The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the agency’s comprehensive Strategic Roadmap on Monday to confront PFAS contamination nationwide. PFAS, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are widely used in industry and consumer products. They’re highly persistent in the environment. Read more →

The Food and Drug Administration issued voluntary, short-term sodium reduction targets Wednesday for processed, packaged, and prepared foods. The FDA said limiting sodium in the American diet can help prevent diseases such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease. Read more →

With little action on Halloween last year, many consumers are excited about celebrating the fun, scary holiday this year. However, with supply chain disruptions and shipping delays, consumers may see empty shelves sooner than Nov. 1. Read more →

October 12 is National Savings Day. Its purpose is to empower people to feel more confident about their relationship with money by learning that saving money can be a simple, straightforward experience. Forty percent of Americans have less than $300 in savings. Read more →

Consumer spending on Halloween-related items is expected to reach an all-time high of $10.14 billion, up from $8.05 billion in 2020. About 65 percent of Americans plan to celebrate Halloween this year, up from 58 percent in 2020 and compared to 68 percent in 2019 before the covid-19 pandemic. Read more →

Apps that provide access to credit scores may not offer all of the benefits users expect, and they can come with extra costs and risks that people may not foresee, Consumer Reports said. Americans can get access their credit reports for free once a year, but they don’t have a similar right to their credit scores, except in some cases. Read more →

Every consumer needs to watch the documentary series “LuLaRich,” about LuLaRoe, a multilevel marketing scheme that sells colorful clothes and tights. It’s on Amazon Prime and hopefully will be available elsewhere, too. It shows in detail the thin line between multilevel marketing and pyramid schemes. Read more →

A new “key performance indicator” aimed at reducing Salmonella infections in poultry is being introduced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Consumer advocates have criticized federal meat and poultry inspection rules, saying they’re weak. Read more →

When I was weeding a bed I weeded this spring, I thought it’s time to get some mulch to keep the weeds down. Then, I won’t have to do as much weeding. I’m allergic to the typical beauty bark from fir trees and other evergreen trees. I’ve used deciduous mulch before, so I tried to find some. Read more →

What are your plans for Labor Day this year? Americans are more confident about celebrating Labor Day in 2021, with 48 percent more people planning to travel and 24 percent more planning to go shopping, according to a survey conducted for WalletHub, a personal finance website. Read more →