Consumer Product Safety Commission

January 2002 Press Releases

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Whirlpool Corp., of Benton Harbor, Mich., is voluntarily recalling about 1.4 million dehumidifiers. The dehumidifiers can overheat, posing a fire hazard.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Vector Manufacturing Ltd., of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., is voluntarily recalling about 1,600 power inverters with ground-fault circuit-interrupter (GFCI) outlets. Power inverters convert DC voltage to AC voltage to allow the operation of household products using battery power. The GFCIs on the inverters, which are intended to protect consumers against shock and electrocution, could fail to operate correctly.

A U.S. district judge has affirmed that companies must report immediately to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) certain information that their products could cause injury or death. The ruling was made in a civil penalty action by the U.S. government against Mirama Enterprises Inc., which does business as Aroma Housewares Co., in San Diego, Calif., an importer of juice extractors (or juicers).

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Custom Buoyancy Inc. (CBI), of Torrance, Calif., is voluntarily recalling about 7,700 overpressure valves (OPV) used with buoyancy control systems. The overpressure valve can stick in the open position, posing a drowning hazard to divers.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit upheld a $100,000 penalty against Shelton Wholesale Inc., of Eagleton, Mo., for importing fireworks that violated CPSC regulations.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that a 49-year-old Houston, Texas, businessman pleaded guilty to felony charges that he made a false statement to a CPSC investigator and he imported merchandise into the United States by means of false statements.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Value City and Schottenstein stores, of Columbus, Ohio, are voluntarily recalling about 6,400 botanical candles, which contain dried flowers. When burned, the dried flowers in the candle can catch on fire, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Value City and Schottenstein stores, of Columbus, Ohio, are voluntarily recalling about 2,300 children's gel candle kits. When burned, the gel candle can melt the plastic candleholders included with the kit, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Black & Decker (U.S.) Inc., of Towson, Md., is voluntarily recalling to repair about 1,300 reconditioned cordless electric lawn mowers. The clips holding the control cable to the handle may be missing, which could cause the blade control device to fail and keep the mower blade running when it should stop. If the blade control device fails, consumers could suffer serious injuries.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Easy Gardener Inc., of Waco, Texas, is voluntarily recalling about 345,000 Ross Root Feeders to replace their mixing chamber caps. The root feeder is a device used to distribute food, water and insecticide to the roots of trees and shrubs. The mixing chamber caps on these feeders can detach during use and strike nearby consumers, resulting in injuries.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), MCM International of Eden Prairie, Minn., is voluntarily recalling about 50,000 Black Cat™ electric pressure washers. MCM International imported the pressure washers from a manufacturer in China who installed counterfeit ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) plugs on some of the units, without MCM's approval. All of the plugs are labeled "WELLONG"; however, the pressure washers with counterfeit "WELLONG" GFCI plugs appear virtually identical to those with genuine "WELLONG" GFCIs. It will require a professional inspection to identify the counterfeit GFCIs. GFCIs are important safety devices that are intended to protect consumers against shock or electrocution.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Eddie Bauer Outlet Stores, of Redmond, Wash., is voluntarily recalling about 4,000 stainless steel lunch bottles. The insulated bottles have a weak seal and can leak hot liquids, which poses a serious burn hazard to consumers.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Intermatic Inc., of Spring Grove, Ill., is voluntarily recalling about 156,000 electroluminescent nightlights. The nightlights can short-circuit, posing shock and burn hazards to consumers.

As fire departments across the country battle winter home fires, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reminds consumers to demonstrate care when purchasing and using space heaters. CPSC estimates that space heaters, including both fixed and portable heaters, are associated with about 21,800 residential fires every year. About 300 people die each year in fires started by these heaters.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced today that Popular Products Inc., and its owner Charles Heflin, of Memphis, Tenn., have agreed to pay $180,000 to settle allegations that they knowingly sold disposable cigarette lighters that failed to meet government requirements for child resistance. The fine settles a lawsuit that was filed by the U.S. Department of Justice in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee.

In cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), Kent International Inc. of Parsippany, N.J., is voluntarily recalling about 28,000 "Midget Racer" mini-bicycles. The front fork assembly on these mini-bicycles can loosen or break, and cause the rider to lose control and crash.