Geneva (July 28, 2025) – SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, has published SafeGuardS 101.25 to inform stakeholders of important amendments to Minnesota’s law on products containing intentionally added per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).

Signed into law on June 14, 2025, SF 3 (Chapter 1) expands exemptions under Minnesota Statutes §116.943, originally introduced in HF 2310 (2023), which restricts PFAS in 11 product categories starting January 1, 2025. The amendments, effective immediately, provide critical clarifications and exemptions that support manufacturers and importers in meeting the state’s evolving environmental protection standards.

Key changes include:
- Exemption for PFAS in internal or electronic components: products containing intentionally added PFAS exclusively in electronic or internal components are now excluded from the 2025 prohibitions
- Exemption for certain children’s vehicles: off-highway vehicles, ATVs, off-highway motorcycles, snowmobiles and electric-assisted bicycles are no longer considered “juvenile products” under the regulation
- Updated definitions: ’internal components’ are defined as parts not designed to be touched during intended use, including battery housings

Additional requirements and deadlines remain in place:
- Disclosure requirement by January 1, 2026: for all products containing intentionally added PFAS
- Total ban by January 1, 2032: unless the commissioner determines the use of PFAS to be unavoidable

SGS publishes SafeGuardS to help stakeholders remain up to date on critical regulatory changes. SafeGuardS 101.25 provides detailed insights into Minnesota’s PFAS legislation and its expanded exemptions, enabling companies to plan for compliance and continued market access.

Stakeholders are encouraged to review SafeGuardS 101.25 for comprehensive guidance on navigating these regulatory updates.

SGS Chemical Testing
SGS offers a comprehensive range of testing services to help manufacturers and suppliers ensure their products are safe and comply with national and international regulations concerning harmful chemicals. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested. Learn more about SGS chemical testing services.

SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full Minnesota, USA, Revises Law on PFAS Ban in Products to Include Certain Exemptions SafeGuardS.

Subscribe today and receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.

For further information contact:

Dr. Hingwo Tsang
Global Information and Innovation Manager
Tel: +852 2774 7420

Melanie Tamayo
Senior Technical Manager, SGS NA
Tel: +1 312 414 9394

Website: www.sgs.com/cp
LinkedIn: SGS Connectivity & Products

About SGS
SGS is the world’s leading Testing, Inspection and Certification company. We operate a network of over 2,500 laboratories and business facilities across 115 countries, supported by a team of 99,500 dedicated professionals. With over 145 years of service excellence, we combine the precision and accuracy that define Swiss companies to help organizations achieve the highest standards of quality, compliance and sustainability.

Our brand promise – when you need to be sure – underscores our commitment to trust, integrity and reliability, enabling businesses to thrive with confidence. We proudly deliver our expert services through the SGS name and trusted specialized brands, including Brightsight, Bluesign, Maine Pointe and Nutrasource.

SGS is publicly traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the ticker symbol SGSN (ISIN CH1256740924, Reuters SGSN.S, Bloomberg SGSN:SW).

Federal Trade Commission enforcement against medical spas has intensified dramatically, with recent cases producing judgments exceeding $6.6 million as regulators crack down on practices that fail to substantiate their advertising claims with competent scientific evidence. The aesthetic medicine industry is discovering that promotional strategies common in retail and hospitality sectors can trigger federal investigations when applied to medical treatments.

The FTC's healthcare advertising standards require the same level of scientific substantiation typically reserved for pharmaceutical companies, creating compliance challenges for an industry built on visual marketing and client testimonials.

Treatment Guarantees Spark Federal Investigation

Medical spas nationwide are facing penalties up to $43,792 per violation for making treatment promises that cannot be scientifically supported. Common triggers include advertising procedures as completely pain-free, promising permanent results from treatments that provide temporary benefits, or guaranteeing specific aesthetic outcomes that vary significantly between patients.

The enforcement pattern reveals that federal regulators view even seemingly minor marketing exaggerations as serious violations. Claims about treatment comfort levels, duration of results, or universal effectiveness must be supported by reliable clinical evidence—not just practitioner experience or patient feedback.

Beyond individual violation penalties, the FTC can pursue disgorgement of profits and require complete consumer refunds, potentially reaching millions of dollars in total financial exposure. The agency also imposes ongoing restrictions on future advertising practices that can permanently limit how violating businesses promote their services.

Visual Marketing Under Federal Scrutiny

The before-and-after photograph violations represent a particularly complex area of FTC enforcement. Medical spas that steal images from other providers, digitally enhance results, or present exceptional outcomes as typical patient experiences face both advertising violations and potential fraud allegations.

One documented enforcement case involved a medical spa that faced $35,000 in penalties for using stolen before-and-after photos while simultaneously violating privacy regulations through improper website tracking. The case demonstrates how advertising violations often compound with other regulatory failures, multiplying potential penalties and legal exposure.

The FTC requires that visual marketing materials accurately represent typical patient outcomes and include appropriate disclaimers when results vary significantly. The agency has specifically targeted practices that present their best results as standard outcomes without acknowledging the range of possible patient experiences.

Influencer Marketing Creates Corporate Liability

The rise of social media marketing has created new areas of FTC enforcement that directly impact medical spa advertising strategies. When practices compensate influencers with money or free treatments, they become legally responsible for all claims made by those endorsers about the business and its services.

This corporate liability extends to unsubstantiated claims made by influencers about treatment effectiveness, safety, or superiority over competitors. The FTC has already warned over 90 social media influencers about required disclosure practices, signaling increased enforcement activity in this marketing channel.

Medical spas must now ensure that all compensated endorsers comply with federal truth-in-advertising requirements, creating vendor management responsibilities that many practices are unprepared to handle effectively.

Coordinated Federal Enforcement

The FTC works jointly with the Food and Drug Administration to identify and prosecute advertising violations, creating a coordinated federal response that increases compliance pressure on medical spas. Companies that receive cease-and-desist orders must respond within 15 days or face escalated enforcement actions with penalties similar to direct FTC violations.

This joint enforcement approach means that medical spas face simultaneous scrutiny from multiple federal agencies, each with different areas of expertise and enforcement authority. The coordinated response can result in overlapping investigations that examine both advertising practices and underlying treatment protocols.

“The federal enforcement landscape has fundamentally changed how medical spas need to approach their marketing,” said Lynn Wilkinson, CEO of BloomDigital, a digital marketing agency that helps growth-focused med spas attract more clients. “What worked five years ago can now trigger a federal investigation.”

Financial Impact Beyond Direct Penalties

The true cost of FTC enforcement extends far beyond direct violation penalties to include legal defense fees, business interruption losses, and reputation damage that can persist long after enforcement actions conclude.

Medical spas that face federal investigation often spend more on legal representation than the underlying penalties, while dealing with operational disruptions that affect patient care and staff retention. The enforcement actions also create insurance implications, as professional liability carriers may exclude coverage for advertising violations or increase premiums for practices with enforcement histories.

These secondary costs can exceed the direct penalties imposed by federal regulators.

Conclusion

Medical spas should implement comprehensive review processes for all advertising materials, ensure staff understand federal requirements for treatment claims, and establish clear protocols for working with social media influencers and other marketing partners. The cost of preventive compliance measures remains minimal compared to the financial exposure created by federal enforcement actions.

The FTC's increased focus on healthcare advertising represents a permanent shift in the regulatory environment facing medical spas. Practices that adapt their med spa marketing strategies to federal requirements can continue growing, while those that ignore these standards face existential business risks.

West Allis, Wisconsin – July 6, 2025 – Speedy Dumps is proud to announce its expansion into Waukesha, Franklin, and Muskego, Wisconsin. As of this spring: homeowners, contractors, and property managers in these areas can now access Speedy Dumps’  same-day or next-day delivery, dumpster services. For residents, this update comes right in time for peak cleanup season.

With Milwaukee’s Project Clean & Green already fully booked for 2025, and municipal free dumpster programs exhausted in much of Waukesha and southern Milwaukee counties, residents are left searching for fast, affordable  garbage dumpster  alternatives. Speedy Dumps steps in to bridge the gap with flexible options that work for both short-term and long-term projects.

Available Dumpster Sizes:

• 10-yard, 15-yard, 20-yard, 30-yard, and 40-yard roll-off dumpsters
• Ideal for everything from small garage cleanouts to major renovation projects

Who Benefits:

• Homeowners tackling spring cleaning, landscaping, or moving
• Contractors managing construction debris or remodeling waste
• Event planners and property managers handling post-event or seasonal cleanups

How It Works:

Booking is simple. Visit https://speedydumps.com or call to select your dumpster size, schedule a drop-off and pickup, and receive upfront pricing—no hidden fees.

Residential, commercial, and multi-family properties are all eligible. No permit is required when dumpsters are placed on private driveways.

What You Can Dump:

Speedy Dumps accepts a wide variety of items, including:

• Household goods, large appliances, and furniture
• Construction materials like wood, glass, metal, and roofing shingles
• Yard waste such as branches and brush
• Junk, scrap metal, and general debris

Prohibited Items Include: liquids, oils, paints, batteries, propane, tires, hazardous materials, soil, and concrete.

With increased landfill wait times and overbooked city services, Speedy Dumps offers an efficient and local solution. If you missed municipal pickup dates, you can get your own private roll-off at affordable prices and avoid long delays.

Speedy Dumps is locally owned and operated by a Southeast Wisconsin crew that knows the area’s needs. Their commitment to dependable service and transparent pricing sets them apart from national chains.

Stay Connected:

Follow @SpeedyDumps on Facebook and Instagram for updates, fall cleanup openings, and seasonal specials.

Los Angeles, CA – – The Latigo Group, a leading Los Angeles-based real estate development firm, is proud to announce it has secured a $54.7 million preferred equity investment from Affinius Capital for the development of Hillcrest Apartments, a premier multifamily project in Thousand Oaks, California. This significant financial milestone, coupled with a senior loan from Bank OZK and financing arranged by JLL’s Bercut Smith, marks a major step forward for the project, which is set to redefine luxury living in a supply-constrained market.

Under the leadership of Co-Founder Scott Whittaker, The Latigo Group acquired the 8-acre property at 2150 West Hillcrest Drive from Amgen in 2022 for $25.5 million. The development will transform an underutilized office complex into a state-of-the-art, four-story Class A multifamily property featuring 333 luxury residential units and 6,500 square feet of ground-floor retail space. The project is scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2028.

“Securing this investment from Affinius Capital is a testament to the strength of our vision and the quality of our developments,” said Scott Whittaker, Co-Founder of The Latigo Group. “Hillcrest Apartments will address the critical need for high-quality housing in Thousand Oaks, offering residents unparalleled amenities and modern living spaces. We are thrilled to partner with Affinius Capital and Bank OZK to bring this project to life.”

Hillcrest Apartments will feature one-, two-, and three-bedroom units averaging 948 square feet, each equipped with balconies, in-unit washers and dryers, upscale cabinetry, quartz countertops, designer lighting, and smart home technology. The development will also offer a rooftop terrace, swimming pool, fitness center, coworking spaces, wellness center, and a multi-sport simulator, creating a vibrant community for residents.

Mario Morales, Executive Director at Affinius Capital, praised the collaboration, stating, “Hillcrest Apartments will help fill the need for high-quality multifamily properties in a historically supply-constrained market. We are dedicated to beginning our partnership with Latigo, who builds exceptionally high-quality product, and look forward to benefiting from their local expertise in the Thousand Oaks market.”

This project marks The Latigo Group’s second multifamily development in Thousand Oaks, following the successful completion of Santal Thousand Oaks in 2023, a 142-unit mixed-use residential property that was only the second of its kind in the city in over 60 years.

Geneva (July 2, 2025) – SGS, the world’s leading testing, inspection and certification company, has published SafeGuardS 089.25 to outline the US state of Vermont’s latest revisions to its restrictions on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in consumer products.

Signed into law on June 11, 2025, Act 54 (H238) amends Vermont’s Commerce and Trade Laws (9 VSA Chapter 63) and builds upon the earlier Act 131, which originally established prohibitions on PFAS and other chemicals in a broad range of products. These revisions further align Vermont’s regulations with national and global efforts to reduce exposure to these harmful substances.

Key updates include the addition of cleaning products, dental floss and personal protective equipment (PPE) to the list of PFAS-restricted items. The legislation also prohibits fluorinated treated containers, with a phased ban culminating in a total prohibition by January 2032. Certain deadlines have been adjusted, including a delay to the PFAS ban on cookware, which is now effective from July 1, 2028.

Act 54 introduces new definitions for regulated product types, such as ‘cleaning products,’ ‘dental floss’ and ‘complex durable products’, to provide clarity and support consistent enforcement. It also directs Vermont’s Secretary of Natural Resources to submit reports on PFAS regulatory approaches across the United States and to make future recommendations for complex durable products.

These changes will take effect in stages beginning July 1, 2025, and are part of Vermont’s broader strategy to safeguard public health and the environment by eliminating PFAS in everyday consumer goods.

SGS publishes SafeGuardS to keep stakeholders informed of regulatory developments impacting global product compliance. SafeGuardS 089.25 provides a table highlighting the details of Vermont’s revised PFAS regulations and effective dates.

Stakeholders are encouraged to review SafeGuardS 089.25 for a complete overview of the amended provisions under Act 54.

SGS Chemical Testing
SGS offers a comprehensive range of testing services to help manufacturers and suppliers ensure their products are safe and comply with national and international regulations concerning harmful chemicals. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested. Learn more about SGS Chemical Testing Services.

SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full Vermont, USA, Revises Law on PFAS Ban in Products SafeGuardS.

Subscribe today and receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.

For further information contact:

Dr. Hingwo Tsang
Global Information and Innovation Manager
Tel: +852 2774 7420

Melanie Tamayo
Senior Technical Manager, SGS NA
Tel: +1 312 414 9394

Website: www.sgs.com/hardlines
LinkedIn: SGS Connectivity & Products

About SGS
SGS is the world’s leading Testing, Inspection and Certification company. We operate a network of over 2,500 laboratories and business facilities across 115 countries, supported by a team of 99,500 dedicated professionals. With over 145 years of service excellence, we combine the precision and accuracy that define Swiss companies to help organizations achieve the highest standards of quality, compliance and sustainability.

Our brand promise – when you need to be sure – underscores our commitment to trust, integrity and reliability, enabling businesses to thrive with confidence. We proudly deliver our expert services through the SGS name and trusted specialized brands, including Brightsight, Bluesign, Maine Pointe and Nutrasource.

SGS is publicly traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the ticker symbol SGSN (ISIN CH1256740924, Reuters SGSN.S, Bloomberg SGSN:SW).