Promotional Products Company Exposed In NBC Dateline Report!

Marc Lifsher, an LA Times staff writer, reported that a Los Angeles company that sold 100,000 lead-tainted lunchboxes to the State Health Department has been ordered to pay a $10 million fine for violating California laws on toxic substances.

The article goes on to state: Environmental activists and legal experts said the default judgment issued Tuesday in San Francisco County Superior Court was the highest they could recall since voters approved Proposition 65 in 1986.

"We are shocked that a company would knowingly sell lead-tainted lunchboxes intended for California's children," said Michael Green, executive director of the Center for Environmental Health, an Oakland-based nonprofit group. "The judgment sends a strong signal that companies that put our children's health at risk will pay the price."

NBC's Keith Morrison covered the story in-depth during an hour-long prime time investigative report that expounded on the product safety concerns regarding custom printed promotional products.

Think I'm making this up? The only thing that is NOT true in this story was NBC covering it on Dateline. Perhaps some of you may recall the widely publicized 2008 Los Angeles Times story we have quoted from. To refresh your memory click here to see the complete article.

Fast-forward to 2011 and things are getting even more challenging in the product safety arena. In today's business environment, the distributor, the shipping company and the family pets would also be included in any litigation. I know, you've heard it all before... but many feel it doesn't really affect them. Think again. If there is a product safety issue with any product, EVERYONE will be liable.

Since this is my "rant" I'll just be frank and say that I think many of us are numb to this issue that threatens our industry... myself included. But I see how this is something that should concern us all. At a recent product presentation by a prominent supplier, the presenter started talking about product safety. He was explaining the steps his company was taking to assure that they were using best practice guidelines in delivering certified safe products. I took note that most in the audience were not too interested in this information. It seemed they wanted to get on to learning more about the "stuff."