Product safety

January 5, 2007 -- Connecticut Governor M. Jodi Rell announced today that the state Department of Public Health (DPH) has posted a summary of the toys and products that were recalled in 2007 due to lead hazards. The summary includes descriptions and photos of each of the recalled items and is available online at www.ct.gov/dph.

A total of 111 items were recalled in 2007 by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), nearly half of which were recalled in October and November.    » read more »

January 4, 2008 -- Chicago – Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced that U.S. product recalls more than doubled over the last year, rising from 98 recall announcements in 2006 to 210 recalls in 2007. From children's toys and jewelry to clothing and ATVs, a total of 891 product types were affected, including more than 44 million total product units, according to research compiled by the Illinois Attorney General's office.    » read more »

December 20, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) today wrote to Nancy Nord, acting Chairman of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), demanding a response to a letter he sent last month that has gone unanswered. Casey sent the first letter on November 15, 2007 expressing his concerns regarding the CPSC’s ability to protect children from unsafe toys during the upcoming holiday season.    » read more »

December 19, 2007 -- Washington, D.C. -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi issued the following statement this evening after the House approved H.R. 4040, the Consumer Product Safety Modernization Act. The bill now goes to the Senate.

“Today, the New Direction Congress has taken a critical step in better protecting America’s children. In the wake of record numbers of toy recalls, we are strengthening the Consumer Product Safety Commission by providing it with the necessary tools and resources to protect the public from hazardous products.    » read more »

Report Provides New Data, Analysis Showing How U.S. Toy Corporations’ Push to Send Production Offshore Boosted Profits at Price of Children’s Safety

Dec. 19, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Although China and inadequate U.S. safety systems are often blamed, U.S. toy corporations’ decisions to shift production to countries without adequate safety systems – and trade policies companies pushed through Congress that limit import safety standards and inspection – are the root causes of the imported toy safety crisis, according to a report released today by Public Citizen.    » read more »

Statement of Joan Claybrook, President of Public Citizen

Dec. 18, 2007 -- Parents and consumers are facing another holiday crisis regarding the safety of children’s toys and other consumer products. Judging from what lawmakers did today, it might not be the last.    » read more »

December 19, 2007 -- “I want to thank the U.S. House of Representatives for passing landmark legislation today that finally gives the CPSC the additional tools and resources to address the growing issue of imports and other important product safety issues.    » read more »

December 19, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, today announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Soldier Bear Toys

Units: About 11,400

Importer/Retailer: AAFES (Army & Air Force Exchange Service), of Dallas, TX

Manufacturer: First Learning Company Ltd, of Hong Kong (wooden toys)

Manufacturer: Toy World Group Co. Ltd. of Hong Kong (military vehicle toy play set)    » read more »

December 19, 2007 -- The following product safety recall was voluntarily conducted by the firm in cooperation with the CPSC. Consumers should stop using the product immediately unless otherwise instructed.

Name of Product: Giant Measuring Chart

Units: About 13,000

Manufacturer: Discount School Supply, of Monterey, Calif.

Hazard: The paint on the grow chart contains excess levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.

Incidents/Injuries: None reported.    » read more »

December 19, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – As Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee which oversees funding for the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that the appropriations bill approved last night by Congress includes $80 million for the agency -- a nearly 30 percent budget increase over last year's funding level and the largest budget increase for the agency in more than 30 years.    » read more »

December 19 2007 -- Jackson, MS - Throughout the year, but especially at Christmas time, parents are concerned about the safety of the toys their children are playing with. As a father of three, as well as Attorney General of the State of Mississippi, Jim Hood shares the same concerns and is joining 34 other Attorneys General in urging Congress to support legislation that strengthens federal standards on lead contaminated toys and other products and grants authority to state attorneys general to enforce these federal regulations.    » read more »

December 17, 2007 -- AUGUSTA – Maine Governor John E. Baldacci today received a report and recommendations from the Task Force to Promote Safer Chemicals in Consumer Products. The Governor created the task force early last year to increase the development of safer alternatives to hazardous chemicals in consumer goods and services. The recommendations are timely in light of recent product recalls on children’s toys due to chemical dangers.    » read more »

Unveils Plan to Strengthen Consumer Product Safety Commission

December 15, 2007 -- Des Moines, IA -- U.S. Senator Barack Obama today held a press conference in Waterloo to discuss his commitment to protecting America's children from lead-based products. Since the U.S. government ratified permanent normalized trade relations (PNTR) with China, Chinese consumer products have flooded the U.S. market.    » read more »

December 14, 2007 -- [WASHINGTON, D.C.] – United States Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that legislation he offered to require all dogs imported to the U.S. for resale be properly vaccinated and in good health was included in the 2007 Farm Bill passed by the full Senate this afternoon.

Buyers and veterinarians report that imported puppies suffer from higher than normal incidences of pneumonia, parvovirus, rabies, ringworm and severe congenital defects.    » read more »

December 14, 2007 -- Chicago – On the heels of her Dec. 3, 2007, announcement concerning red blood pressure cuffs found in Fisher-Price toy medical kits, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan today warned consumers of a similar toy that presents a potential lead poisoning hazard—the green blood pressure cuff found in Sesame Street Giggle Fisher-Price toy medical kits. Madigan urges parents to take away the green blood pressure cuff toys from their children immediately.    » read more »