UNASSIGNED: Humans are exposed to hazardous chemicals found in consumer products. In 2019, the Pollution Prevention for Healthy People and Puget Sound Act was passed in Washington State. This law is meant to reduce hazardous chemicals in consumer products and protect human health and the environment. The law directs the Washington State Department of Ecology to assess chemicals and chemical classes found in products, determine whether there are safer alternatives, and make regulatory determinations.
UNASSIGNED: To implement the law, the Department of Ecology developed a hazard-based framework for identifying safer alternatives to classes of chemicals.
UNASSIGNED: We developed a hazard-based framework, termed the \"Criteria for Safer,\" to set a transparent bar for determining whether new chemical alternatives are safer than existing classes of chemicals. Our \"Criteria for Safer\" is a framework that builds on existing hazard assessment methodologies and published approaches for assessing chemicals and chemical classes.
UNASSIGNED: We describe implementation of our criteria using a case study on the phthalates chemical class in two categories of consumer products: vinyl flooring and fragrances used in personal care and beauty products. Additional context and considerations that guided our decision-making process are also discussed, as well as benefits and limitations of our approach. This paper gives insight into our development and implementation of a hazard-based framework to address classes of chemicals in consumer products and will aid others working to build and employ similar approaches. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP13549.

Child impeding packs are difficult for children to open so protect them from unintended access to hazardous contents inside the pack. However, if packs are difficult for adults to open, in normal usage scenarios, this may result in a higher occurrence of packs being left open. This research explores differences in ease of usage and closure compliance between two types of child impeding packs of liquid laundry detergent capsules. The two packs, \"Pinch & Lift\" and \"Press & Lift\", had different opening and closing mechanisms. \"Press & Lift\" also included an audible \"click\" signal to confirm complete closure to the user. The research was performed across two studies. In both studies, the packs were used in participants\' homes according to their usual storage and usage practices as replacements to their current liquid laundry detergent capsule pack. All participants had small children living with them in their household. In Study 1, self-reported closure and ease of use data was collected from 99 adult participants in Germany. They used each package in their home for 10 days. Study 2 extended Study 1 by measuring closure rates with an objective assessment using in pack sensors for a 10-day period for each pack. Self-reported closure and ease of use data were also collected. Study 2 was conducted with 87 participants in the United Kingdom. Results across both studies showed \"Press & Lift\" with the audible \"Click\" close signal to be rated by participants to be significantly easier to open and close and have a higher self-reported closure rate than \"Pinch & Lift\". In addition, Study 2 results demonstrated higher closure rates using \"Press & Lift\" based on the sensor-measured closure compliance. Together, the results suggest transition to a pack with a mechanism that is child impeding and easier for an adult to use with an audible closure signal, like the \"Press & Lift\" system, has potential to reduce child access to a capsule from a pack by reducing the likelihood of the pack being left open by the adult user. Ultimately, such packs could protect children from potential poisoning injury across a range of consumer products.

Introduction: The unmet need for highly effective, naturally derived products with minimal side effects results in the over-popularity of ever-newer medicinal plants. In the middle of 2010, products containing cannabidiol (CBD), one of the special metabolites of Cannabis sativa, started to gain popularity. For consumers and healthcare providers alike, the legal context surrounding the marketing of CBD products is not entirely clear, and the safety of using some products is in doubt. Companies in the online medicinal product market profit from the confusion around CBD oils. Methods: In our study, we employed a complex method known as risk-based safety mapping of the online pharmaceutical market, which included health claim content analysis of online stores, test purchases, and labeling and quantitative analysis of the CBD content. Results: There were discovered 16 online retailers selling an average of 2-7 goods and CBD oils with a concentration of 3%-5% (30-50 mg/mL) CBD. The majority (n/N = 10/16, 62.5%) displayed potential health-related benefits indirectly on their website, and in the case of one web shop (n/N = 1/16, 6.3%), we detected COVID-19-related use. Altogether, 30 types of purported \"indications\" were collected. A total of 12 CBD oil products were test-purchased from online retailers in December 2020. Upon evaluating the packaging and product information, we noticed that three products (n/N = 3/12, 25%) lacked instructions on use, hence increasing the risk of inappropriate application and dosing. The cannabidiol content was quantified using UHPLC. The measured CBD concentrations of the products ranged from 19.58 mg/mL to 54.09 mg/mL (mean 35.51 mg/mL, median 30.63 mg/mL, and SD ± 12.57 mg/mL). One (8.33%) product was underlabeled, five (41.67%) were over-labeled, and only every second product (50%) was appropriately labeled based on the quantitative assessment of CBD concentration. Discussion: Further research and quality control are necessary to establish the regulatory context of the usage and classification of CBD and other cannabinoids in nonmedicinal products (e.g., food supplements), as authorities and policymakers worldwide struggle with the uncertainties surrounding CBD products.

UNASSIGNED: In 2015, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) received and then, in 2017, granted a petition under the Federal Hazardous Substances Act to declare certain groups of consumer products as banned hazardous substances if they contain nonpolymeric, additive organohalogen flame retardants (OFRs). The petitioners asked the CPSC to regulate OFRs as a single chemical class with similar health effects. The CPSC later sponsored a National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) report in 2019, which ultimately identified 161 OFRs and grouped them into 14 subclasses based on chemical structural similarity. In 2021, a follow-up discussion was held among a group of scientists from both inside and outside of the CPSC for current research on OFRs and to promote collaboration that could increase public awareness of CPSC work and support the class-based approach for the CPSC\'s required risk assessment of OFRs.
UNASSIGNED: Given the extensive data collected to date, there is a need to synthesize what is known about OFR and how class-based regulations have previously managed this information. This commentary discusses both OFR exposure and OFR toxicity and fills some gaps for OFR exposure that were not within the scope of the NASEM report. The objective of this commentary is therefore to provide an overview of the OFR research presented at SOT 2021, explore opportunities and challenges associated with OFR risk assessment, and inform CPSC\'s work on an OFR class-based approach.
UNASSIGNED: A class-based approach for regulating OFRs can be successful. Expanding the use of read-across and the use of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) in assessing and regulating existing chemicals was considered as a necessary part of the class-based process. Recommendations for OFR class-based risk assessment include the need to balance fire and chemical safety and to protect vulnerable populations, including children and pregnant women. The authors also suggest the CPSC should consider global, federal, and state OFR regulations. The lack of data or lack of concordance in toxicity data could present significant hurdles for some OFR subclasses. The potential for cumulative risks within or between subclasses, OFR mixtures, and metabolites common to more than one OFR all add extra complexity for class-based risk assessment. This commentary discusses scientific and regulatory challenges for a class-based approach suggested by NASEM. This commentary is offered as a resource for anyone performing class-based assessments and to provide potential collaboration opportunities for OFR stakeholders. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12725.

Hydrolyzed collagen, glycogen, and hyaluronic acid, obtained through the biotechnological valorization of underutilized marine bioresources, fulfill cosmetic industry requirements for sustainable products produced under circular economy principles. Hydrolyzed collagen was obtained by hydrolyzing blue shark collagen with papain and ultrafiltration. Glycogen was isolated from industrial mussel cooking wastewaters through ultrafiltration, precipitation, and selective polysaccharide separation. Hyaluronic acid was produced by fermentation, purification, and depolymerization. The main objective was to test the feasibility of including these three biomolecules in a cosmetic formulation as bioactive compounds. For this, the in vitro irritant potential of the three ingredients and also that of the cosmetic formulation was assayed according to the Reconstituted Human Epithelium Test method OECD 439. Moreover, an in vitro assessment of the effect of hydrolyzed collagen and hyaluronic acid combinations on mRNA expression and collagen type I synthesis was evaluated in adult human fibroblasts. This study establishes, for the first time, the potential use of particular hydrolyzed collagen and hyaluronic acid combinations as stimulators of collagen I synthesis in fibroblast cultures. Besides, it provide safety information regarding potential use of those biomolecules in the formulation of a cosmetic preparation positively concluding that both, ingredients and cosmetic preparation, resulted not irritant for skin following an international validated reference method.

Product-harm crises have detrimental effects on firm\'s sales, reputation, and financial value, requiring crisis managers to promptly adopt appropriate response strategies to mitigate these impacts. Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT) guides managers to align responsibility attribution with response strategies. Using Chinese listed firms\' product-harm crises sample from 2015 to 2021, this study analyzes the stock market\'s reaction to different response strategies. The event study method reveals that a passive strategy is more effective during the disclosure stage, and accept+no recall and deny+recall are conforming strategies during the initial response stage. Additionally, firms with a crisis history should assume greater responsibility when developing response strategies for product-harm crises, as crisis history amplifies negative effects. The results provide recommendations to help managers formulate appropriate strategies.

There is concern around non-prescribed benzodiazepine use, particularly with increasing detections of counterfeit products containing high-risk novel compounds. The aims of this study were to investigate how and which non-prescribed benzodiazepines are being sourced; forms, appearance and packaging; and awareness of risks associated with non-prescribed benzodiazepines.
Data were collected from a sample of Australians who inject drugs or use ecstasy and/or other illicit stimulants on a monthly or more frequent basis, and who reported past 6-month use of non-prescribed benzodiazepines (n = 235 and n = 250, respectively). Data were collected on source, diversion from a known/trusted prescription, product name and aesthetic characteristics for the last non-prescribed benzodiazepine obtained.
Amongst participants who injected drugs, 71% reported that their last non-prescribed benzodiazepines were diverted from a known/trusted prescription, compared to 59% of participants who used ecstasy/other stimulants. Sourcing via cryptomarkets was rare. Across both samples, the majority reported last obtaining substances sold/marketed as diazepam or alprazolam. Participants sourcing via non-diverted means were twice as likely to obtain alprazolam. Known sourcing of novel compounds was rare. Amongst participants who used ecstasy/other stimulants, 36% reported confidence in the content/dose of non-prescribed benzodiazepines even when the source is unknown.
Most participants obtained substances sold as classic/registered benzodiazepines, mostly via diverted prescriptions, with a substantial minority potentially unaware of counterfeits circulating. While diverted use undeniably presents risks, tightening of prescriptions in Australia could inadvertently lead to greater supply of novel benzodiazepines as seen internationally, reinforcing prioritisation of demand and harm reduction strategies.

Listeriosis is a foodborne disease caused by Listeria monocytogenes (Lm), which represents a public health problem. Lm has been identified as an important contaminating bacterium of ready-to-eat meat products (RTEM) in Mexico. The objective was to explore the risk factors for acquiring listeriosis due to sausage consumption by defining the consumer profile, evaluating the survival of Lm in sausage (5, 10, and 25 °C for 32 days) and performing a quantitative microbiological risk assessment. The survey of 100 participants revealed that the factors compromising the safety of the RTEM by the consumer are the extension of the shelf life. Acquiring packaged RTEM was observed as a safe habit. All respondents stated that they were unaware of listeriosis, but 18% reported infections linked to RTEM, mainly sausage. The sausage supports the growth of Lm, whose population increases in congruence with temperature (25 °C > 10 °C >5 °C) and storage time (P ≤ 0.05). The increase in temperature decreases the adaptation time (Lag25 °C = 1.0 h, Lag10 °C= 92.5 h, Lag5 °C = 226.1 h) and increases the growth rate (μ25 °C = 4.43 CFU/h, μ10 °C = 0.075 CFU/h, μ5 °C = 0.0026 CFU/h) of Lm on the sausage. The risk of listeriosis due to sausage consumption increased according to the increase in temperature: 5.53 × 10-8-1.42 × 10-5 (5 °C), 0.00616-0.111 (10 °C), and 0.109-1.00 (25 °C). Consumer education in the hygienic management of RTEM and information on associated pathogens will minimize the risk of disease.

Description Primary care physicians need to incorporate \"cosmetovigilance\" into their post-graduate curriculum to increase their residents\' awareness of the adverse reactions induced by the use of cosmetic products, as well as promoting good reporting behavior.

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