October 2007
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You deserve safer imported goods
Deadly pet food, lead-tainted toys, toxic shrimp. With headlines warning about an onslaught of hazardous imports, it’s no
surprise that consumers are wary of products from overseas. In a nationally representative sample of people polled by Consumers
Union, ninety-two percent said they wanted their food to be labeled with the country of origin.
In the last three years, imports have increased by some fifty percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Meanwhile, recalls of Chinese-made products continue to rise. But the staff and budgets of the federal agencies responsible for the safety of imports have remained stagnant or, in some cases, have been cut.
As a result, few shipments received at U.S. ports are inspected for safety. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is responsible for imported fruits, vegetables, fish, pet food, beverages, and food additives, yet inspects roughly 1 percent of those products, down from about 8 percent in 1992. At the same time, food imports are on the rise, and now make up about 20 percent of the American diet.
It’s not just the lack of funding that hampers safety efforts. Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, thinks that laws governing the safety of imports are outdated and inconsistent. And while consumer products and automobiles can be subject to a mandatory recall, tainted or unsafe food (except for infant formula) is left to voluntary recalls by manufacturers.
Consumers Union has long supported efforts to increase safety funding and modernize product and food-safety laws. It backs legislation that would consolidate the food-safety responsibilities in one agency with the ability to handle inspections, trace food from its source, and issue mandatory recalls.
CU also supports the immediate use of country-of-origin labeling on food, which was approved by Congress in 2002, but has only been put into effect for seafood. Other legislation concerning imported goods should require:
Pre-shipment tests and inspections. Importers, distributors, retailers, and manufacturers should all be held accountable if they bring unsafe products to market, either intentionally or through lack of due diligence. Pre-shipment testing and greater border inspection are part of the answer, but so are meaningful penalties. Large retailers and manufacturers should not consider fines for selling unsafe products simply a cost of doing business.
Safety certification for imports. Virtually all electronics sold in the U.S. are certified to comply with voluntary safety standards set by Underwriters Laboratories. Creating a similar certification program administered by the U.S. government for all imported products would give people at least a minimal level of assurance that these products are safe.
Traceability. In addition to country-of-origin labeling on food, drugs, and cosmetics, Congress should create a program to trace unsafe products, components, and ingredients back to manufacturers.
Safety bonds for product recalls. Just as drivers must have auto insurance, importers should be required to post a bond to ensure that they can pay for a recall if one of their products proves to be dangerous or defective.
Public disclosure of dangers. All federal agencies responsible for the safety of imported goods should publicly disclose reports of serious injuries and investigations into potentially hazardous products.
In the last three years, imports have increased by some fifty percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Meanwhile, recalls of Chinese-made products continue to rise. But the staff and budgets of the federal agencies responsible for the safety of imports have remained stagnant or, in some cases, have been cut.
As a result, few shipments received at U.S. ports are inspected for safety. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is responsible for imported fruits, vegetables, fish, pet food, beverages, and food additives, yet inspects roughly 1 percent of those products, down from about 8 percent in 1992. At the same time, food imports are on the rise, and now make up about 20 percent of the American diet.
It’s not just the lack of funding that hampers safety efforts. Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, thinks that laws governing the safety of imports are outdated and inconsistent. And while consumer products and automobiles can be subject to a mandatory recall, tainted or unsafe food (except for infant formula) is left to voluntary recalls by manufacturers.
Consumers Union has long supported efforts to increase safety funding and modernize product and food-safety laws. It backs legislation that would consolidate the food-safety responsibilities in one agency with the ability to handle inspections, trace food from its source, and issue mandatory recalls.
CU also supports the immediate use of country-of-origin labeling on food, which was approved by Congress in 2002, but has only been put into effect for seafood. Other legislation concerning imported goods should require:
Pre-shipment tests and inspections. Importers, distributors, retailers, and manufacturers should all be held accountable if they bring unsafe products to market, either intentionally or through lack of due diligence. Pre-shipment testing and greater border inspection are part of the answer, but so are meaningful penalties. Large retailers and manufacturers should not consider fines for selling unsafe products simply a cost of doing business.
Safety certification for imports. Virtually all electronics sold in the U.S. are certified to comply with voluntary safety standards set by Underwriters Laboratories. Creating a similar certification program administered by the U.S. government for all imported products would give people at least a minimal level of assurance that these products are safe.
Traceability. In addition to country-of-origin labeling on food, drugs, and cosmetics, Congress should create a program to trace unsafe products, components, and ingredients back to manufacturers.
Safety bonds for product recalls. Just as drivers must have auto insurance, importers should be required to post a bond to ensure that they can pay for a recall if one of their products proves to be dangerous or defective.
Public disclosure of dangers. All federal agencies responsible for the safety of imported goods should publicly disclose reports of serious injuries and investigations into potentially hazardous products.
