CPSC Meetings July 22nd Regarding Mattress and Furniture Flammability

Consumer Product Safety Commission Acting Chairman Robert Adler, Chief of Staff Jason Levine and Senior Counsel Sarah Klein meeting with Veena Singla, Staff Scientist and Daniel Rosenberg, Senior Attorney, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Dr. Susan Shaw, SUNY Albany School of Public Health and Dr. Ami Zota, George Washington University Department of Environmental and Occupational Health will meet to discuss CPSC’s work on a national flammability standard for upholstered furniture, including information about the observed effects of the mattress flammability standard and to share NRDC’s work on California’s furniture standards and the broad coalition of public health, environmental and firefighter groups engaged in furniture flammability standards as well as health concerns associated with the use of flame retardant chemicals in furniture. The meeting was requested by Avinash Kar, Attorney, NRDC. For additional information contact Ophelia McCardell, (301) 504-7731.

Commissioner Ann Marie Buerkle, Nancy Lowery, Special Assistant, Gib Mullan, Chief Counsel, and Katelyn Costello, Executive Assistant, meeting with Natural Resources Defense Council; Veena Singla, Staff Scientist NRDC; Daniel Rosenberg, Senior Attorney, NRDC; Eve Gartner, Staff Attorney, EarthJustice; Dr. Susan Shaw from SUNY Albany School of Public Health; Dr. Ami Zota from George Washington University Department of Environmental and Occupational Health. The meeting will be to discuss flammability standards and flame retardant chemicals in furniture. The meeting was requested by Avinash Kar. For additional information contact Katelyn Costello, Executive Assistant, (301) 504-7237.

Robert Howell, Deputy Executive Director, Safety Operations; George Borlase, Assistant Executive Director, Office of Hazard Identification and Reduction; Andy Stadnik, Associate executive Director, Laboratory Sciences; Rohit Khanna, Fire Prevention Engineer; Hyun Kim, General Attorney, Office of the General Counsel; and Patricia Pollitzer, Supervisory General Attorney, Office of the General Counsel, will be meeting with representatives of the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC). Representing the NRDC are Veena Singla, Staff Scientist; Daniel Rosenberg, Senior Attorney; and Avinash Kar, Attorney. The NRDC representatives will share information about their work on furniture flammability standards in California and the coalition of public health, environmental, and firefighter groups engaged on the furniture flammability issue. They will also share information about health concerns associated with the use of flame retardant chemicals in furniture. To the extent possible, CPSC staff will discuss the agency’s ongoing work to develop furniture flammability performance standards. The meeting was requested by the NRDC. For additional information contact Robert Howell, (301) 504-7621 or rhowell@cpsc.gov.