INDIANAPOLIS, IN--(Marketwired - Nov 20, 2015) -  Stericycle ExpertSOLUTIONS™ (NASDAQ: SRCL) today released the findings of its Q3 2015 Stericycle Recall Index, which found that household goods account for a significant majority of all consumer product recalls in the U.S. since 2010. The report, Recalls Hit Home: Household Goods Drive Consumer Product Recalls, underscores that a number of factors are driving consumer goods' persistently high recall rates -- making it more important than ever that manufacturers are prepared for the inevitability of a product recall.

Appliances, furnishings, and other household items regulated by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) enjoy a longer shelf life than products in other categories. While this lengthy life span offers many consumer benefits, the Q3 Index found that it is a key contributing factor in the industry's recall rates. According to the data, numerous household goods recalled over the last five years were actually manufactured and sold in the 1990s. Compared to their newer counterparts, these older products have a significantly higher risk of overheating and fire -- the leading cause of recalls in this product category. To put the hazard into perspective, 15 million appliance units have been recalled due to fire concerns since 2010.

"It's evident from the Q3 Index that age and deterioration should be a key consideration for all household goods manufacturers," said Kevin Pollack, Vice President, Stericycle. "Products in this category are also growing more technologically complex. These advances give manufacturers the opportunity to design early-warning systems, but with more bells and whistles, there is also more that can go wrong. Given this trend, it's essential that companies have a plan for executing a recall -- and continually update it to keep up with the latest advancements."

The Q3 Index found that children and infants are particularly vulnerable to recalls. Children's products comprised 12 percent of the quarter's total consumer events, and more than half of all clothing recalled in the last five years was designed for children and infants. In addition, the report documented that the same root causes are creating problems year after year. For example, drawstrings on children's clothing have been reported to become entangled in playgrounds, cars, and doors, causing strangulation or dragging hazards for children and toddlers. These types of issues resulted in 26 reported deaths and prompted a ruling from the CPSC.

Adding to this complexity is the active resale market associated with children's clothing and products, which can make it difficult for retailers to stay abreast of recalls and other regulatory developments.

"The CPSC can levy financial penalties against businesses that have sold a recalled product, even if it was unintentional. With recalls frequently initiated more than 10 years after the original sale, navigating this environment requires significant time and resources for both the manufacturer and the retailer," added Pollack. 

To learn more about additional factors driving the high recall rates for household items and see other findings from the Q3 2015 Stericycle Recall Index, please access the report here.

About the Stericycle Recall Index
The Stericycle Recall Index is the only report that aggregates and tracks recall data to help manufacturers and other industry stakeholders navigate the regulatory environment and identify trends. Each quarter Stericycle analyzes data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the FDA and the USDA. For more information, please visit www.stericycleexpertsolutions.com/thought-leadership .

About Stericycle ExpertSOLUTIONS™
 Stericycle Inc. is a NASDAQ-listed global business-to-business services company which provides highly specialized solutions to healthcare and commercial businesses of all sizes. Founded in 1989, Stericycle Inc. has grown to become a leader across a range of complex and highly regulated market sectors and operates in 550 locations. Stericycle ExpertSOLUTIONS™ is the industry leader in managing automotive, consumer product, pharmaceutical, medical device, juvenile product, and food and beverage recalls. ExpertSOLUTIONS streamlines the entire product recall process and manages Notification & Response, Processing & Tracking, and Compliance & Reporting for leading global companies. For more information, visit www.stericycleexpertsolutions.com .