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News Release | U.S. PIRG Education Fund and NRDC

Consumer advocacy groups launch campaign to get Columbia Sportswear to phase out toxic ‘forever chemicals’

 

U.S. PIRG Education Fund and NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) launched a campaign on Tuesday calling on outdoor gear and apparel brand Columbia Sportswear to phase out the use of PFAS in its products and supply chains. Last month, the company received low marks in a scorecard report released by the advocacy groups. The report found that Columbia Sportswear has failed to adopt policies that ban PFAS chemicals or provide up-to-date, publicly available information on any ongoing efforts to phase out these toxic chemicals from their products.

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Blog Post

Campaign for Columbia Sportswear Commitment to Eliminate PFAS Launched Today | Emily Rogers

Today U.S. PIRG Education Fund and NRDC launched a campaign to urge Columbia Sportswear to eliminate toxic PFAS in their products and supply chain by 2024. The campaign will engage everyday consumers through a petition drive and mobilize the public impacted by PFAS contamination.

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Report | ConnPIRG Education Fund

Getting Off the Hook of a Predatory Tow Part II

New analysis of towing laws shows only 16 states ban kickbacks to property owners or law enforcement

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News Release | U.S. PIRG Education Fund

New report: Several major cities have banned abusive towing practices in the last year

Parkers have always run the risk of getting towed. But a new trend exacerbates that risk: Towing companies are giving private property owners kickbacks when the landowner notifies the companies about vehicles to tow -- whether the vehicle is defying parking regulations or not.

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Blog Post | Consumer Tips

How to save money at the grocery store, despite food price inflation | Danielle Melgar

Here’s what you can do to ensure that rising food prices don’t break your bank.

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News Release | US PIRG | Consumer Tips, Public Health, Consumer Protection

Statement: Johnson & Johnson recalls sunscreen products after tests detect carcinogens

Johnson & Johnson Consumer Inc. said Wednesday it’s voluntarily recalling all lots of five types of Neutrogena and Aveeno aerosol sunscreen after internal testing showed “low levels of benzene” -- which can cause cancer -- in some samples. J&J also said consumers should stop using the sunscreen.

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News Release | US PIRG | Consumer Tips, Consumer Protection

Consumer tips: What families should know about child tax credit payments that start July 15

Starting Thursday, many families with children under 18 will start getting monthly payments as part of the American Rescue Plan that became law this spring. Eligible families will get payments every month through December by direct deposit or by paper checks or preloaded debit cards that come in the mail. These payments will add up to half the child tax credit you should be entitled to for 2021; you can claim the rest next year when you file your tax return.

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News Release | U.S. PIRG Education Fund

Report: Most restaurants fail to stop antibiotic overuse in their beef supplies

Most top restaurant chains in the United States have failed to adopt policies to stop the overuse of antibiotics by their beef suppliers, according to the sixth annual Chain Reaction scorecard released today by six major consumer, public health and environmental organizations.

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News Release | US PIRG | Consumer Protection

Statement: Safe Sleep Act passes House, awaits vote in Senate

In an effort to protect infants from unsafe consumer products, the U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday passed the Safe Sleep for Babies Act of 2021.

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News Release | U.S. PIRG | Solid Waste

Statement: Target’s new plastic packaging goal is a step in the right direction

The Fortune 50 retailer Target announced a new goal Tuesday to reduce its use of virgin plastic 20 percent by 2025 across its own brand frequency products. It is part of a new sustainability strategy called Target Forward and covers such key categories as household cleaning, personal care and beauty.

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Report | ConnPIRG Education Fund

Break the waste cycle

Election Day is less than a week away, and come January, returning and newly elected legislators will face a mounting plastic waste crisis. Nearly 100,000 tons of plastic -- enough to fill roughly 1.5 football stadiums -- are thrown away every day in the United States. Break the Waste Cycle highlights producer responsibility, an emerging trend in which product-makers – not individuals or taxpayers – are responsible for the waste they create. 

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Report | ConnPIRG Education Fund | COVID-19

Nursing home safety during COVID: PPE shortages

Seven months into COVID-19 pandemic, 226,000 nursing home residents nationwide at risk

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Report | U.S. PIRG Education Fund | COVID-19

Putting Consumers First

U.S. PIRG Education Fund, the Student Borrower Protection Center and Consumer Action have released a report recommending that  CFPB should use the full extent of its authority to take immediate action to strengthen its consumer complaint tool, hold companies accountable for providing complete and timely responses to consumers, and leverage consumer complaints related to the pandemic to support oversight and regulatory action to protect consumers.

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Report | ConnPIRG Education Fund

The Fix Is In

We rely on our smartphones. When they break, we need them fixed — fast. Unfortunately, there are numerous barriers to fixing our phones. Manufacturers might offer a dearth of repair options or digitally lock our phones so we can’t repair them. And when we can’t fix them, and have to get rid of them and buy new ones, that has a big consequence on our environment. According to the new report, “The Fix Is In” by U.S. PIRG Education Fund, independent shops offer repairs that some manufacturers won’t.

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Report | U.S. PIRG Education Fund | Higher Ed

Automatic textbooks billing: an offer students can't refuse?

New report says deals with publishers could make college textbooks more expensive

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Blog Post | COVID-19

Airlines choose money over safety with relaxed COVID policies | Jacob van Cleef

Though reducing isolation periods saves airlines money, it is the most irresponsible choice that could lead to more employees and customers getting sick.

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Blog Post | Consumer Tips

Why the CPSC can't do enough to protect consumers from dangerous products | Hannah Rhodes

Of the 23 deaths reported in connection with products recalled in 2021, 19 actually occurred in previous years. It can take months or years for the public to be warned about dangerous products because federal laws favor corporations, not consumers.

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Blog Post | COVID-19

How to spot counterfeit N95, KN95 masks before you buy them | Teresa Murray

You may be setting aside those cloth or surgical masks and shopping for some N95 masks or KN95s that are supposed to be widely available. But . . . there unfortunately are lots of counterfeit products out there too.
 

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Blog Post | Consumer Tips

Portable generators kill about 70 people each year. Here's how to protect yourself and your loved ones | Hannah Rhodes

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Blog Post

How to reduce your foodprint for your 2022 New Year’s resolution | Danielle Melgar

Many of us use this time of year to reflect on what we want to do differently in the year ahead. One resolution that could really help the planet? Reducing your foodprint.

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Blog Post

Smart Money, Smart Kids: Tips for teaching financial literacy and privacy protection to kids of all ages

There are lessons for pre-schoolers, pre-teens, high schoolers and certainly, young adults going off to college or moving out.

News Release | U.S. PIRG Education Fund

Environmental, consumer groups announce groundbreaking greenwashing lawsuit against DC gas company

U.S. PIRG Education Fund, Environment America Research & Policy Center and ClientEarth announced a lawsuit against Washington Gas in District of Columbia Superior Court on Thursday over misleading customers on the environmental impacts of natural gas.

News Release | U.S. PIRG Education Fund

Statement: Congress passes Reese’s Law

Manufacturers will need to ensure that the battery compartments that use button or coin batteries are not easily accessible by children age 6 and younger.

Blog Post

Why you can now have faith in good faith estimates

Here are the steps to getting a written good faith estimate before receiving scheduled medical care. 

Report | ConnPIRG Education Fund

Ringing in Our Fears

The number of voice providers that have installed the preferred robocall-blocking technology has nearly quadrupled since last year, according to our new analysis of the Federal Communications Commission’s robocall database. 

Solid Waste

PIRG hosts webinar with MythBusters' Adam Savage on Right to Repair

Our national network and the Right to Repair team organized a summit featuring keynote speaker Adam Savage from MythBusters. He shared his thoughts with us on the movement and we discussed our current progress on the Right to Repair campaign.

 
  • COVID-19 CONSUMER TIPS
    Avoid online scams, protect your credit and more. We have assembled a set of consumer tips and guides, and will add more in the days to come.
    OUR TIPS
  • THE FIX IS IN
    Our survey shows that independent shops are struggling to access parts, service information and repair software which is necessary to fix phones — which manufacturers won’t let these independent shops have.
    OUR REPORT
  • FOOD RECALL FAILURE
    Will your supermarket warn you about hazardous food? Our survey grades 26 of the largest grocery stores in the country to determine the efficacy of their policies and practices notifying consumers about food recalls.
    OUR REPORT
  • CHAIN REACTION V
    The overuse of antibiotics contributes to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which can cause life-threatening infections in people. Our report ranks restaurant chains on their policies relating to antibiotic use in their beef supply chains.
    SEE THE GRADES

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