The Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with eight firms, has announced a voluntary recall of certain pool and spa drain covers due to incorrect ratings, which could pose a possible entrapment hazard to swimmers and bathers. CPSC reminds the trade that it is illegal to resell or attempt to resell a recalled consumer product. It also urges consumers to stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. The drain covers are manufactured in the U.S. and China.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is scheduled to vote by June 2, 2011 on a final rule that would designate any hand-supported hair dryer lacking integral immersion protection to be a substantial product hazard under section 15(j) of the Consumer Product Safety Act. Products designated under section 15(j) are subject to certain reporting requirements, corrective actions, and refusal of admission into the U.S. (See ITT's Online Archives or 05/17/10 news, 10051763, for BP summary of the proposed rule.)

On May 25, 2011, Senator Cantwell (D)¹ introduced S. 1069, the Affordable Footwear Act, a bill which would suspend duties on certain footwear imports. (The Affordable Footwear Act has been introduced several times before in both the House and Senate, but never enacted.)

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a closed meeting on June 1, 2011, in which the staff will brief the Commission on various compliance matters.

The House and Energy and Commerce Committee will hold a markup on May 25-26 on H.R. 1939. The bill would amend the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) to make it less stringent and allow the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) greater authority and flexibility to regulate based on risk. According to the Committee, it is the same legislation reported by voice vote by the Subcommittee on Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade on May 12, 2011.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission published notice of the following voluntary recall on May 25, 2011:

The Consumer Product Safety Commission published notice of the following voluntary recalls on May 24, 2011:

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has informed the public that in February 2011, it launched a collaborative pilot project with product safety authorities in Australia, Canada, and Europe to improve the safety of corded window coverings, chair-top booster seats, and baby slings through closely-aligned safety requirements.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission published notice of the following voluntary recalls on May 18, 2011:

The Department of Agriculture has announced a limited global market quota that will allow additional U.S. imports of up to 47,291,415 kilograms (104,259,811 pounds) of Strict Low Middling (SLM) upland cotton.