Which Government Websites Have Product Recall Information?

There is no one government agency in charge of issuing recall notices for all products. Instead, different products fall under different jurisdictions, each of which is handled by a completely separate agency. In this article we will explain the jurisdiction of each of the six major government agencies in charge of recalling products and issuing recall alerts.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - http://www.fda.gov:
The FDA is probably most thought of when the word “recall” comes up. It is obvious that the FDA deals with food and drug issues, but they are also in charge of testing, monitoring and recalling medical devices (pacemakers, contact lenses...), animal feed, cosmetics, and products with the potential to cause health-related side effects, such as cell phones and lasers. Although the FDA is in charge of “food,” they also share that responsibility with the next federal agency…

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) - http://www.usda.gov:
The USDA was founded by President Abraham Lincoln in 1862, and has been involved in a variety of agricultural initiatives ever since. Not only is the USDA steward to our nation's 192 million acres of national forests, and providing food to children through school breakfast and lunch programs, but the agency is also responsible for the safety of meat, poultry (including egg), milk and fish products. These responsibilities often encompass the study of pesticide use, which overlaps with the next governmental recall arm...

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - http://www.epa.gov:
The EPA, in addition to the many other responsibilities involved in protecting our environment, are charged with the recalling of products that threaten to harm humans, animals, or the environment in which we live. For instance, recently the EPA ordered five national retail chains to recall a brand of spray confetti string which contained banned hydro chlorofluorocarbons blamed for depleting the ozone layer. This very same product could have also been recalled by another government agency, however, for its highly flammable contents, which are often sprayed over people at birthday parties near flaming candles. The agency that would be responsible for this type of recall is...

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) - http://www.cpsc.gov:
The CPSC is in charge of protecting the public from "unreasonable risks of serious injury or death from more than 15,000 types of consumer products under the agency's jurisdiction". They handle recalls for a host of potentially dangerous products, from toys with choking hazards to heaters with propensity to start a fire. Most products with a defect of some kind will find their way into the CPSC database of recalled consumer products. But if that product has wheels and an engine, or is a part of a product that has wheels and an engine, you might be better off researching at the next governmental agency...

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) - http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov:
The NHTSA was established to reduce deaths, injuries and economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes. They set and enforce safety standards for motor vehicles and vehicle parts, and provide studies and reports on anything related to motor vehicle use, from tires and seatbelts, to SUVs and cell phone use while driving. If you want to know if the used car you just purchased has any defective auto parts, the NHTSA database is a good start. However, if you just purchased a used boat, the following agency is better suited for your needs...

US Coast Guard - http://www.uscg.mil:
You probably don’t think of product recalls when someone mentions the Coast Guard. However, in addition to their duties to patrol America’s coast line and assist those in distress, the Coast Guard also tests, reports on, and recalls boats, boating parts, and marine safety devices like flares and life jackets. But good luck finding recall information on the Coast Guard’s website!

As you can see, the responsibilities of each agency overlap to some degree with other agencies. Furthermore, issuing recall alerts is only a small part of each organization’s responsibility. This is why is can be difficult, time-consuming and frustrating to locate the information you’re looking for among these six websites. Luckily, this problem has been remedied by an ex-journalist with a passion for social corporate responsibility and citizen journalism…

US Recall News – http://www.usrecallnews.com:
US Recall News is a non-governmental website that brings together recall alerts from each of the six major government agencies listed above, and separates them into various categories. The alerts are then archived at the end of each month, and remain searchable from the website.

About the Author:

Everett Sizemore is a journalism graduate of Bond University. He is the Editor-in-Chief at US Recall News and writes the editorial blog about Recalled Products and Corporate Responsibility.

 Everett Sizemore

More Articles 

Moneynet warns government intervention is insufficient against loan sharks - Rachel Lane
* and the sharks are not just confined to the back-street lenders - high-street banks and retailers need to address rip off rates New government proposals to protect vulnerable families from the clutches of loan sharks are 'hopelessly...

Former Terrorrists Getting into Government need Time, not God on their Side - Angelique van Engelen
Today, in many countries' political realities, tribalist and nationalist or globalist forces clash fiercely, undermining chances of peace and democracy. This is particularly topical in the Middle East, where efforts by established leaderships to...

How to Get a Government Home Loan with Low or Moderate Income - Rebecca Game
The government provides loans to those individuals who have low to moderate income for permanent residence in rural areas. To qualify for these government loans is not that hard and the restrictions are small. The Federal agency that...

Local Government and Politics - Meetings are the Challenge - Al Arnold
Copyright 2006 Al Arnold There are a couple of problems that exist, which hinder local government from being the best it can be. One problem that prevents some citizens from attending local government meetings, is the fear of the local...

A Tax and Government: By the People, For the People, Still? - Tony Robinson
Thomas Jefferson was quoted as saying that the government that governs least, governs best. Today, however, we seem to be headed in a completely different direction. We seem to think that the bigger the government the better the benefit and...

Accountability In Government - Arleen M Kaptur
The government is the biggest employer in the world. They hire and maintain more employees than any other organization in history. The question is whether the elected officials (who are really employees of every person in their jurisdiction, voted...

How Taxing Utilities Can Keep Governments In Check - Jim Thio
Under free market, all companies can talk all they want that all the stuff they put there is for my own good. However, if the product is overpriced or if it doesn’t serve my interest to get the product, I just don’t buy it. No companies, full...

Local Government Apathy - An International Problem - Al Arnold
Local government apathy is not just a problem in the USA. It is an international problem. A Google of “local political apathy” proves that very quickly. The problem has also been with us for some time. In 1987 Mayor Ken Livingstone of London...

The Government Wants You to Smoke - Steve Sommers
The entire US Government really wants you to smoke? Well ... maybe not the Department of health and Human Services, but the Government as a whole? I gotta tell you, they do pretty well off of tobacco. On the average, every smoker saves the...

Google Floats Like A Butterfly : Government Stings Like A Bee - James Trivolette
For seven months we have waited and listened for what our office is dubbing the “Digital Patriot’s Act”. The wait is about over before we really get a taste of what will come of the tribulations of Google. The Government made known to Google over...

New Age & World Government - G Kumar
The New Age or the Aquarian Age & World Government It is generally believed that the Aquarian Age started in the year 2000, 2160 years roughly being the Age of a Sign. The Piscean age started at around 200 BCE ( Before Common Era ). Let us...

Factoring Finnancing Your Government Contracts - Marco Terry
Are you doing business with the city, county, state or federal government? Can't wait up to 45 days to get paid? Consider financing your government receivables. Are you selling products or services to the federal...