Lawmakers OK ban on chemical flame retardants deemed toxic
January 2, 2019, News Tribune (Associated Press)
A bill approved by Massachusetts lawmakers will prohibit the use of several types of toxic flame retardants in a variety of household products. The measure was sent to Republican Gov. Charlie Baker’s desk on Tuesday, the last official day of the 2017-2018 legislative session. Supporters, including the advocacy group Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, say the chemical flame retardants in question are used by some manufacturers in furniture, bedding and children’s products such as toys, high chairs and car seats.
Michigan Appeals Court upholds ruling in dumpster injury case
January 2, 2019, Lenconnect.com
A Michigan Court of Appeals panel has upheld a ruling by a Lenawee County judge that found a trash hauler’s negligence caused a Hudson boy’s injuries in 2014. In a 2-1 ruling, the appellate panel upheld Circuit Judge Margaret M.S. Noe’s ruling that the placement and design of the dumpster that tipped over when the 8-year-old tried to do a pull-up on it was “inherently dangerous” and that the negligence of Modern Waste Systems Inc. of Napoleon was the proximate cause of the boy’s injuries.
Chamber’s List of 2018’s ‘Top 10 Most Ridiculous Lawsuits’
December 31, 2018, Insurance Journal
A lawsuit targeting California coffee houses for not including warning labels on their products tops the U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform’s (ILR) list of the Top 10 Most Ridiculous Lawsuits of 2018. This year’s list features lawsuits by a rude French waiter and over cheese on a McDonald’s hamburger. The ILR is an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce that lobbies for court, tort reforms and litigation reforms on behalf of businesses. Each year it identifies extreme court cases and trial lawyer activities it believes are meritless, abusive or wasteful
Trial Lawyers Cite ‘Worst Corporate Conduct’ of 2018
December 31, 2018, Insurance Journal
Not surprisingly, the American Association for Justice—representing the country’s trial lawyers– takes a very different view of the civil justice system than does the U.S. Chamber’s Institute for Legal Reform’s (ILR). The AAJ, on the other hand, has identified what it says are the “worst cases of corporate conduct” for 2018, cases that have brought various lawsuits and show why, in its view, the civil justice system is so important.
Communities confront threat of unregulated chemicals in their water
January 2, 2019, Journal Gazette
Parchment, Michigan, a town along the banks of the Kalamazoo River, became the latest community affected by a ubiquitous, unregulated class of compounds known as polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. The man-made chemicals have long been used in a wide range of consumer products, including nonstick cookware, water-repellent fabrics and grease-resistant paper products, as well as in firefighting foams. But exposures have been associated with an array of health problems, among them thyroid disease, weakened immunity, infertility risks and certain cancers. The compounds do not break down in the environment.
Press Release: CPSC Commissioner Peter Feldman announces key staff hire
November 27, 2018, cpsc.gov
Peter Feldman, commissioner of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced a new addition to his senior staff. Michael Brady Lynch joined Commissioner Feldman’s staff on November 26, 2018, as a senior policy advisor. Brady previously worked as a policy analyst for the Office of the Under Secretary for Policy within the United States Department of Transportation.
Consumer Product Safety Certification Program Begins
January 5, 2019, Society of Product Safety Professionals
More than 2 years in the making, consumer product safety professionals have a new credential to strive for: Certified Consumer Product Safety Professional. The program launches with a two-day opening workshop on January 16 & 17 its first class at the Emerson Leadership Institute in the Saint Louis University Chaifetz School of Business. The academic program includes a series of workshops and webinars focused on five knowledge areas determined by a task force of professionals to be at the center of understanding how to design and manage an effective product safety system: culture and business, risk assessment and product assurance, regulatory compliance, forensics and product incident management, and product recalls.
Online retailers and celebrities can’t fool you now: 9 things about the new consumer protection bill
December 21, 2018, Economic Times (Indiatimes)
A three-decade-old law is being changed to give more powers to the consumer. The Lok Sabha has passed the Consumer Protection Bill 2018 which will now go to the Rajya Sabha. The new law will replace the archaic Consumer Protection Act 1986. The new law will revolutionise consumer rights in India by investing consumers and agencies with a lot more power than they currently have.
No One Hurt After Refrigerator Explodes Inside West Palm Beach Home
December 31, 2018, NBC
A West Palm Beach family is cleaning up after a refrigerator they purchased just four months ago exploded inside their home this weekend. Mark Ligondie told NBC affiliate WPTV the Whirlpool appliance exploded Saturday morning, causing damage to several rooms and with a sound so loud nearby neighbors heard it and rushed over to help Ligondie and his parents escape.
Nestle plans consumer outreach to soften impact of class action lawsuit
January 4, 2018, Business Standard (India)
Nestlé India has decided to take proactive steps to contain any adverse impact of the revival of the class-action lawsuit against it. The company is launching a consumer outreach campaign to allay any fears about presence of harmful ingredients in the popular instant noodle.
