The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a provisionally accepted settlement agreement with a penalty of $1.3 million against Spin Master, Inc. of Los Angeles, California, and Spin Master Ltd. of Toronto, Canada. The agreement would settle allegations that the company failed to immediately report a defect and hazard associated with its Aqua Dots product, as required by federal law. It would also resolve allegations that the company knowingly imported and sold Aqua Dots, which were toxic and a banned hazardous substance, in violation of federal law.
In the July 27, 2011 issue of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Bulletin (Vol. 45, No. 31), CBP published four notices on its modification or revocation of six rulings regarding certain battery-operated paint rollers, vodka, Diasorin Dynabeads, and cryostat window made from synthetic diamond.
The European Parliament has approved legislation to prohibit placing1 illegally harvested timber or timber products on the EU market, require certain due diligence and risk mitigation, and impose penalties for non-compliance.
EPA has issued four proposed rules that would amend its October 2009 Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gases Rule. The original GHG reporting rule required 31 industry sectors, covering 85% of total U.S. GHG emissions, to track and report their emissions.
The Department of Agriculture reports that Fiscal 2010 agricultural exports are forecast to be $100 billion, up $2 billion from the November forecast and $3.4 billion above final FY 2009 exports. FY 2010 agricultural imports are expected to remain at $77.5 billion. USDA's report details the specific agricultural products that are driving these exports and imports. (Report, dated 02/18/10, available at http://www.fas.usda.gov/cmp/outlook/2010/Feb-10/AES-02-18-2010.pdf)
According to the Census Bureau, the U.S. international trade deficit decreased to $32.9 billion in October from $35.7 billion (revised) in September, as exports increased more than imports. (Press release, dated 12/10/09, available at http://www.census.gov/foreign-trade/index.html.)
Several requirements of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA1) that affect manufacturers and importers of children's products2 will take effect in August 2009.
The Commissioners of the Consumer Product Safety Commission have unanimously approved a Policy Statement on the "tracking labels" requirement1 for children's products2 mandated by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA3).
In their recent, unanimous vote to deny a request to exclude crystal and glass beads contained in children's jewelry and other products from the lead content limits1 set by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA2), the three Consumer Product Safety Commissioners, Tenenbaum, Moore, and Nord, also issued statements explaining their votes.
The three Consumer Product Safety Commissioners, Tenenbaum, Moore, and Nord, have all voted (3-0) to deny the Fashion Jewelry Trade Association's request to exclude crystal and glass beads contained in children's jewelry and other products from the lead content limits1 set by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA2).