Keeping Track: product recalls

Stringent standards keep toys atop list

High-profile recalls of tires, highchairs, and other products have heightened consumer awareness of product defects, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

The number of products recalled has remained steady over the past five years - between 200 to 300 annually, the agency says. But more firms are now reporting the defects themselves.

Toys lead the list, largely because they are heavily regulated. Infant/child products like highchairs are second, for similar reasons. The outdoor category includes items like lawn mowers and drills. A separate agency tracks recalls of automobiles.

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