August 23, 2013
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have released a report documenting the 4.8 million units of products which were stopped and screened at U.S. entry ports in 2012 due to product violations.
About 18,000 different imported consumer products were screened in 2012 with 1,500 prevented from entering the U.S. due to common safety violations. In the fourth quarter, 87% of the products and 92% of the units stopped at the border were children's products. The most common violations included elevated levels of lead, toys with small choking hazards, and child care articles that exceeded federal limits on phthalates. Improper luminaires and fireworks were also commonly seized items by the CPSC and CBP during the inspections.