Oregon Company Ordered to Stop Selling Chemicals Used To Make Illegal Fireworks

NEWS from CPSC

U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Office of Information and Public Affairs

Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 27, 2001
Release # 01-136

CPSC Consumer Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: Scott Wolfson, (301) 504-7051

Oregon Company Ordered to Stop Selling Chemicals Used To Make Illegal Fireworks

WASHINGTON, D.C.- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), announced today that Springfield Scientific Supplies Inc., of Springfield, Ore., has agreed to stop the sale of chemicals used to produce illegal and dangerous fireworks. The distributor signed a consent decree of permanent injunction, which was approved by the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon.

The court order is the result of a six-month investigation conducted by the CPSC, DOJ, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) into the manufacture and sale of illegal explosive devices. Springfield Scientific has agreed to stop selling chemicals that could be used to manufacture illegal fireworks devices, such as M-80s, quarter-sticks, M-1000s, and tennis ball bombs. The company will also take measures to work with the government in combating the manufacturing of these dangerous and illegal explosive devices.

CPSC Chairman Ann Brown said, "Each year, hundreds of children and adults are maimed and even killed by fireworks made with these types of chemicals. We will continue to work closely with the Justice Department and ATF to vigorously investigate the sale and manufacture of illegal fireworks and their components."

Since 1998, the CPSC has received reports of more than 40 firecracker related injuries in the Pacific Northwest alone. In 1999, hospital emergency rooms nationwide have treated an estimated 8,500 fireworks- related injuries. The improper use of fireworks or the use of illegal fireworks has resulted in deaths, blindings, amputations and severe burns.

CPSC conducts fireworks surveillance and enforcement throughout the year. Each year, CPSC stops hundreds of shipments of hazardous fireworks devices before they reach the store shelves. Working with U.S. Customs Service since 1988, CPSC has seized or detained more than 400 million hazardous fireworks at the docks.

Under the authority granted to it by the Federal Hazardous Substances Act, the CPSC prohibits the sale of the most dangerous types of fireworks, and the components intended to make them. The banned fireworks include M-80s, quarter-sticks, half-sticks, and other large firecrackers. Any firecracker with more than 50 milligrams of explosive powder is banned under federal law, as are mail order kits and components designed to build these fireworks.