The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) dispute with Spectrum Brands was resolved in court on September 29, 2017, with both sides able to claim victories of sorts. On the one hand, CPSC was able to obtain a civil penalty for Spectrum’s failure to report and sale of recalled products. On the other, that civil
The California legislature passed the Cleaning Product Right to Know Act 2017 (SB 258) (the CPRTK Act), which was presented to Governor Jerry Brown on September 19, 2017, after the legislative session adjourned on September 15, 2017. Governor Brown now has until October 15, 2017, to sign or veto the bill. The Act requires manufacturers
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalized its recommendations on September 6, 2017 on how to secure interoperable medical devices’ interactions with other devices and information systems. The FDA’s initial guidance, drafted in January 2016, was designed to help manufacturers develop safe, secure information exchange systems in connected medical devices. The updated guidance
Having previously nominated Acting Chairman Ann Marie Buerkle to serve as the permanent chair, and with Senate Commerce Committee hearings held on her confirmation on September 27, 2017, President Trump has nominated lawyer Dana Baiocco to serve a commissioner on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Baiocco would serve for a standard 7-year term
Acting Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Chair Ann-Marie Buerkle recently released an update regarding CPSC’s current projects, some of which involve stakeholder participation.
The Commission has approved its FY 2017 Mid-Year Review and Proposed Operations Plan Adjustments. Top priority has been given a project concerning improving the safety of lithium ion batteries. In
It is no secret that hoverboards – two-wheeled, battery-powered, self-balancing scooters – have proved enormously popular with kids and teenagers. But allegations regarding defective battery packs have triggered recalls. The latest hoverboard incident was associated with a fatal fire in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania last March.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) started an investigation into
Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., of Japan; Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A., of Foothill Ranch, California; and Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corp., U.S.A., of Lincoln, Nebraska, agreed to pay a $5.2 million civil penalty over allegations that Kawasaki failed to report floorboards cracking during normal operation of various Teryx4 recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs) during two separate periods, which
In 2015, a group of non-government organizations (NGOs) filed a petition with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), asking CPSC to categorically ban additive organohalogen flame retardants (OFRs) from the market in the U.S. in many significant consumer product categories. OFRs include a very broad set of diverse chemical compounds added to consumer products
On December 12, 2016, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) released a draft Alternatives Analysis (AA) Guide under the state’s green chemistry program, Safer Consumer Products (SCP). Under the SCP program, product designers and manufacturers are encouraged to reduce or eliminate the use of certain targeted chemicals in their products, and the Guide
Mega-retailer Best Buy agreed to pay $3.8 million to settle allegations that the company distributed and sold recalled products, a violation of the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA) after the 2008 amendments. U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) staff alleged that the retailer sold more than 600 recalled units, including over 400 Canon cameras, to
