Business law and ethics
The regulatory issues my company would have to deal with would likely include the possibility that the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) would find the stuffed animals unfit for children if they contained a fiber that could cause lung disease if inhaled after becoming airborne. Additionally, the stuffed animals would have to adhere to the E.U.’s Toy Safety Directive, which has stronger regulations for toy safety than the CPSC, if marketed in the European Union (E.U.). The Directive mandates that all toys marketed in the E.U. be manufactured with materials that do not endanger children’s health or safety and bear the C.E. mark, which certifies that the toy complies with the Directive’s safety standards.
My company would also need to adhere to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA), which requires that any stuffing used in stuffed animals be composed of safe materials for humans to ingest. The FFDCA would also mandate that the stuffed animals include the words “Not for human eating” and a list of the ingredients, including the filling. My business would have to abide by the CPSC’s and the FFDCA’s regulations if the stuffed animals were sold in the U.S. If the stuffed animals are sold in the E.U., your company would have to honor the requirements of the CPSC, the FFDCA, and the E.U. Toy Safety Directive.
The EPA and the FDA are the federal regulatory organizations that would control the usage of this material. If the stuffing is found to be hazardous, the EPA will control its use, and the FDA will regulate its usage if it is found in a product meant for human consumption. If my business utilizes the stuffing, it must abide by both agencies’ rules. The EPA would require my business to disclose information about the stuffing’s risks and create a strategy to reduce those risks. Before employing the stuffing in a product meant for human consumption, the FDA would need my firm to disclose information on the stuffing’s safety and seek clearance from the organization.
References
Buckley, S., & Chavez, O. (2020). Big Kibble: The Hidden Dangers of the Pet Food Industry and how to Do Better by Our Dogs. St. Martin’s Press.