Corporations Provide Preliminary Data On Hair Dryers With Asbestos

Representatives of seven major manufacturing corporations and four major labelers and retailers of hand-held hair dryers met with CPSC staff yesterday to discuss identification of those hair dryers which have been manufactured with asbestos.

Based on information provided to CPSC during and following yesterday 90-minute public meeting, the CPSC staff has been able to compile a preliminary and partial listing of hair dryer brands and models which were manufactured with asbestos and may be in consumers' possession.

Seven manufacturing firms sent representatives to the meeting at CPSC headquarters and provided summary assessments of their efforts to identify hair dryers containing asbestos.

Two other manufacturers transmitted written statements for the meeting record. One other manufacturer indicated that the company would provide pertinent information required by the formal CPSC Special Order seeking information within the 1O-day time limitation.

Five of the corporations informed CPSC staff that they had voluntarily suspended sales of all hair dryers manufactured with asbestos. Four corporations also announced at the meeting that they will either provide new asbestos-free hair dryers or refunds to consumers owning asbestos models, or will retro-fit the asbestos models with other insulation material to eliminate any potential asbestos hazard.

Five of the manufacturers told CPSC that they have not recently made or sold any hand-held hair dryers containing asbestos.

Each of the I4 firms which received a copy of the Special Order issued by CPSC has expressed intent to cooperate and provide relevant information so that the Commission may act appropriately to eliminate any potential hazard to consumers. Most of the corporations stipulated their belief that asbestos in hair dryers has yet to be proven to be a threat to consumer health.

Spokesmen from the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (a trade association based in Chicago) and Underwriters Laboratories (a private not-for-profit testing organization headquarters in Chicago) also participated in the CPSC staff meeting. All the participants at the meeting were informed of CPSC's intention to release to the public a preliminary listing of hair dryers as early as noon today (April 6). The preliminary list with an introductory bulletin is attached.

CPSC Bulletin

The staff of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is conducting an investigation to identify those electric hair dryers that contain asbestos materials and to determine any hazard associated with those products. This is a partial list of (i) dryers that are believed to contain. asbestos and (ii) dryers that are believed not to contain asbestos.

Where possible, the Commission is indicating the current policies of manufacturers and retailers regarding their products. As the Commission obtains additional Information identifying other hair dryers both with and without asbestos, it will continue to notify the public.

The inclusion of a hair dryer model on this list does not represent a determination by the staff of the Commission of whether the model presents a health hazard. In the exercise of its statutory duty to inform consumers, the Commission is notifying the public of which models are believed to contain asbestos. In that way, consumers will be assisted in making decisions, as to their own actions, while further testing is proceeding to determine the nature of any attendant hazard that may be present. The Commission also notes that the information on this list was supplied by the manufacturers and private labelers of the dryers and has not been independently verified by the Commission or its staff.

Interim List Of hair Dryers That Contain Asbesto And Those That
Do Not Information Obtained From Manufacturers and Private Labelers

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