Author: Marianne Halterman

Release Date: August 16, 2023

Release Number: 23-261

WASHINGTON, DC – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers about the continued risk of fire from dehumidifiers manufactured by Gree Electric Appliances, of China. CPSC urges consumers to immediately check to see if their dehumidifier is part of any Gree dehumidifier recall, including the most recent recall of Gree dehumidifiers announced on August 16, 2023. Consumers should stop using the recalled dehumidifiers and contact Gree for a full refund.  The Commission has found that the public health and safety requires this notice to warn the public quickly of the hazard.

The recall of the affected dehumidifiers was first announced in September 2013, updated in October 2013, expanded in January 2014, re-announced in May 2014, and re-announced again in November 2016. CPSC evaluated the recalled dehumidifiers and found that they can overheat, smoke, and catch fire, which can lead to serious injury or death. There have been reports of four deaths potentially associated with Gree dehumidifiers, all involving adults who died from house fires that may have been caused by recalled dehumidifiers. One death occurred in 2016 in Ohio. Another death occurred in 2022 in Iowa. Two more deaths occurred in 2022 in Missouri. 

There have been more than 2,000 reported incidents of these recalled dehumidifiers overheating. About 450 fires have been reported, resulting in more than $19 million in property damage.

These dehumidifiers are separate from the 1.56 million Gree dehumidifiers recalled on on August 16, 2023.  CPSC urges all consumers to inspect their dehumidifiers and take advantage of the recalls if they own affected products. 

The recalled dehumidifiers have been sold at: AAFES, HH Gregg, Home Depot, Kmart, Lowe’s, Menards, Mills Fleet Farm, Sam’s Club, Sears, Walmart and other stores nationwide and in Canada, and online at Amazon.com and Ebay.com, from January 2005 through January 2014 for between $110 and $400.

As stated in the November 2016 recall reannouncement, the recalled dehumidifiers are 20, 25, 30, 40, 45, 50, 65 and 70-pint dehumidifiers manufactured by Gree Electric Appliances, of China with brand names Danby, De’Longhi, Fedders, Fellini, Frigidaire,GE, Gree, Kenmore, Norpole, Premiere, Seabreeze, SoleusAir and SuperClima.  Recalled model numbers are listed below. The brand name and the pint capacity are printed on the front of the dehumidifier. The model number and date code are printed on a sticker on the back, front or side of the unit. The dehumidifiers are white, beige, gray or black plastic and measure between 19 and 24 inches tall, 13 and 15 inches wide, and 9 and 11 inches deep.

CPSC urges consumers to immediately turn off and unplug the recalled dehumidifiers and contact Gree at (866) 853-2802 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or online at greedehumidifierrecall.com​  and click on Recall for to receive a refund. Report incidents with recalled dehumidifiers and any dangerous product or a product-related injury to CPSC at www.SaferProducts.gov.

For the list of recalled dehumidifiers and photos, please visit https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2023/CPSC-Warning-Stop-Using-Recalled-Gree-Dehumidifiers-Due-to-Fire-Hazard-4-Deaths-May-be-Tied-to-Recalled-Units

Individual Commissioners may have statements related to this topic.  Please visit www.cpsc.gov/commissioners to search for statements related to this or other topics.

Release Number: 23-254

Release Date: August 10, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers to immediately stop using La-La-Me infant loungers because they do not comply with mandatory federal safety standards for infant sleep products and pose a suffocation risk and fall hazard to infants.

The loungers fail to meet the safety requirements of CPSC’s Infant Sleep Products Rule, creating an unsafe sleeping environment for infants. The failures include not having a stand, and not meeting the requirements for side height, fabric-sided openings, markings, labeling and instructional literature. The lounger and its packaging also lack a tracking label containing certain required information, such as the date of manufacture, required for children’s products including durable infant or toddler products.

The seller, La-La-Me, of Bellmore New York, has not agreed to a recall. 

The infant loungers are advertised as Organic Newborn Loungers and were sold in different printed fabrics and colors including crème beige, petal pink, sky blue and white. The loungers were sold online for between $60 and $130. LaLaMe is printed on a label on the loungers.   

Picture at https://www.cpsc.gov/Newsroom/News-Releases/2023/CPSC-Warns-Consumers-to-Immediately-Stop-Using-La-La-Me-Infant-Loungers-Due-to-Suffocation-Risk-and-Fall-Hazard-Fails-to-Meet-Safety-Requirements-for-Infant-Sleep-Products

CPSC urges consumers to immediately stop using the loungers, cut the fabric, and dispose of the cut up lounger. Although the Infant Sleep Products rule applies to products manufactured after June 23, 2022, CPSC urges firms to consider stopping sale of non-compliant infant sleep products regardless of the date of manufacture. These loungers also do not have a required date of manufacture labeled on the product or packaging required for durable infant or toddler products as mandated by Congress. Report any incidents involving product injuries or defects to CPSC at www.SaferProducts.gov.

Parents and caregivers are reminded:

• The best place for an infant to sleep is on a firm, flat surface in a crib, bassinet or play yard.
• Use a fitted sheet only and never add blankets, pillows, padded crib bumpers, or other items to an infant’s sleeping environment.
• Infants should always be placed to sleep on their back. Infants who fall asleep in an inclined or upright position should be moved to a safe sleep environment with a firm, flat surface such as a crib, bassinet or play yard.

Individual Commissioners may have statements related to this topic.  Please visit www.cpsc.gov/commissioners to search for statements related to this or other topics.

Release Number: 23-253

Release Date: August 07, 2023

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Commission voted today (4 to 0) to issue two final rules to codify the bans of inclined sleepers for infants and crib bumpers that Congress established in the Safe Sleep for Babies Act (SSBA). The SSBA prohibits not only the sale of inclined sleepers for infants and crib bumpers, but also the manufacture for sale, distribution, or importation into the United States, of these products. The rules implement the statute which went into effect on November 12, 2022.  

These rules aim to save infants’ lives and create a safer marketplace for parents.  

The final rule for infant sleepers defines “inclined sleeper for infants” as a product with an inclined sleep surface greater than ten degrees that is intended, marketed, or designed to provide sleeping accommodations for an infant up to 1 year old.  

Crib bumper is defined in that final rule as:  

1. Any material that is intended to cover the sides of a crib to prevent injury to any crib occupant from impacts against the side of a crib or to prevent partial or complete access to any openings in the sides of a crib to prevent a crib occupant from getting any part of the body entrapped in any opening;  
2. Includes a padded crib bumper, a supported and unsupported vinyl bumper guard, and vertical crib slat covers; and  
3. Does not include a non-padded mesh crib liner.  

Parents and caregivers are reminded:  

• The best place for an infant to sleep is on a firm, flat surface in a crib, bassinet or play yard.  
• Use a fitted sheet only and never add blankets, pillows, padded crib bumpers, or other items to an infant’s sleeping environment.  
• Infants should always be placed to sleep on their back. Infants who fall asleep in an inclined or upright position should be moved to a safe sleep environment with a firm, flat surface such as a crib, bassinet or play yard.  

Since the SSBA came into effect, CPSC has conducted a comprehensive outreach effort to manufacturers, importers, and sellers to enforce the new law, including educating them about the requirements, and making sure they are aware of their compliance obligations.  This ongoing effort will include direct communications, online resources, and other activities. 

The Commission vote was 4 to 0.  

CPSC Chair and Commissioner Statements 

Chair Alexander Hoehn-Saric 

Commissioner Peter A. Feldman 

Commissioner  Richard Trumka 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers to immediately stop using Carolina Milano 5mm Magnetic Balls Cubes because the loose, hazardous magnets pose a risk of serious injury or death if ingested.

CPSC testing revealed the Magnetic Balls Cubes do not comply with the requirements of the mandatory federal safety standard for magnets. When high-powered magnets are swallowed, the ingested magnets can attract to other magnets, or to another metal object, and become lodged in the digestive system. This can result in perforations, twisting, and/or blockage of the intestines, infection, blood poisoning and death.

The seller, CarolinaMilano.com, of Israel, is not cooperating with the CPSC on the recall of this product and is not offering a remedy to consumers.

The Carolina Milano 5mm Magnetic Balls are small, spherical, loose, and separable rare-earth magnets with a strong magnetic flux. They were sold as loose magnets in a set of 216 multi-colored magnetic balls in the form of a cube.  The 5mm sets were sold encased in a clear, plastic case, and tin box. The set includes a black velvet storage/travel bag, a separator/cutting card with the warning “KEEP AWAY FROM ALL CHILDREN” and an instruction guide bearing the Carolina Milano name and logo.  The Magnetic Balls Cubes were sold online at www.carolinamilano.com for about $27. 

The federal safety standard for magnets makes it unlawful to sell non-compliant magnet products manufactured after October 21, 2022. CPSC has provided guidance to businesses about the safety standard. (CPSC Letter to Retailers and Sellers of Magnets) 

The Carolina Milano brand has sold products since 2014.  The dates of sale of the Magnetic Balls are not known since the firm has not cooperated with CPSC, but their manufacture is believed to have occurred since October 2022.  CPSC urges consumers to stop using and dispose of the Magnetic Balls Cube immediately.

Report any incidents involving product injuries or defects to CPSC at www.SaferProducts.gov.

Individual Commissioners may have statements related to this topic.  Please visit www.cpsc.gov/commissioners to search for statements related to this or other topics.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is warning consumers to immediately stop using Gorsetle baby loungers because they do not comply with the federal safety standard for infant sleep products, posing a risk of suffocation and fall hazard to infants.

The loungers fail to meet the safety requirements of CPSC’s Infant Sleep Products Rule because they do not have a stand. In addition, the loungers fail to meet the markings, labeling, and instructional literature requirements. These failures create an unsafe sleeping environment for infants. The lounger and its packaging also lack a tracking label containing required information, including the date of manufacture.

The seller, Gorsetle US, is not cooperating with CPSC on a recall of this product and is not offering a remedy to consumers.

The infant loungers were advertised as GORSETLE Baby Loungers, Portable Infant Floor Seat Ultra Soft & Breathable Newborn Lounger Baby Registry Essential Gift Great for Travel and Tummy Time (Crown). The loungers include a head pillow and fold into a portable handbag with a handle. The loungers were sold in three different printed fabrics including Crown, Jungle Animal, and Little Elephant. The loungers were sold online at www.amazon.com for about $60. There is no labeling on the infant loungers. 

Although the Infant Sleep Products Rule applies specifically to products manufactured after June 23, 2022, these loungers do not have a required date of manufacture labeled on the product or packaging and therefore, the CPSC urges consumers to immediately stop using the loungers, cut the fabric, and dispose of the fabric and the pillow immediately. CPSC urges all firms to stop sale of non-compliant infant sleep products regardless of the date of manufacture. Report any incidents involving product injuries or defects to CPSC at www.SaferProducts.gov.

Parents and caregivers are reminded:

• The best place for an infant to sleep is on a firm, flat surface in a crib, bassinet or play yard.
• Use a fitted sheet only and never add blankets, pillows, padded crib bumpers, or other items to an infant’s sleeping environment.
• Infants should always be placed to sleep on their back. Infants who fall asleep in an inclined or upright position should be moved to a safe sleep environment with a firm, flat surface such as a crib, bassinet or play yard.

Individual Commissioners may have statements related to this topic. Please visit www.cpsc.gov/commissioners to search for statements related to this or other topics.

From Food Safety News – by Dan Flynn on June 28, 2023

Consumer Reports (CR) is out with a new study of heavy metals in baby food. CR’s latest tests included 14 products, representing a mix of fruits and vegetables; meals and entrees; and snacks, such as bars, puffs, and teething wafers. At least three samples of each product were tested and the 14 products likely to be high in a combination of arsenic, cadmium, and lead based on their ingredients or on previous CR tests.

CR focused on products that had concerning levels in tests five years ago. Seven of the products were ones tested in 2018; the other seven were similar to products that were previously tested but that are no longer on the market. More about how CR tests baby foods for heavy metals is available here.

To determine how many servings of each product a child could eat per day, CR’s food safety experts considered how much of that type of food kids typically eat, using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Then CR assessed the risks posed by the combined exposure to arsenic, cadmium, and lead in that food. This link  CR.org shows CR’s recommendations for the products tested. The findings were a spot check of the market and should not be used to draw definitive conclusions about specific brands, according to CR.

The CR findings consider that parents feed their children many foods a day. “Because heavy metals are so pervasive in foods — and because they tend to accumulate in the body — small exposures from multiple foods can add up,” says Eric Boring, PhD, a CR chemist who oversaw our testing. “And feeding your child amounts close to the daily serving limits leaves little room for exposure to heavy metals from other foods.”

Long-term intake of heavy metals may increase the risk of a variety of health and developmental problems in young children, including a lower IQ and behavioral issues, as well as ADHD, autism, and other issues.

“Early development is a really sensitive period of time,” says Maya Deyssenroth, PhD, an assistant professor of environmental health sciences at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. “Organ systems are developing and are particularly vulnerable.”

At the same time, Boring says, “While concerning, these results are no reason to panic.” He points out that the risk comes from repeated exposure over long periods of time, not from eating a food just once or even several times. An occasional serving of even one of the foods with the highest levels is generally OK,” he says. “Just remember to mix up what your kids eat.”