Consumer Product Safety Commission Sued Over Unsafe Chemicals in Toys

David Rowell — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 16:43:59 GMT

Two consumer groups, the Natural Resouces Defense Council and Public Citizen, have filed a lawsuit against the Consumer Product Safety Commision, claiming that the CSPC is not correctly implementing a Congressional ban on phthalates in children's products.

Phthalates, which studies have shown can harm early childhood development, are added to hard plastics to make them more flexible. Congress banned the use of phthalates in children's toys and child-care products as part of a major overhaul of consumer product safety regulations in August.

The ban takes effect starting on February 10, 2009. Based on the way the CPSC intends to apply the rule, manufacturers will be able to stockpile toys and child care products with the banned phthalates right up to the date of the ban, and then sell them to consumers long after the ban was supposed to go into effect. With millions of plastic toys containing phthalates already in warehouses and on shelves, that's good news for manufacturers, but bad news for consumers.

The two consumer groups are asking for an order making the ban retroactive; that is, applying the ban to all products. David Arkush of Public Citizen says of the ban "selling millions of toxic toys to kids is not the way to dispose of them . . . ." Congressional hearings are scheduled on this question, maybe as early as next week, and some members of Congress have already said that the CSPC is not carrying out the ban the way Contress intended.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Rowell

Consumer Safety Recalls for 2008 Set New Record

David Rowell — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 11:14:12 GMT

A report issued by Consumers Union on December 2 contains troubling news for consumers, expecially parents. CU's report, title "Still Not Safe," notes that 2008 set a new record for recalls by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission,563 for 2008, up from 473 in 2007. According to the report, that equals more than 43 million products recalled between October 1, 2007 and September 30, 2008 (CSPC's product year). And, equally troubling, "nearly 97 percent of all recalled products were foregn made; 81 percent came from China."

As noted by CU, recalls are not the answer; CSPC, even with new authority and new, tougher standards, simply lacks the ability to effectively police the market. The HUGE numbers of products sold, and CSPC's limited budget and staff, make reliance on recalls too dangerous for consumers. Recalls, remember, only target products already in the stream of commerce, products already in our homes and in our children's hands.

The real solution is prevention, ensureing that toy makers and suppliers adequately inspect and test their products before they enter the market, to ensure that only safe toys reach our children. Until then, especially during these difficult economic times, parents need to be especially vigilant; be careful and check the CSPC recall site to make sure the toy you're buying for Christmas has not been recalled.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by David Rowell

Fresno Personal Injury Lawyer - Child Safety

Consumer Product Safety Commission Sued Over Unsafe Chemicals in Toys

Consumer Safety Recalls for 2008 Set New Record