“Wiping The Slate Clean”— CPSC Commissioners Signal Higher Penalties To Come
July 12, 2022, Retail & Consumer Products Law Observer
Despite imposing onerous new compliance terms, the recently announced Vornado civil penalty was criticized by three commissioners as too low amid their urgent calls for larger penalties in the future. Three of the agency’s five commissioners published individual statements alongside the agency’s announcement of the penalty, which is atypical. The statements provide product safety stakeholders with insights on how the “new” Commission views civil penalties and its enforcement authority.
CPSC Says Facebook Marketplace Rife With Banned, Recalled Products
July 13, 2022, MSN
Facebook’s online marketplace is rife with banned and recalled products, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, which is calling on the social media giant to curtail the dangerous listings. The agency recently urged Meta, Facebook’s parent company, to use its “considerable resources and technological expertise” to identify and prevent products known to be dangerous from being offered for sale on its site.
Government, Industry Leaders Shed Light In Program On Role Of Crisis Management In Professional Development
July 16, 2022, EIN Newswire
Leaders in the consumer product safety field will share experiences and insights into the impact that crisis management has on the career paths of safety professionals. In a 7-part webinar series starting September 20, “Crisis Management’s Role in Professional Development” features leaders from government agencies, global industry leaders, and education specialists who will discuss how they met challenges that led to their growth as professionals
What Makes Innovation Partnerships Succeed
July 14, 2022, Harvard Business Review
Increasingly, companies are aggressively pursuing breakthrough innovations. But to succeed in a significant, cost-efficient, timely way they need to partner with other companies who have their own special interests and concerns. This can be very hard.
California Adds PFAS To List Of Chemicals Subject To Prop 65 Enforcement Actions
July 13, 2022, JD Supra
California has just added per- and poly-fluoralkyl substances (PFAS) to the list of chemicals requiring consumer warnings under Proposition 65. This means that state residents can soon expect to see the words “cancer” and “reproductive harm” on such common consumer products as shampoo, nail polish, cookware and fast food.
Amazon Offers Concessions To Head Off EU Antitrust Cases
July 14, 2022, Associated Press
Amazon, seeking to resolve two European Union antitrust investigations, has promised to treat third-party merchants on its website fairly, the bloc’s competition watchdog said. The online retail giant offered to make a number of commitments to ease competition concerns, and the European Commission, the 27-nation bloc’s top antitrust enforcer, said it will now seek feedback on them from “interested parties.”
Child Ingests Antipsychotic Drug, Leading Novartis To Recall Packages That Don’t Meet Child Safety Rules
July 9, 2022, Fierce Pharma
Novartis and its generics unit Sandoz are voluntarily recalling nearly half a million packages of medications after a child opened a “child-proof” blister pack and ingested a tablet of antipsychotic medication haloperidol. The recall of 470,000 packages of a variety of drugs was announced by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which said, “The prescription drug packaging is not child resistant as required by the Poison Prevention Packaging Act, posing a poisoning risk if swallowed by children.”
UK’s Online Safety Bill On Pause Pending New PM
July 14, 2022, TechCrunch
A major populist but controversial piece of U.K. legislation to regulate internet content through a child safety-focused frame is on pause until the fall when the government expects to elect a new prime minister, following the resignation of Boris Johnson as Conservative Party leader last week. PoliticsHome reported yesterday that the Online Safety Bill would be dropped from House of Commons business next week with a view to being returned in the autumn.
Study Investigates Consumer Product-Related Traumatic Brain Injuries Among School Aged Children
July 14, 2022, Medical News
New research in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, published by Elsevier, investigates consumer product-related traumatic brain injuries (CP-TBI) among school-aged children for a 20-year period by differentiating age groups, levels of education, and gender and evaluating trends with the time-point regression method. Their findings reveal insights that have implications for effective preventive strategies and policies.
European Union RoHS Revision Proposal Delayed
July 13, 2022, Chemical Watch
The European Commission has delayed the publication of its proposal on the revision of the EU’s Directive on the restriction of hazardous substances (RoHS) in electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). The proposal was originally planned for publication by the end of the year but the process of reviewing the Directive has “required more time than initially foreseen”, a Commission spokesperson told Chemical Watch.
CPSC Continues Enforcement Push In First Quarter 2022
July 13, 2022, National Law Review
As predicted based on agency indications in 2021,1 the Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”) has continued its push towards increased enforcement2 in the first quarter of 2022. While recall trends this quarter (and over the past several years) have not been the best indicator of increasing enforcement,3 initial appearances can be deceiving. As recent news in the exercise industry has shown, the CPSC will not shy away from unilateral action even in the case of a voluntary recall.4 Additionally, the agency seems to be focusing increased attention on other mechanisms, including fines and administrative actions.
Irish Data Protection Commission Moves To Block Meta Transfers
July 15, 2022, National Law Review
On July 7, 2022, the Irish Data Protection Commission (the “DPC”) sent a draft decision to other EU data protection authorities, proposing to block Meta’s transfers of personal data from the EU to the United States. The DPC’s draft decision indicates that it does not consider the Standard Contractual Clauses relied on by Meta for its transfers to provide sufficient protection for personal data.
Honoring Our Heroes
SPSP Website
SPSP makes a permanent home for the salute poster at its website.
