CPSC Grants Petition To Change Warning Labels On Charcoal

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) granted a petition to begin rulemaking to change the current label required on charcoal bags warning about the hazard of burning charcoal indoors. The current label warns that ""toxic fumes may accumulate"" from charcoal used for indoor cooking or heating. CPSC will consider whether the label should explicitly mention ""carbon monoxide poisoning,"" that carbon monoxide is odorless, and other possible changes.

Each year, approximately 25 people die and hundreds more suffer from carbon monoxide poisoning when they burn charcoal in enclosed areas such as their homes, campers, vans, or tents. Often, those who do not die experience headaches, drowsiness, dizziness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, confusion, disorientation, or may become unconscious. Opening a window or using a fan does not assure that carbon monoxide will not build up to unsafe levels. Therefore, CPSC warns consumers never to burn charcoal inside homes, tents, or vehicles. The mission of the Consumer Product Safety Commission is to protect the public from unreasonable risks of injury and death associated with consumer products. The Commission's objective is to reduce the estimated 28.5 million injuries and 21,600 deaths associated each year with the 15,000 different types of consumer products under CPSC's jurisdiction.