General overview of the CPSC recall process.

1. RECALLS IN THE UNITED STATES

2. What Prompts a CPSC Recall?
• Industry self-reporting through Section 15 (CPSA)
• Report that results in a staff determination of a substantial product
hazard (SPH); or
• Firm requests to conduct a Fast Track Recall (no determination);
• Staff-initiated product investigation reveals a SPH; or
• Violation of a CPSC statute, rule, regulation, standard, or ban
resulting in a SPH; generally through
• Marketplace surveillance
• Sample Collections
• Industry/ trade complaints

3. CPSC Recall Authority
Statutory Authority
• 15 U.S.C. Section 2061 (Section 12 – CPSA)
• 15 U.S.C. Section 2064 (Section 15 – CPSA)
• 15 U.S.C. Section 1275 (Section 15 – FHSA)
Implementing Regulations
• 16 C.F.R. Part 1115
• Section 1115.20 – Voluntary Remedial Actions
- Corrective Action Plans
• Section 1115.23 – Guidelines and Requirements for Mandatory Recall
Announcements

4. What Is a Recall?
Recall is a generic term used by the CPSC including
any actions undertaken as part of a
Corrective Action Plan (CAP)
A recall may include, but is not limited to, the following:
• Return of the product by the retailer to the distribution
chain
• Return of the product by the consumer to the retailer
• Repair of the product for consumers or others, rather than
repair by consumers
• Replacement of the product by anyone in the distribution
chain
• Refund of the purchase price to consumers
• Warning or other action to avoid the present risk

5. Corrective Action Plan (CAP)
CAPs form the basis for actions to be taken and include
specific steps related to products in the
distribution chain.
• A typical CAP agreement outlines:
• a comprehensive communication plan (consumer notification),
• the remedy to be implemented (repair/replace/refund/warn), and
• specifies a recall monitoring plan and specific steps to take to
dispose of or repair the products.

6. Recall Objectives
Locate
• Find all manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and consumers
with defective/noncomplying products quickly
Remove
• Stop sale of defective/noncomplying products and remove from
distribution chain and consumers possession, as warranted
Communicate
• Notify the public quickly and accurately about the
defect/noncompliance, associated hazard, and MOTIVATE
AFFECTED CONSUMERS TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE
APPROVED REMEDY.

7. Recall Notification
A recall is communicated in many ways (by both the firm and CPSC)
and is generally announced using a combination of these notification
avenues:
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Joint press release
Recall poster
Social media (e.g., Blogs, Twitter, Google+, YouTube, Facebook)
CPSC and Firm website notices
Purchased mailing lists
Paid advertisements
Product inserts
Recall Round Up, Video news release
Online registration for remedy
Other forms of notice, as appropriate
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8. Recall Effectiveness Monitoring
The effectiveness of a recall is measured by recall monitoring and
includes actions taken by CPSC and the recalling firm.
Firm Actions:
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Provide timely, clear, and accurate notification to distribution chain before
recall announcement.
•
Ensure distribution chain takes appropriate action to return recalled
products.
•
Label corrected products to avoid future confusion.
•
Segregate returned products and properly dispose
(recalledproductdisposal@cpsc.gov ).
•
Provide monthly progress reports to the CPSC.
CPSC Actions:
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Conduct Recall Verification Inspections.
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Perform Marketplace Recall Checks.
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Complete Internet Surveillance Checks (websafety@cpsc.gov ).
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9. Recalls.gov
Saferproducts.gov