Green Daily

If you're on the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission's email list, you will receive frequent updates about products that have been recalled for safety reasons. For example, Thursdays's was a real whopper, with nine recalls, including Aqua Dots laced with a precursor to the "date rape" drug.

The U.S. CPSC is "charged with protecting the public from unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction." They've been under some fire lately, with Nancy Pelosi calling for the agency's acting head, Nancy Nord, to resign. Nord has recently opposed Democrats' legislation to expand her agency's budget and work.

Why would an agency head oppose its own expansion, even when it is so clearly needed? The CPSC's total staff numbers 420, about half of its size in the 1980s and there is only one full-time employee to test toys.

As weak as the CPSC seems right now, signing up for their email updates still isn't a bad idea, especially if you have children and toys, although all types of products are covered. There are also lots of smaller recalls that occur, that don't necessarily make the major news headlines, but may affect products you have in your home. To sign up, see the CPSC here.