Free Republic

WASHINGTON – In the wake of scandals involving tainted food and toothpaste from China comes word of a new concern from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission as well as the Food and Drug Administration – toys, makeup, glazed pottery and other products that contain significant amounts of lead. While lead poisoning among children was once mainly caused by old paint, U.S. manufacturers long ago banned the ingredient. Today, a new rash of high lead levels in the bloodstreams of American kids is being caused by foreign products – mainly from China. So serious is the resurgence of lead poisoning...

AP National Writer In 2005, when government scientists tested 60 soft, vinyl lunch boxes, they found that one in five contained amounts of lead that medical experts consider unsafe — and several had more than 10 times hazardous levels. But that's not what they told the public. Instead, the Consumer Product Safety Commission released a statement that they found "no instances of hazardous levels." And they refused to release their actual test results, citing regulations that protect manufacturers from having their information released to the public. That data was not made public until The Associated Press received a box of...

WASHINGTON — A government regulatory agency has taken steps toward banning children's jewelry containing small amounts of lead, which was responsible for more than a dozen product recalls in the past two years. The Consumer Product Safety Commission voted unanimously to move forward in a process that could ultimately lead to a ban on children's jewelry containing more than .06 percent lead by weight. The commission currently has two members and one vacancy. "Our goal is not to continue to do recall after recall," CPSC spokesman Scott Wolfson said. "We've had upwards of 14 recalls since 2004." The commission's action...

Tokyo, Japan, Sept 28, 2006 - (JCN Newswire) - Sony Corporation will initiate a global replacement program for certain battery packs that utilize Sony-manufactured lithium ion cells used by notebook computer manufacturers in order to address concern related to recent over-heating incidents. Sony always strives to deliver the highest level of satisfaction to its customers and all consumers. We believe that this program is in the best interest of both our customers and all consumers. Sony is discussing this plan with the US Consumer Product Safety Commission and will coordinate with other government authorities as required. We will announce...

WASHINGTON - On the eve of the nation's noisiest holiday, the Consumer Product Safety Commission responded to growing fireworks injuries by quietly reopening the question of how it should police explosives for backyard entertainment. Without a public meeting, the three commissioners voted unanimously by ballot late Friday to begin a study of whether to tighten their regulation of fireworks, commission spokesman Scott Wolfson announced Monday. Their notice seeking public comment will appear soon in the Federal Register. The notice cited a disturbing increase in injuries and a decrease in compliance with safety regulations as reasons for the first major review...

<p>Injuries to adults and children playing paintball have tripled in recent years, including eye damage causing lasting vision loss, a study found.</p> <p>From 1997 to 2000, paintball-related injuries nationwide climbed from 926 to 2,780, with up to a third occurring in children younger than 15, according to the study, which analyzed injury data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.</p>

Government warns paintball gun users while it investigates two deaths ASSOCIATED PRESS 11:14 a.m. March 24, 2004 WASHINGTON – The government issued sharp warnings on Wednesday to paintball gun users, announcing new safety measures while investigations continue into two deaths caused by canisters flying off the guns. The Consumer Product Safety Commission said both deaths occurred after brass valves unscrewed from the pressurized carbon dioxide canisters on the guns, which turned the canisters into projectiles. In June 2003, a 15-year-old boy from Washington state died after the canister he was removing struck him in the head, the commission said. In...

There's no competition when it comes to regulation. Should unelected officials be allowed to order the confiscation of some or all guns and ammunition in the United States? This is the question posed by Sen. Jon Corzine (D., N.J.) and Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D., R.I.), in their proposed Firearms Safety and Consumer Protection Act. As one might suspect, the bill is about neither firearm safety nor consumer protection, but is an especially clever stratagem by the gun-prohibition lobby. The Kennedy-Corzine bill would give the Treasury Department and the courts nearly unlimited powers to restrict firearms manufacture and sales, and to...

<p>We bear glad tidings for the Ralphie Parkers of America on this, the official opening day of the Christmas shopping season: Santa may yet come through with that genuine Red Ryder BB-gun. Even if it will come covered in warning labels instead of wrapping paper.</p>

Recall Alert U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Office of Information and Public Affairs Washington, DC 20207 September 26, 2003 CPSC, Segway LLC Announce Voluntary Recall to Upgrade Software on Segway™ Human Transporters The following product safety recall was conducted by the firm in cooperation with the CPSC. Name of Product: Segway Human Transporter (HT) Units: Approximately 6,000 Manufacturer: Segway LLC of Manchester, New Hampshire Hazard: Under certain operating conditions, particularly when the batteries are near the end of charge, some Segway HTs may not deliver enough power, allowing the rider to fall. This can happen if the rider speeds up...

Gov't Recalls All Segway ScootersThe one-person, battery-powered Segway scooter was first unveiled in December 2001. (Courtesy Segway) By Jonathan D. Salant Associated Press Writer Friday, September 26, 2003; 1:14 PM The maker of the Segway Human Transporter has agreed to recall the motorized scooters because riders have been injured falling off when its batteries are low. The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall Friday, saying that three people had been injured. One suffered a head wound and needed stitches. The recall involves about 6,000 of the single-rider, two-wheeled scooters that can travel up to 12 mph. The scooter uses...