[Federal Register: June 12, 2000 (Volume 65, Number 113)]
[Notices]
[Page 36890]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr12jn00-82]
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CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION
Petitions Requesting Standards, Labeling, and Identification Tags
for Mattresses
AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Commission has received petitions (FP 00-1, FP 00-2, FP
00-3 and FP 00-4) requesting that the Commission issue performance
standards and labeling requirements to address the flammability of
mattresses. The petitioner also requests that the Commission require a
permanent tag stating the mattress's manufacturer and other identifying
information. The Commission solicits written comments concerning the
petitions.
DATES: The Office of the Secretary must receive comments on the
petitions by August 11, 2000.
ADDRESSES: Comments, preferably in five copies, on the petitions 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 ``Petitions FP 00-1 through FP 00-4,
Petitions on Mattress Flammability.'' Copies of the petitions are
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 Whitney A. Davis, director of the Children's Coalition for Fire-
Safe Mattresses, requesting that the Commission take various actions
concerning mattress flammability. The Commission is docketing as
petitions his requests for rules requiring: (1) An open flame standard
similar to the full-scale test set forth in California Technical
Bulletin 129; (2) an open flame standard similar to the component test
set forth in British Standard 5852; (3) a warning label for flammable
mattresses; and (4) a permanent mattress identification tag attached to
the innerspring of the mattress. The petitioner focuses primarily on
the role polyurethane foam plays in mattress fires. He notes that the
Commission's existing mattress flammability standard only addresses
cigarette ignition; yet childplay with open-flame sources causes nearly
two-thirds of mattress fires. He argues that with polyurethane foam
mattresses, fires have become increasingly more deadly than with cotton
batting mattresses due to increased smoke generation, heat production
and flame spread. With regard to labels, he notes that polyurethane
foam manufacturers provide warnings to mattress manufacturers, but
these warnings are not passed on to the consumer. With regard to an
identification tag, the petitioner argues that such a tag would help to
identify mattresses involved in fires because often only the
innerspring unit remains after a mattress fire. The Commission is
docketing these petitions under provisions of the Flammable Fabrics
Act, 15 U.S.C. 1191-1204.
Interested parties may obtain copies of the petitions by writing or
calling the Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety
Commission, Washington, DC 20207; telephone (301) 504-0800. Copies of
the petitions are 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: June 6, 2000.
Sadye E. Dunn,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 00-14696 Filed 6-9-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P