After government testing showed that scores of consumer products carrying the Energy Star label did not deserve the listing, a wave of class-action lawsuits were filed against the companies that manufacture the products, The New York Times reported today. Now, at least one major manufacturer wants Congress to ban the lawsuits and is threatening to withdraw from Energy Star, an Environmental Protection Agency program, unless it gets its way. However, consumer advocates say that such lawsuits are a healthy form of enforcement. A bill introduced by Rep. Robert Latta (R-Ohio), whose district is home to several Whirlpool factories, would prohibit class-action lawsuits if the EPA came up with a remedy, such as reimbursing consumers for products that did not live up to their billing. The bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Peter Welch (D-Vt.), who is honorary co-chairman of a Washington group, the Alliance to Save Energy, which is also backing the change. The proposed legislation drew immediate opposition from trial lawyers, who say the courts are often the only redress consumers have. Energy Star, which was created in 1992 to identify efficiency among products as varied as refrigerators, washing machines and televisions, as well as light bulbs and computer printers, has been plagued with troubles in recent years.
