The Consumer Product Safety Commission is scheduled to vote by September 13, 2011 on a final rule that would amend CPSC’s flammability standard for mattresses and mattress pads. This action would revise the ignition source provision at 16 CFR 1632.4(a)(2) to specify a standard reference material (SRM) cigarette developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. According to staff, the change is needed as the ignition source cigarette specified in the standard for use in the mattress standard’s performance tests is no longer being produced.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced its weekly meeting on September 14, 2011 in which the staff briefs the Commission on various compliance matters. The meeting is closed to the public, and the agenda is confidential.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is seeking comments on the provisionally accepted settlement agreement announced September 1, 2011 with Sunsations Inc. of Virginia. The settlement includes a civil penalty of $60,000 to settle allegations that Sunsations knowingly failed to report to CPSC immediately that it sold children's hooded sweatshirts with drawstrings at the neck from March 2008 - November 2010. Comments are due September 23, 2011.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission will be voting on a proposed rule to establish a mandatory consumer product safety standard for play yards during a September 14, 2011 open meeting. The proposed standard is based on the voluntary standard ASTM F 406-11 - Standard Consumer Safety Specification for Non-Full-Size Baby Cribs/Play Yards. A live webcast of the meeting will be available here.
The Center for Environmental Health announced that on September 2, 2011, a California Superior Court approved a legal agreement between CEH and 26 more jewelry retailers and suppliers, setting a new strict limit on cadmium in jewelry.
Chairman Tenenbaum of the Consumer Product Safety Commission sent a letter to the Office of Management and Budget on August 29, 2011 stating that CPSC will start a retrospective review of its regulations in fiscal year 2012, which begins October 1.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission published notice of the following voluntary recall for Sept 2, 2011:
The Office of Textiles and Apparel has issued a notice on new regulations issued recently by the Brazilian government aimed at reducing illegal and irregular imports of apparel and textiles. Other new measures would also affect shoes and furniture.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission announced and is seeking comments on a strategic outreach and education plan to help the business community and other stakeholders learn about the mandatory third-party testing and certification requirements for children’s toys and toy chests that take effect January 1, 2012. Among other things, the plan includes issuing general information about the requirements, a frequently asked questions document, attending industry events, and conducting webinars. CPSC seeks comments by October 21, 2011.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission is scheduled to vote by September 6, 2011 on a staff recommendation to defer for an additional six months action on a petition it received to regulate cadmium in toy metal jewelry. The Commission already voted in February 2011 to defer its decision for six months and directed staff to participate in the ASTM subcommittees that develop standards for children's metal jewelry and for toy jewelry. Staff is recommending another six month delay as its involvement with these committees is still taking place.