Today, I voted with my fellow Commissioners to put forward a civil penalty settlement with Whirlpool Corporation (Whirlpool) for allegedly violating the Consumer Product Safety Act. Our action sends a loud and clear warning to companies who continue to sell dangerous products despite knowing that they can cause serious injury or death. This settlement would require Whirlpool to pay a fine of $11.5 million and take other remedial actions designed to protect consumers in the future.
In Fiscal Year 2022, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) assessed $32 million in civil penalty payments to the U.S. Treasury. As of June 30, 2023, the amount CPSC has assessed in civil penalty payments is $40.9 million. With the Whirlpool settlement agreement CPSC widens that gap – bringing the total assessed by the Commission during the last twelve months to $52.4 million.
This is no small feat. These settlements demonstrate CPSC’s commitment to hold companies accountable when they put the public at risk and consumers should look forward to a safer marketplace for all. I thank CPSC’s staff who worked to identify and address the product hazard and advance this settlement on behalf of consumers.