Product Safety Officials Get the Lead Out

Share this

After "several highly publicized recalls of Chinese-made toys that contained hazardous levels of lead," the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has come under increased scrutiny. "Critics have long charged that the agency has become too close to regulated industries, opting for 'voluntary' standards and repeatedly choosing not to take legal action against businesses that refuse to recall dangerous products." Perhaps it's because CPSC officials were traveling on industry's dime. Records obtained by the Washington Post "document nearly 30 trips since 2002 by the agency's acting chairman, Nancy Nord, and the previous chairman, Hal Stratton, that were paid for in full or in part by trade associations or manufacturers. ... Some of the trips were sponsored by lobbying groups and lawyers representing the makers of products linked to consumer hazards." CPSC said their ethics officers had OK'd the trips, after conducting "a full conflict-of-interest analysis." But several other agencies, including the Federal Communications Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission and Food and Drug Administration, ban travel paid for by regulated companies.