Latest news with #ConsumerProductSafety
E&E News
09-05-2025
- Business
- E&E News
Trump fires three consumer watchdog commissioners as he dismantles agency
The Trump administration is breaking up the Consumer Product Safety Commission, a small but powerful independent watchdog that for five decades has quietly kept dangerous toys, cribs and electronics out of American homes. The administration on Thursday night fired three Biden-appointed commissioners on the five-member CPSC board — Alexander Hoehn-Saric, Mary T. Boyle and Richard Trumka Jr. — just hours after two staffers with the 'Department of Government Efficiency' were scheduled to meet with acting Chair Peter Feldman at the agency's Bethesda headquarters, according to two people familiar with the meeting granted anonymity to avoid retribution. Hoehn-Saric said that while he has received no direct communication from the White House, Feldman has barred him from performing his duties. The three fired commissioners voted to block an attempt by Feldman to officially bring on the pair from DOGE, Trumka Jr. said in a statement. Advertisement 'Rather than respect the democratic process, soon after, I received the email purporting to fire me,' Trumka, son of the late labor leader Richard Trumka, said, vowing to sue over his removal.
New York Times
09-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Trump Moves to Fire Three Members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission
President Trump has moved to fire three of the five members of the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which monitors the safety of products like toys, cribs and electronics, a White House official and the three members confirmed on Friday. It is the latest of the administration's efforts to purge perceived dissenters from independent agencies that is likely to end up in court. In statements, the three commissioners, all Democrats, asserted their removals were illegal. One had yet to receive formal notice on Friday, but said he was barred from performing his duties. The members, Mary T. Boyle, Richard L. Trumka Jr. and Alexander Hoehn-Saric, said in separate statements released Friday that they were targeted for votes they cast to stop the import of poorly made lithium-ion batteries and objecting to staffing cuts. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, defended their dismissals by asserting on Friday that Mr. Trump had not overstepped his authority because the congressionally created commission operates within the executive branch. 'Who's the head of the executive branch? The president of the United States,' she said. 'He has the right to fire people within the executive branch. Pretty simple answer.' In a statement titled 'See you in court,' Mr. Trumka said he received word on Thursday night that he was dismissed, days after he had voted to advance a solution to the deadly lithium-ion battery issue and hours after he opposed two staffers from the Department of Government Efficiency, the initiative run by Elon Musk, from detailing to the agency. Mr. Trumka said he had also vehemently opposed any staff cuts at the agency. 'I made it clear that I was a roadblock to the administration's plan to fire civil servants at the C.P.S.C. who work to keep you safe every day,' Mr. Trumka wrote. In her statement, Ms. Boyle said that she supported the lithium-ion standards. Her vote to advance them, she said, 'rejected the delay tactics of this administration which has put in place a so-called regulatory freeze and a byzantine process' that requires the White House to review proposed safety standards in advance. She also said she was fired the day after she 'spoke out forcefully and unequivocally against efforts to strip the agency of qualified professionals whose work ensures that consumers can have confidence in the products they buy.' Mr. Hoehn-Saric said in his statement that, while he had yet to receive official word from the White House, the acting chair of the commission had prevented him from executing his duties on Friday 'based on an assertion that the president is also seeking my removal.' His name was already listed among former commissioners on the agency's website. Mr. Hoehn-Saric said that he, too, had supported the proposed battery rule, citing the importation of poorly made lithium-ion batteries that have been responsible for deadly e-bike and e-scooter fires across the country. 'The illegal attempt to remove me from the C.P.S.C. happened immediately after my colleagues and I took steps to advance our safety work and protect our staff from arbitrary firings,' Mr. Hoehn-Saric said. 'President Trump's action politicizes a critical independent public safety agency that was structured by law to avoid such interference.'
Washington Post
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Trump fires Democrats on Consumer Product Safety Commission
President Donald Trump moved late Thursday to fire the three Democratic commissioners on the five-person Consumer Product Safety Commission, his administration's latest test to the limits of presidential power over independent agencies. The move comes as the Supreme Court is expected to weigh in on whether Trump has the authority to remove officials without cause at similar independent agencies, such as the National Labor Relations Board and the Merit Systems Protection Board.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Get the 'dirt' out of your laundry with these nontoxic detergents
Who doesn't love the smell of clean laundry? Well, for one, the experts who study the chemicals often used to create those "fresh clean scents." Yes, there can be potentially harmful ingredients lurking in your linens — particularly when it comes to fragrance. "Fragrances in laundry products can contain hidden chemicals — phthalates, parabens, among other compounds — and those hidden chemicals can impact human health, from [triggering] allergies to [causing] endocrine disruption,' says Courtney Griffin, director of Consumer Product Safety at the Consumer Federation of America. That's because "laundry products are subject to a patchwork of federal and state regulations,' says Griffin. "There is no mandatory pre-market approval for products." Which means that you can be exposed to potentially harmful ingredients, including: Boron compounds, including boric acid, sodium borate and disodium tetraborate. Used to balance pH and stabilize the enzymes that break up stains, these chemical compounds "are linked to reproductive and developmental toxicity," says Griffin. However, these links are typically only found at high levels of exposure and are generally considered safe for use in cleaning products. Optical brighteners — used to make your clothes "sparkling white" — are really just fluorescent chemicals added to detergents to give the appearance of a brighter white. Some research connects them to skin sensitization and reproductive health concerns, but the main issue is that "they get into the water supply and are toxic to aquatic life," says Samara Geller, senior director of cleaning science for the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit that certifies and rates cleaning and other products based on the risk they pose to human health and the environment. Fabric softeners almost always contain chemicals called quaternary ammonia compounds — frequently referred to as "quats" or QACs — which have been linked to birth defects in laboratory animals and may cause asthma, although long-term effects on wider human toxicity are unknown. It's not easy to read through and decipher the, um, laundry list of ingredients in laundry products. And potentially hazardous ingredients can be listed under many different (and long) names. The good news is that independent organizations and agencies, including EWG and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have created reliable databases of products that meet certain standards for human and environmental safety. "To choose laundry products that are less likely to be toxic or irritating, first, consumers can look for fragrance-free options that will eliminate some of the potentially hazardous chemicals," says Griffin. "It's important to note that 'Unscented' is not the same as fragrance-free, because those products can still contain masking fragrance. Second, they can look for labels that signify stricter safety standards, like EPA Safer Choice or EWG Verified." If you're really attached to the lavender-scented towels, the Safer Choice label will help you find products with healthier ingredients. "Consumers grow really attached to fragrance," says Jennie Romer, a former EPA appointee and author of Can I Recycle This? "But there are ways to achieve fragrance without potentially harmful chemicals." Safer Choice maintains a "safer chemical ingredient list" that includes a safer fragrance palette for manufacturers to use. "Before a product can carry the Safer Choice label, EPA scientists review all chemical ingredients, regardless of their percentage in the product," says Molly Vaseliou, associate administrator of public affairs for the EPA. "Every ingredient must meet safety criteria for both human health and the environment, including carcinogenicity [whether it's been associated with cancer risk], reproductive/developmental toxicity, toxicity to aquatic life, and persistence in the environment." The Safer Choice label guarantees that a product: Does not contain chemicals that are linked to cancer, fertility problems or other human health problems, especially from frequent use. Is better for indoor air quality and associated respiratory concerns. Meets pH standards that minimize the potential for skin and eye injury. Meets low environmental toxicity limits and/or biodegrades quickly. EWG has some of the strictest health and safety standards of all certification programs, requiring that any product it certifies as "EWG Verified" not contain any "unacceptable ingredients, which include ingredients with health, ecotoxicity and/or contamination concern," says Geller. For that reason, there are fewer products that pass their muster, but they also rank other products by level of concern, with "A" being "low-concern" to "F" signifying "worst." Here's a guide to widely available products that are either certified Safer Choice or EWG Verified or carry the EWG low-concern rank of "A." It is tough to find a safe alternative to fabric softeners, so Geller recommends "skipping fabric softener if you can" until companies are able to come up with a less potentially harmful alternative. Dryer balls are a safe option that can soften clothes and decrease drying time. If you just can't skip the softening step, check out these less harmful options: Courtney Griffin, director of Consumer Product Safety at the Consumer Federation of America Samara Geller, senior director of cleaning science for the Environmental Working Group Jennie Romer, a former EPA appointee and author of Can I Recycle This? Molly Vaseliou, associate administrator of public affairs for the Environmental Protection Agency Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Get the 'dirt' out of your laundry with these nontoxic laundry detergents
Who doesn't love the smell of clean laundry? Well, for one, the experts who study the chemicals often used to create those "fresh clean scents." Yes, there can be potentially harmful ingredients lurking in your linens — particularly when it comes to fragrance. "Fragrances in laundry products can contain hidden chemicals — phthalates, parabens, among other compounds — and those hidden chemicals can impact human health, from [triggering] allergies to [causing] endocrine disruption,' says Courtney Griffin, director of Consumer Product Safety at the Consumer Federation of America. That's because "laundry products are subject to a patchwork of federal and state regulations,' says Griffin. "There is no mandatory pre-market approval for products." Which means that you can be exposed to potentially harmful ingredients, including: Boron compounds, including boric acid, sodium borate and disodium tetraborate. Used to balance pH and stabilize the enzymes that break up stains, these chemical compounds "are linked to reproductive and developmental toxicity," says Griffin. However, these links are typically only found at high levels of exposure and are generally considered safe for use in cleaning products. Optical brighteners — used to make your clothes "sparkling white" — are really just fluorescent chemicals added to detergents to give the appearance of a brighter white. Some research connects them to skin sensitization and reproductive health concerns, but the main issue is that "they get into the water supply and are toxic to aquatic life," says Samara Geller, senior director of cleaning science for the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a nonprofit that certifies and rates cleaning and other products based on the risk they pose to human health and the environment. Fabric softeners almost always contain chemicals called quaternary ammonia compounds — frequently referred to as "quats" or QACs — which have been linked to birth defects in laboratory animals and may cause asthma, although long-term effects on wider human toxicity are unknown. It's not easy to read through and decipher the, um, laundry list of ingredients in laundry products. And potentially hazardous ingredients can be listed under many different (and long) names. The good news is that independent organizations and agencies, including EWG and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have created reliable databases of products that meet certain standards for human and environmental safety. "To choose laundry products that are less likely to be toxic or irritating, first, consumers can look for fragrance-free options that will eliminate some of the potentially hazardous chemicals," says Griffin. "It's important to note that 'Unscented' is not the same as fragrance-free, because those products can still contain masking fragrance. Second, they can look for labels that signify stricter safety standards, like EPA Safer Choice or EWG Verified." If you're really attached to the lavender-scented towels, the Safer Choice label will help you find products with healthier ingredients. "Consumers grow really attached to fragrance," says Jennie Romer, a former EPA appointee and author of Can I Recycle This? "But there are ways to achieve fragrance without potentially harmful chemicals." Safer Choice maintains a "safer chemical ingredient list" that includes a safer fragrance palette for manufacturers to use. "Before a product can carry the Safer Choice label, EPA scientists review all chemical ingredients, regardless of their percentage in the product," says Molly Vaseliou, associate administrator of public affairs for the EPA. "Every ingredient must meet safety criteria for both human health and the environment, including carcinogenicity [whether it's been associated with cancer risk], reproductive/developmental toxicity, toxicity to aquatic life, and persistence in the environment." The Safer Choice label guarantees that a product: Does not contain chemicals that are linked to cancer, fertility problems or other human health problems, especially from frequent use. Is better for indoor air quality and associated respiratory concerns. Meets pH standards that minimize the potential for skin and eye injury. Meets low environmental toxicity limits and/or biodegrades quickly. EWG has some of the strictest health and safety standards of all certification programs, requiring that any product it certifies as "EWG Verified" not contain any "unacceptable ingredients, which include ingredients with health, ecotoxicity and/or contamination concern," says Geller. For that reason, there are fewer products that pass their muster, but they also rank other products by level of concern, with "A" being "low-concern" to "F" signifying "worst." Here's a guide to widely available products that are either certified Safer Choice or EWG Verified or carry the EWG low-concern rank of "A." It is tough to find a safe alternative to fabric softeners, so Geller recommends "skipping fabric softener if you can" until companies are able to come up with a less potentially harmful alternative. Dryer balls are a safe option that can soften clothes and decrease drying time. If you just can't skip the softening step, check out these less harmful options: Courtney Griffin, director of Consumer Product Safety at the Consumer Federation of America Samara Geller, senior director of cleaning science for the Environmental Working Group Jennie Romer, a former EPA appointee and author of Can I Recycle This? Molly Vaseliou, associate administrator of public affairs for the Environmental Protection Agency Our health content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as professional medical advice. Consult a medical professional on questions about your health.
