The Consumer Product Safety Commission has posted the draft proposed rule on infant swings that will be considered during a January 18, 2012 Commission meeting. The proposed rule would establish a mandatory consumer product safety standard based on the voluntary standard ASTM F2088-11b, “Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Infant Swings” with certain additions, modifications, and clarifications.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission published notice of the following voluntary recalls for January 11-12, 2012:

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced its weekly meeting on January 18, 2012 in which the staff briefs the Commission on the status of various compliance matters. The meeting is closed to the public, and the agenda is confidential.

The Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation has announced Special Import Quota #116 for upland cotton that was established on December 1, 2011, allowing importation of 14,594,057 kilograms (67,030 bales) of upland cotton. It will apply to upland cotton purchased not later than March 6, 2012, and entered into the U.S. not later than June 4, 2012. The quota is equivalent to one week's consumption of cotton by domestic mills at the seasonally-adjusted average rate for the period May 2011 through July 2011, the most recent three months for which data are available.

The Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation has announced that Special Import Quota #20 for upland cotton was established on January 5, 2012, allowing importation of 14,594,057 kilograms (67,030 bales) of upland cotton. It will apply to upland cotton purchased not later than April 3, 2012, and entered into the U.S. not later than July 2, 2012. The quota is equivalent to one week's consumption of cotton by domestic mills at the seasonally-adjusted average rate for the period May 2011 through July 2011, the most recent three months for which data are available.

California's Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) announced that on January 12, 2012, DTSC and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will host a press conference and visual media opportunity that demonstrates the need for safer consumer products. The two agencies will also sign an agreement that formalizes a partnership to push for safer consumer products in California. According to DTSC, exposure to toxic chemicals in everyday life has increasingly become an environmental and health concern, and DTSC is at the forefront of an international effort to identify safer ingredients for consumer goods.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission published notice of the following voluntary recalls for January 10-11, 2012:

The Consumer Product Safety Commission will be holding a meeting on January 18, 2012 to consider a proposed rule on infant swings. A live webcast of the Meeting can be viewed here.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission published notice of the following voluntary recall for January 6, 2012:

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has posted its fiscal year 2011 Annual Report of staff's voluntary standards activities. From October 2010 to September 30, 2011, staff provided technical support or monitored the development of 60 voluntary safety standards. These safety standards address: bassinets and cradles (two standards), bath seats, batteries, bed rails, toddler beds, bicycles (six standards), booster seats, chairs (youth folding), child-resistant packaging, cribs (full-size; two standards), cribs (non-full-size) and playyards (five standards), garage door/gate operators (two standards), generators (portable), helmets (recreational; two standards), infant carriers (soft), infant swings (two standards), infant tubs, infant walkers, playground equipment (children <2 years), playground equipment (public), strollers, swimming pools and spas, and treestands. The report lists each standard and its purpose, the name of the CPSC contact, FY 2011 CPSC activities involving the standard, and the next actions.