[Federal Register: April 6, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 65)]
[Notices]
[Page 16711]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr06ap99-46]

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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION


Petition Requesting Labeling Rule for Polyurethane Foam in
Upholstered Furniture

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: The Commission has received a petition from the National
Association of State Fire Marshals requesting that the Commission
require labels warning that polyurethane foam in upholstered furniture
poses a fire hazard under the Flammable Fabrics Act. The Commission
solicits written comments concerning the petition.

DATES: Comments on the petition should be received in the Office of the
Secretary by June 7, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Comments, preferably in five copies, on the petition should
be mailed to the Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety
Commission, Washington, DC 20207, telephone (301) 504-0800, or
delivered to the Office of the Secretary, Room 501, 4330 East-West
Highway, Bethesda, Maryland 20814. Comments may also be filed by
telefacsimile to (301) 504-0127 or by email to cpsc-os@cpsc.gov.
Comments should be captioned ``Petition FP 99-1, Petition for Labeling
of Polyurethane Foam.'' A copy of the petition is available for
inspection at the Commission's Public Reading Room, Room 419, 4330
East-West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rockelle Hammond, Office of the
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207;
telephone (301) 504-0800, ext. 1232.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Commission has received correspondence
from the National Association of State Fire Marshals (``NASFM'') that
requests the Commission to issue a rule under the Flammable Fabrics Act
(``FFA'').1 NASFM asserts that polyurethane foam in
upholstered furniture poses an unreasonable risk of fire because once
ignited it burns rapidly and emits toxic gases. NASFM asks the
Commission to require that upholstered furniture manufacturers and
retailers provide flammability warnings to the public. The Commission
is docketing the correspondence as a petition under provisions of the
FFA, 15 U.S.C. 1191-1204.
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    \1\ The Commission voted 2-1 to publish this notice requesting
comments on the petition. Chairman Ann Brown and Commissioner Thomas
Moore voted in favor of publication while Commissioner Mary Sheila
Gall voted against it for the reason provided in a separate
statement. A copy of Commissioner Gall's statement is available from
the Office of the Secretary.
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    Interested parties may obtain a copy of the petition by writing or
calling the Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety
Commission, Washington, DC 20207; telephone (301) 504-0800. A copy of
the petition is also available for inspection from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.,
Monday through Friday, in the Commission's Public Reading Room, Room
419, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, Maryland.

    Dated: April 1, 1999.
Sadye E. Dunn,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 99-8496 Filed 4-5-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P