U.S. Port Inspections Keep Out One Million Defective Products

Inspections of shipments at ports nationwide have prevented more than 1,000,000 units of violative or dangerous products from reaching U.S. consumers. In the first half of fiscal year 2012, Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) port investigators, working with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents, screened more than 6,600 imported products at ports of entry and prevented more than 1,000,000 units of violative or dangerous products from reaching consumers.

Continuing to top the list of products stopped at the border were children's products containing levels of lead that exceeded federal limits. Next on the list was children's sleepwear that did not meet federal flammability standards. Toys and other articles with small parts that present a choking hazard for children younger than three years old also continued to be prominent. Other shipments stopped at import included noncompliant fireworks and mattresses.

The CPSC is piloting a risk assessment methodology aimed at early detection and targeting of high risk products and repeat offenders at import.