CPSC Offers survival tips for after Hurricane Florence
September 13, 2018, cpsc.gov
Hundreds of thousands of consumers have already lost power due to Hurricane Florence, and that could climb to millions over the next few days. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning residents in hurricane-impacted areas about the deadly dangers that exist during and after the storm. “The aftermath of the storm is very dangerous and consumers need to take appropriate safety precautions to keep their families safe,” says CPSC Acting Chairman Ann Marie Buerkle. During power outages, the risk of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning and fire increase.
Toxic flame retardant ban heads to governor for signature
September 10, 2018, LA Weekly
After years of campaigning by various groups, more than two-thirds of furniture manufacturers have phased out toxic flame retardant. Advocates are now applauding an historic victory when AB 2998 sponsored by Richard Bloom, D-Santa Monica) passed out of the Assembly with bipartisan support. With some exemptions and compromises, the bill bans the sale of toxic flame-retardant chemicals in furniture, mattresses and juvenile products.
WSU researchers say BPA alternatives used in plastics may pose health risks
September 13, 2018, Seattle Times
Twenty years ago, a Washington State University researcher discovered genetic abnormalities in laboratory mice after they were accidentally exposed to the chemical bisphenol A, known as BPA, commonly found in plastic products. Now, Patricia Hunt and her colleagues have found that alternatives to the chemical are also causing genetic abnormalities in mice — and may also threaten human reproductive health. “We stumbled on an effect yet again,” says Dr. Hunt, a WSU professor who authored a study on the subject.
Test Yourself: SPSP offers sample questions for professional certification assessment
September 13, 2018, Society of Product Safety Professionals
Product safety professionals have been eyeing a new professional certification program in their field since it was first announced in 2017. The program will be launched in 2019, and the Society of Product Safety Professionals has provided a glimpse at the type of multiple-choice questions that will constitute one section of an assessment that will result in a new credential conferred by SPSP, Certified Product Safety Professional™ for those who successfully complete the program.
CPSC Webinar: Certificates of Conformity (CPCs/GCCs)
September 14, 2018, cpsc.gov
Stakeholders are invited to take part in a 60 minute webinar from CPSC on Certificates of Conformity: Children’s Product Certificates (CPCs) and General Certificates of Conformity (GCCs.). The webinar, which requires registration, is presented by the agency’s small business ombudsman.
New York To Phase Out Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), Thumbs Nose At Trump Administration
September 14, 2018, Clean Technica
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced this week that his administration will phase out the use of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), one of the most powerful climate pollutants on earth. By directing the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to promulgate regulations to remove HFCs from common use, Cuomo is contravening Trump administration federal mandates not to regulate HFCs. In August of 2017, a Washington, D.C., federal appeals court decreed that the EPA had overstepped its authority in regulating HFCs under the Clean Air Act. The ruling seemed to leave the US without an immediate legal mechanism to control HFCs, which amount to about 3% of US climate pollution — that is, until Cuomo stepped up in New York.
FTC Compliance Lawyer on Agency Settlement of Deceptive “Made in USA” Claims
September 14, 2018, National Law Review (Hinch Newman LLP)
The Federal Trade Commission has announced that that companies selling hockey pucks and recreational and outdoor equipment have agreed to cease making bogus “Made in USA” claims. According to the Commission, four related New York-based companies, and two commonly controlled California companies, falsely represented that all, or virtually all, products sold are made in the U.S.
Federal privacy regulations usher in the age of tech lawmakers
September 13, 2018, Tech Target
Tech companies that have successfully lobbied against stricter privacy regulations are facing pushback from consumers on their latest campaign to curtail data privacy rights.
Big tech’s call for federal regulation comes amid a reactionary call for privacy rights, as data breach media coverage has exposed companies poor management of personal information and piqued consumers’ data protection concerns.
Where the U.S. and Canada differ on NAFTA
September 5, 2018, Indian Express
Washington and Ottawa pulled back from a standoff that threatened to end in Canada’s exclusion from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), a trilateral arrangement that includes Mexico. The Trump administration informed Congress that the President intended to “sign a (revised) trade agreement with Mexico — and Canada, if it is willing — 90 days from now”.
Laser leaving mark on product identification
September 14, 2018, Engineering News
Various industries are becoming increasingly aware of product identification solutions, owing to the upsurge of counterfeit products entering the local market from the Far East, says identification and traceability company Traceability Solutions MD Kelby Parker. This has resulted in a growing demand for reliable, unique and permanent marks on products, which provides them with brand protection, he tells Engineering News, adding that laser marking eliminates the need for costly consumables and printing.
