Vehicles Worldwide For Steering Snafu, Water Pumps
By 11.14.12
Toyota announced it’s voluntary recalling a total of almost 3 million vehicles worldwide for steering and water pump issues that have popped up recently, which will make this the second multi-million vehicle recall for the company in just over a month. There haven’t been any accidents or injuries reported thus far from the problems, which can be fixed relatively quickly but will likely cost Toyota hundreds of millions of dollars to repair. [More]
Dentist’s License Suspended Because She Shouldn’t Be The One On Laughing Gas
By 11.2.12
If you’ve ever been lying in the dentist’s chair facing the prospect of painful drilling and sticking needles in gums and oh god why, you might be familiar with the welcome relief nitrous oxide, aka “laughing gas” can bring. For the patient, of course. One dentist has had her license suspended for allegedly partaking in the silly gas in front of patients. [More]
License Plate Decals Seem To Be Keeping Teens Off The Roads When They Shouldn’t Be On Them
By 10.29.12
In an effort to cut down on car collisions involving young drivers, New Jersey slapped red decals on the license plates of teens with provisional licenses two years ago and it seems to be working, says a new study. The thinking being if it’s easier for cops to spot teenagers eschewing curfew rules, they can bust said youngins before they hurt themselves or others by driving irresponsibly, or simply because of lack of experience. [More]
CDC: Kids Sure Do Love Chewing On, Getting Sick From Detergent Pods
By 10.18.12
It’s no secret that little kids like bright, shiny colorful things, and that curiosity compels them to place these objects in their mouths. But since most children under the age of five are not yet versed in the possible harms of household chemicals, lots of them are popping bright, shiny colorful detergent pods into their waiting maws. [More]
Great Peanut Butter Recall Of 2012 Now Includes Bagged Nuts, Ice Cream, Candy
By 10.18.12 — Updated: 8.21.14
The Great Peanut Butter Recall of 2012 is now the Great Peanut Recall of 2012. What began with salmonella illnesses traced back to a few varieties at Trader Joe’s has expanded to include foods including peanuts processed by Sunland, but made by a variety of manufacturers. These products include candy, ice cream, and other tasty peanut-including treats. [More]
October Recall Roundup: High Chairs, Herring, And Metal Shards
By 10.16.12
In this months’ recalls: wood cleaner sprays users in the face, wooden porch swings collapse, there’s Listeria everywhere, and an unusual number of herring products are recalled for unrelated reasons That number: two. [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]
Feds Say Even Gas Fireplaces Need Screens To Protect Kids From Getting Burned
By 10.16.12
Fire is fire no matter what, and guess what? It’s hot. And hot things can burn people, especially little kids who don’t know any better and just want to get close to the pretty pretty flames. Federal regulators are now putting the screws to fireplace manufacturers to get them to add screens to the glass doors of gas fireplaces so as to prevent children getting burned. [More]
Consumer Reports: A 4-Year-Old Can Break The Emergency Trunk Release On 2013 Lexus
By 10.12.12
Our benevolent benefactors over at Consumer Reports are nothing if not very, very thorough when testing just about anything you can buy. So thorough, in fact, that CR’s auto extraordinaire Jake Fisher ran one very important test — the “How will my kids play [supervised] in this car?” test — and uncovered a major problem with the trunk escape lever on the 2013 Lexus ES and GS. His 4-year-old was able to snap it off. Whoops. [More]
Great Peanut Butter Recall Of 2012 Began With Trader Joe’s, Now Includes 17 Brands
By 9.26.12
The Great Peanut Butter Recall of 2012 started relatively small, with Valencia peanut butter sold at Trader Joe’s. Thirty individuals in nineteen different states became ill from salmonellosis, and the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified that product as the likely source of the infections. Sunland, the company that actually manufactures peanut butter sold under the Trader Joe’s label, took the precaution of recalling other products manufactured on the same product line during the same period. That includes products sold under Sunland’s own label, as well as 15 other store and niche brands. [More]
September Recall Roundup: The Care Bears Will Choke Your Baby
By 9.18.12
In this month’s Recall Roundup, light fixtures plummet from the sky, bikes fall apart while you ride them, coffee makers explode from steam pressure, and the Care Bears try to comfort your baby, but could end up choking it instead. [More]
Recall: Babies Fall Out Of Bumbo Seats At Ground Level, Too
By 8.15.12
Babies: they comprise the future of our species, and they’re awfully cute, but they’re top-heavy. And early in their lives, their muscle control is pretty poor. The Bumbo baby seat is an adorable piece of molded plastic designed to let your baby sit up and look around before it has developed sufficient muscle control to sit up on its own for extended periods. They’re immensely popular, but frequently misused, and not wriggle-proof. So the Consumer Products Safety Commission has announced yet another voluntary recall on the seats. [More]
Sears Recalls Dehumidifiers Because Fire Is Not A Safe Dehumidification Method
By 8.6.12
Yes, it’s a story about a Sears appliance, but not about its misdelivery or problems with getting it repaired. Well, sort of. If you bought a Kenmore-branded dehumidifier from Sears or from Kmart between 2003 or 2009, unplug it right away and get in touch with the company. More than a hundred overheating units have been reported to the Consumer Products Safety Commission, and some have caught fire or melted. [More]
One Surefire Way To Destroy Your Attic Is By Fighting Spiders With A Blowtorch
By 7.11.12
When a broom or shoe just won’t do to kill spiders and/or rid your home of their cobwebs, we beg you, do not take matters into your own fire-weapon wielding hands. A man trying to clear his yard of cobwebs picked up a blowtorch and began blasting away, causing a fire that severely damaged his home. [More]
June Recall Roundup: Mac ‘N’ Cheese ‘N’ Metal Shards
By 6.15.12
Pull up a stepstool, park your kid’s stroller, and let’s sit down with some Trader Joe’s chicken breasts and Walmart mac and cheese, with Sienna Bakery macademia nut cookies: it’s time for the Recall Roundup. Oh. All of those things have been recalled, really? [More]
