New Jersey AG: ‘We’re taking on DuPont’ over contamination, PFAS
March 28, 2019, The Inquirer
Two days after New Jersey environmental officials ordered five companies to pay what will likely be hundreds of millions to address chemical contamination caused by the discharge of PFAS compounds, the state’s attorney general sued some of the companies over cleanup.
In two lawsuits filed in Superior Court, the state alleged DuPont and Chemours sent the harmful chemicals flowing into the air, water, and soil, and asked the court to force the companies to pay for investigating and restoring the contaminated sites.
Toy companies fined $150,000 for selling unsafe toys following Commerce Commission investigation, unannounced retail store visits
March 28, 2019, New Zealand Herald
Three toy companies have been fined a combined $150,000 for selling unsafe toys. Joint Future Wholesale Limited trading as Joint Future was fined $88,000 for six charges relating to the supply of more than 3500 units of a toy piano, toy rabbit and trike, which did not meet the compulsory safety standards for toys designed for infants. Toys designed for children aged 36 months and under are required to meet a mandatory standard to reduce the risk of choking or ingesting small parts.
EPA issues first TSCA section 6 rule in thirty years
March 28, 2019, National Law Review (Beveridge & Diamond PC)
Until today, EPA had not adopted a final risk management rule under section 6 of the Toxic Substances Control Act in 30 years. That drought has ended, now that EPA has published a final rule restricting consumer use of methylene chloride for stripping paint and coatings.
How big tech designs its own rules of ethics to avoid scrutiny and accountability
March 28, 2019, Phys.org
“Digital ethics and privacy” shot into research and advisory company Gartner’s top ten strategic technology trends for 2019. Before that it barely raised a mention. In the past year governments, corporations and policy and technology think tanks have published data ethics guides. An entire cohort of expert data ethicists have magically materialized. Why this sudden interest in data ethics?
Case Study: Fire Service “total recalls” campaign led to permanent safety improvements
March 27, 2019, PR Week
The three-year London Fire Brigade (LFB) campaign centered on accidental fires caused by faulty white goods, using public affairs, media relations and communications techniques, resulted in changes to safety standards and consumer advice from manufacturers, and the government setting up a new body to monitor them. The campaign arose after LFB analysed data from fires in the home involving white goods such as tumble dryers, fridges and freezers, and found that call-outs to these types of incident were the equivalent of one a day.
Parents ‘living in hell’ after baby monitor cord strangles one-year-old daughter to death
March 28, 2019, Yahoo News
A U.K mother is warning parents of yet another hidden household danger after the death of her one-year-old daughter. Danielle Duggan of Shipdham, England is in mourning after her daughter, Jessica Lacey, was strangled to death after the cord of her baby monitor became entangled around her neck.
Industry guide to futon flammability requirements in Canada – Summary
February, 2019, Health Canada
This guide provides information about the safety requirements that apply under the Mattresses Regulations to futon mattresses (“futons”) that are manufactured, imported, advertised or sold in Canada, in particular information regarding: Flammability requirements for futons, Summary of the test method, How chemical flame retardants, futon materials and construction influence the flammability characteristics of futons, Informing consumers on fire safety. Information in this guide also applies to mattresses in general.
ACCC: Rules drafted on how to access data under consumer data rights
March 29, 2019, ZDNet
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) released a draft document detailing the rules that would guide the implementation of the nation’s new Consumer Data Right (CDR). The CDR will allow individuals to “own” their data by granting them open access to their banking, energy, phone, and internet transactions, as well as the right to control who can have it and who can use it.
New cross-border e-commerce regulations
March 28, 2019, China Business Law Journal
Several Chinese authorities, including the Ministry of Commerce, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Finance, the General Administration of Customs (GAC), the State Administration of Taxation and the State Administration for Market Supervision, jointly issued a Circular on Improving Supervision of Cross-Border E-Commerce Retail Imports, which took effect on 1 January 2019. The GAC subsequently issued a Circular [2018] No. 194 to implement the aforementioned regulation, also effective on 1 January 2019 (both circulars are collectively referred to as the New CBE Regulations).
Toy Association engages with medical community and educators on safe, fun play
March 28, 2019, Toy Association
The Toy Association staff traveled from coast-to-coast throughout the month of March to engage in constructive conversations with medical professionals, play scholars, and education workers about the toy industry’s long-standing leadership in toy safety and the many skill-building benefits of play. As a sponsor of the annual Advanced Pediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) Assembly held in Anaheim, California, The Toy Association provided information to physicians, nurses, and child life specialists about the toy industry’s history and record of safety work and enlisted the pediatric medical community’s assistance in disseminating toy and play safety information to patients and caregivers.
