$27.25 Million Settlement: Polaris finalizes resolution with Consumer Product Safety Commission
April 2, 2018, Business Wire
Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII) announced a $27.25 million settlement with the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) that resolves two 2016 late-reporting claims. Additionally, Polaris, in partnership with the CPSC, initiated a recall on select RZR XP/XP 4 1000 models. “I am extremely confident in the strength of our organization, the quality of our products, and the 11,000 employees who champion the principles and values that embody Polaris,” said Scott Wine, chairman and CEO, Polaris.
After ban, flame retardant chemical levels in children’s blood declined, but still remain
April 4, 2018, Laboratory Equipment
The flame-retardants known as polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDEs, were used in furniture and consumer products from the 1970s until the early part of the 21st century. They have gradually been phased out, since they were found to persist in the environment – and exposure to them was linked to developmental problems in children. A new paper by researchers reports that levels of a specific PBDE chemical have been decreasing in the blood levels of children in the years since the substance has been phased out, even if they have not disappeared entirely.
CPSC releases revised draft age appropriate guidelines for consumer products
April 2, 2018, National Law Review (Keller and Heckman LLP)
A new draft guidance, titled Guidelines for Determining Age Appropriateness of Toys (Draft 2018 Guidelines) will be replacing the previous guidance published in 2002 by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. The new guidance “addresses toys that have come onto the market since the last update and provides changes to the recommended age group for certain classic toys.”
Cancer warning labels on coffee? California ruling ‘crazy,’ scientists say
March 30, 2018, Seattle Times
The California court ruling that a cancer-warning label should be required on coffee has left the scientific community puzzled. There is plenty of research showing coffee doesn’t cause cancer, and can prevent liver and endometrial cancer. The World Health Organization announced two years ago that there was “no conclusive evidence for a carcinogenic effect of drinking coffee.” One scientist thinks the logic of placing coffee on California’s Proposition 65 list of cancer-causing chemicals is “crazy” when looking at the science showing otherwise.
Report: Fewer deaths but more children’s product recalls
April 5, 2018, GoErie.com
There were fewer incidents, injuries and deaths caused by children’s products last year, yet the number of products recalled rose, according to a consumer advocates group. In 2017, 93 children’s products were recalled — a 22 percent increase over 2016, according to a report from Chicago-based children’s advocacy group Kids in Danger. No deaths were reported from children’s products last year, but there were 1,630 incidents — in which hazards occurred but no children were injured — and 153 injuries caused by 16 different products before manufacturers recalled them, the report said.
Consumer Agency bows out of IoT data security issue
April 4, 2018, fcw.com
The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced it planned to stay in its lane when it comes to focusing on physical threats. “We do not consider personal data security and privacy issues that may be related to IoT devices to be consumer product hazards that CPSC would address,” the notice read. What makes the IoT different from other consumer product categories is the potential for “hazardization,” which CPSC defines as occurring when a safe product “connected to a network, becomes hazardous through malicious, incorrect, or careless changes to operational code.”
AQSIQ dismantled in Chinese government restructure
April 5, 2018, Fruit Net
In March China’s National People’s Congress approved the most comprehensive government restructure in nearly 50 years. The new plan will be rolled out over the coming months, and includes the establishment of a State Market Regulatory Administration (SMRA). The SMRA will acquire the responsibilities held by a number of individual government bodies, including the AQSIQ agency (General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine) that has overseen consumer protection from unsafe products that represent serious risk to consumers.
Vermont advances bill reducing hurdles to banning children’s products
April 5, 5018, Chemical Watch
Vermont’s legislature has approved a bill that would give the state’s health commissioner increased authority to ban or restrict children’s products. The governor’s signature is all that stands in the way of the controversial measure becoming law.
Opinion: Toxic chemical laws are not protecting human health
April 2, 2018, Toronto Star
More than four decades after taking action on chemicals judged as health risks, Canada’s health and environment departments are considering regulatory decisions that substituted harmful replacements. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recently took the first step toward a full ban on an entire class of toxic flame-retardants in a variety of consumer products. Canada should do likewise. In Canada and the U.S., laws governing pollution and toxic substances have largely failed to protect human health and the environment from chemical hazards in everyday products. Something has to change. It’s time for a green chemistry revolution.
Counterfeiting in Asia hits alarming levels
April 5, 2018, WARC
Counterfeiting is rife in Asia and no longer affects just high-end brands, but now extends to any product with a logo, a leading representative from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has warned. According to Piotr Stryszowski, the OECD’s senior economist of public governance and territorial development, the trade in counterfeit goods is also causing huge revenue losses for governments across the region.
Canadian Apparel Federation holds workshop series for Canadian apparel, textile and footwear industriesApril 6, 2018, Textileweb.com
The Canadian Apparel Federation (CAF) has selected SGS North America as its partner to deliver a workshop series for Canadian manufacturers and retailers in the apparel, textile and footwear industries. The workshops provide education on critical existing and upcoming regulations that impact Canadian companies who manufacture, test or trade products internationally.
