Cost Plus World Market has recalled about 300 Stainless Steel Cookware sets due to burn hazard, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just announced.

The recalled Stainless Steel Cookware sets were made in India by Kraftwares of Mahalaxmi, Mumbai and were distributed by Cost Plus Inc., of Oakland, California. (more…)

About 10,000 Salomon USA Alpine and Atomic Ski Bindings have been recalled due to unexpected release and fall hazard the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just announced.

The defective Salomon Alpine and Atomic Ski Bindings, were made in Romania, imported by Salomon USA, of Ogden, Utah, and manufactured by Salomon SAS, of France. (more…)

More results of Chinese drywall testing conducted as part of the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission’s (CPSC) massive investigation are expected to be released next week. The highly anticipated report will arrive just days before an important lawsuit deadline arrives for some Chinese drywall homeowners.

The next round of test results will address the corrosion of copper wires and other metals in homes with Chinese drywall – whether this is being caused by fumes from the wallboard, and whether the corrosion of wiring poses a fire hazard. The CPSC is also expected to release results of tests done on indoor-air samples collected from about 50 U.S. homes with Chinese drywall. (more…)

It seems as if we’re always writing about the issue of dangerous, deadly children’s hooded sweatshirts and jackets sold in violation of U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) regulations. Sadly, another recall is being announced.

In this case, about 17,000 Youth Hooded Sweatshirts and Jackets are being recalled by Century 21 Promotions, Inc. due to strangulation hazard. The recalled Youth Hooded Sweatshirts and Jackets were manufactured and imported by Century 21 Promotions, of Seattle, Washington. To date, no reports of incidents or injuries have been reported. (more…)

A large recall of Perfect Flame SLG Series Gas Grills has been initiated over fire and burn hazards, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just announced. The recall involved about 663,000 Perfect Flame SLG Series Gas Grills in the United States and about 1,700 in Canada.

The Perfect Flame SLG Series Gas Grills were imported by L G Sourcing, Inc., of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina and were manufactured by Lucas Innovation Inc., of China. The recall was implemented because the burners can deteriorate, causing irregular flames and the lids of some models to catch fire, posing fire and burn hazards to the consumer. To date, the firm has received about 40 reports of fires from the burners deteriorating and about 23 reports of the lids catching fire. The firm is aware of one report of an eye injury requiring surgery and 21 incidents of minor burns to the hands, arms, or face. (more…)

We have long been writing that exposure to lead in children can cause brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems. Now, the Associated Press (AP) is reporting that some toys bearing Barbie and Disney logos have tested with high lead levels, citing the Center for Environmental Health, an advocacy group located in California.

The Center tested some 250 children’s products that were purchased at popular retailers, said AP. Lead levels were found to exceed federal limits in seven of the toys tested, including a Barbie Bike Flair Accessory Kit and a Disney Tinkerbell Water Lily necklace. The Center also found “excessive lead” levels in a “Dora the Explorer Activity Tote, two pairs of children’s shoes, a boys’ belt, and a kids’ poncho,” said the AP. In response, California’s Attorney General, Jerry Brown, wrote to the retailers of the seven products, which include Target and Wal-Mart, issuing a warning that children’s products sold in their stores contained lead levels in violation of federal standards and should be immediately removed, reported the AP. (more…)

A Chinese drywall bill just introduced in the U.S. Congress would prohibit insurers from dropping or changing policies on homes built with tainted Chinese drywall. According to The Bradenton Herald, the Chinese drywall insurance bill is being sponsored by Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-La.

The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has received about 1,897 reports from residents in 30 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico concerning Chinese drywall. Gases emitted from Chinese drywall are being blamed for significant property damage, including damage to HVAC systems, smoke detectors, electrical wiring, metal plumbing components, and other household appliances. These gases also produce a sulfurous odor that permeates homes, and cause metals, including air conditioning coils and even jewelry, to corrode. (more…)

The number of firms offering Chinese drywall “solutions” has exploded in recent months, prompting a group of U.S. Senators to ask the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to crack down on such scams. It’s important to remember that no Chinese drywall remediation or testing protocols have been established as yet, so any claims that a particular company has found a fix for the Chinese drywall problem are questionable at best.

In a letter to FTC Chairman Jon Leibowitz, Senators Mary Landrieu, (D-La), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), David Vitter (R-La.), Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Jim Webb (D-Va.), raised concerns about deceptive practices that prey on consumers with defective drywall and asked the Commission to fully investigate and prosecute companies engaging in these activities. (more…)

The Chinese drywall crisis, and the litigation surrounding it, is set to enter a new phase this month. With potential plaintiffs in Chinese drywall lawsuits facing an important deadline in a few weeks, a federal judge will soon be scheduling the first lawsuits for trial. And in the coming weeks, federal investigators should know more about the what, if any, safety hazards, the corrosion blamed on Chinese drywall fumes may pose.

By December 2, any Chinese drywall victim whose home was built with wallboard made by Knauf Plasterboard (Tianjin) Co., Ltd. needs to join the omnibus Chinese drywall lawsuit against the company that will be filed on December 9. Knauf has agreed to waive its rights under The Hague Convention for the Service of Process Abroad for homeowners who sign on to this lawsuit by the deadline. The December 2 deadline is a hard deadline, and the omnibus complaint will not be amended at a later date to add more people. Claimants will also face a second deadline – December 14 – by which time they must have filled out a profile form. (more…)

About 13,000 Hang-On Fixed Position Treestands, imported by Gander Mountain Company of St. Paul, Minnesota and manufactured by StrongBuilt, of Waterproof, Louisiana, have been recalled, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) just announced.

The clasp on the Gander Mountain Hang-On Fixed Position Treestands may open unexpectedly if the strap is fastened incorrectly, causing the treestand and user to fall to the ground. To date, Gander Mountain has received two reports of consumers falling while using the treestands; one sustained unspecified injuries and a second person sustained a broken pelvis and broken arm. (more…)