Product Recall Information Online

It seems that every week brings another round of recalls. Toys with high lead levels. Pet food tainted with dangerous and deadly additives. Everyday the lists of defective, dangerous or questionable products grows longer and longer. For most of us it's not a question of if a recalled product will find it's way into our homes, but when. Different agencies handle recalls for specific product categories.

The Consumer Product and Safety Commission handles recalls for general consumer products such as toys and household items including appliances and electronics.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration governs motor vehicles and related equipment such as child car seats and tires. Through their website you can search for recalls and current investigations.

The United States Coast Guard handles boating safety including recalls for boats and related equipment.

The United States Department of Agriculture monitors the safety of meat, poultry and eggs.

The Food and Drug Administration is in charge of the safety or a wide variety of products, including pet food, cosmetics, drugs and medical devices and any devices that emit radiation including cell phones and microwaves.

The Environmental Protection Agency has jurisdiction over pesticides and vehicle emissions.

Each of the above websites provides detailed information about products, investigations, recalls and how to report complaints. If you don't want to visit each individual website looking for the latest recall information, Recalls.gov is a recall hub that consolidates information from government agencies. Through the site you can look up recent recalls, search for recalls and sign up for email recall lists.

The public plays a big roll in bring defective products to the attention of the appropriate agencies. If you discover a problem product share what you know with the appropriate agency.