[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 113 (Monday, June 12, 2000)]
[Notices]
[Page 36890]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-14696]


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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 [email protected]. 
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