Household Products Containing Petroleum Distillates and Other Hydrocarbons; Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking; Reopening of Comment Period

CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

16 CFR Part 1700

Household Products Containing Petroleum Distillates and Other

Hydrocarbons; Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking; Reopening of

Comment Period

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Reopening of comment period for advance notice of proposed

rulemaking.

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SUMMARY: There are child-resistant packaging standards in effect under

the Poison Prevention Packaging Act (``PPPA'') for some products that

contain petroleum distillates or other hydrocarbons. In the Federal

Register of February 26, 1997, the Consumer Product Safety Commission

(``CPSC'' or ``Commission'') published an advance notice of proposed

rulemaking (``ANPR'') requesting comments on whether additional

products containing these substances should be subject to child-

resistant packaging standards. 62 FR 8659. At the request of the

Chemical Specialties Manufacturers Association (``CSMA''), the

Commission extended the period for receiving written comments on the

ANPR until July 11, 1997. 62 FR 22897 (April 28, 1997).

As requested by the Cosmetic, Toiletry, and Fragrance Association

(``CTFA''), the Commission further reopens the comment period until

September 1, 1997.

DATES: Written comments in response to the ANPR must be received by the

Commission by September 1, 1997.

ADDRESSES: Comments, preferably in five copies, should be mailed to the

Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission,

Washington, DC 20207-0001, or delivered to the Office of the Secretary,

Consumer Product Safety Commission, Room 502, 4330 East-West Highway,

Bethesda, Maryland 20814; telephone (301) 504-0800. Alternatively,

comments may be filed by telefacsimile to (301)504-0127 or by e-mail to

[email protected]. Comments should be captioned ``Comments on ANPR for

Petroleum Distillates.''

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Suzanne Barone, Directorate for

Epidemiology and Health Sciences, Consumer Product Safety Commission,

Washington, DC 20207; telephone (301) 504-0477, ext. 1196.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Existing PPPA standards require child-

resistant packaging for some products that contain petroleum

distillates or other hydrocarbons. Aspiration of small amounts of these

chemicals into the lung can cause chemical pneumonia, pulmonary damage,

and death.

In the Federal Register of February 26, 1997, the CPSC published an

ANPR that initiated a rulemaking proceeding to consider whether

additional household products containing petroleum distillates and

other hydrocarbons should be subject to PPPA standards. 62 FR 8659. The

Commission solicited written comments from interested persons

concerning these risks, the regulatory alternatives discussed in the

ANPR, other possible means to address the risks, and the economic

impacts of the various regulatory alternatives. The Commission

originally provided for a 75-day comment period, which would have

expired on May 12, 1997. At the request of the CSMA, the Commission

extended the period for receiving written comments on the ANPR until

July 11, 1997. 62 FR 22897 (April 28, 1997).

By a letter dated July 1, 1997, the CTFA requested a further

extension of the comment period until September 1, 1997. CTFA asserted

that additional time was needed because the ANPR lacked a definition of

``petroleum distillates,'' and there was confusion among CTFA's members

regarding which petroleum distillates would be contained in cosmetic

products, if any. CTFA also has asserted that some of its member

companies have recently become aware that several product categories

not previously contemplated by manufacturers could be affected by the

ANPR. Further, CTFA claimed that because cosmetics are not generally

subject to CPSC's statutes (except the Poison Prevention Packaging

Act), a significant effort was required to educate CTFA's members about

the rulemaking and request for information. CTFA stated that additional

time is required in order to submit accurate, complete, and useful

information to the agency to enable the staff to assess the impact of

the ANPR on the cosmetics industry.

CTFA represents companies that can supply valuable information

concerning the issues identified in the ANPR. Accordingly, the

Commission granted its request for an extension of the comment period,

and reopens the period for submission of written comments to September

1, 1997.

Dated: July 15, 1997.

Sadye E. Dunn,

Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.

[FR Doc. 97-19019 Filed 7-18-97; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 6355-01-U