Q: More and more items are being packaged in stiffly sealed plastic, which allows for attractive displays. This packaging is also very difficult to open and can cause injuries to people. Is there info showing how many hospital visits have been caused by this type of packaging?
—Harris Gottlieb, Dunwoody
A: More than 6,400 emergency room visits were caused by what's called "wrap rage" in the U.S. in 2004, according to a study by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. That number was dwarfed by the 70,000 who said in a 2003 University of Sheffield (England) study that they went to the emergency room for treatment for injuries caused by opening packages. However, that number included children who had suffocated from plastic bags.
Online retailer Amazon.com launched its Frustration-Free Packaging initiative in 2008 to deal with containers that are tough to open, including clamshell packaging. Consumer Reports asked readers in 2008 about their experiences, reporting that “many told us how’d they’d cut themselves while doing battle with knives, shears, box cutters and screwdrivers — anything they could get their hands on to crack open the container.”
Q: What is the one-time and/or continuing cost to name the new stadium SunTrust Park?
—Jim Dillon, Atlanta
A: Financial terms of the deal between the Braves and SunTrust Bank weren't released. The Braves' new Cobb County stadium will be called SunTrust Park for its first 25 years, beginning with its 2017 opening. Marc Ganis, president of the Chicago-based SportsCorp consulting firm, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution in September that the Braves likely will earn about $10 million per year for the naming rights.
Andy Johnston wrote this column. Do you have a question about the news? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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