SPSC working on legislative, regulatory activities

SPSC logoThe Sleep Products Safety Council, established in 1986 by mattress industry trade group the International Sleep Products Association to provide consumer information, support research and promote activities that advance the safety of sleep products, has been actively working on a number of legislative and regulatory activities that could affect mattress manufacturers:

At the federal level, the Toxic Substance Control Act, which among other things regulates the use of chemicals in U.S. consumer products, has not been amended substantially since the mid-1970s. Bipartisan legislation was introduced in the Senate this year to update the act, which the SPSC supports.

Bills in California, Connecticut, Delaware and Minnesota recently have been introduced to regulate certain fire retardants in juvenile and children’s products, including bedding. The SPSC is tracking these efforts and, where appropriate, has opposed specific proposals or is seeking amendments.

The Environmental Protection Agency has proposed a “significant new use rule” for Toluene Diisosyanate, a chemical used in the manufacture of flexible polyurethane foam. During the manufacturing process, the TDI is reacted to the point where no TDI is available for exposure in the finished foam used in mattresses. As a result, the SPSC understands that the SNUR should not apply to mattress foam and will file comments with regulators to confirm this. 

Several consumer, medical and environmental groups have petitioned the Consumer Product Safety Commission to ban “any nonpolymeric, additive organohalogen flame retardant” in mattresses, upholstered furniture, children’s products and electronic casings. Mattress manufacturers require none of the flame retardants named in the petition to meet either the 16 CFR Parts 1632 or 1633 mattress flammability standards. The CPSC likely will issue a formal notice of receipt of the petition and then begin a public comment period on whether to move forward with the rulemaking that petitioners requested. The SPSC will monitor action on this petition.

“Pressure has been mounting for years to update TSCA. The various state FR bills, the CPSC FR petition and the EPA’s SNUR on TDI all illustrate why TSCA reform is important. There’s a real battle brewing, but in terms of the specific chemicals that are the targets of these actions, the mattress industry fortunately is largely on the periphery,” says Ryan Trainer, ISPA president. “Nevertheless, the SPSC and ISPA will be making sure that the mattress industry’s interests are covered.”


At a glance: Sleep Products Safety Council

SPSC mission

To provide consumer information, support research and promote activities that advance the safety of sleep products.

SPSC was established as an independent entity in 1986 to:

■  Shield the International Sleep Products Association from product liability lawsuits (as experienced by the industry in the mid-1980s).

■  Create a sharp focus on public safety, thereby demonstrating that the industry is proactive, responsible and responsive to the public’s needs.  Safety is its sole agenda.

■  Engage industry expertise and resources so that adequate attention can be placed specifically on safety-related problems that impact the industry and subsequently on appropriate and meaningful solutions.

■  Create a compelling reason to acquire the financial resources needed to pursue the many dimensions of the science needed to address complex safety issues and to educate diverse audiences from retailers and the media to consumers about the issues.

■  Create an independent voice from ISPA that provides added credibility to the industry’s expressed concern about product safety with regulators and others.

■  Gain credibility needed to invite participation from outside fire and scientific experts to serve with the organization, thereby establishing itself as the prime source for answers to bedding fires and other safety issues.

■  Free the ISPA leadership to focus on the normal business of running a manufacturing association while the full weight of industry expertise is being applied to problems, putting the industry’s best foot forward.

■  Facilitate the necessary identification and collaboration with the many entities that are stakeholders in consumer fire safety.

Sleep Products Safety Council members

  • Michael DeFranks Chair – Simmons Bedding Co.
  • Bruce Bohren – UL (Underwriters Laboratory)
  • George Booth – Springs Creative Products Group LLC
  • Bobby Bush – HSM Solutions
  • Tom Chapin – UL (Underwriters Laboratory)
  • Gordon Damant – Damant & Associates
  • Norman Enix – Tempur Production USA Inc.
  • Matt Kershner – Select Comfort Corp.
  • Al Klancnik – Serta International
  • Brian Kneibel – Intertek
  • Brent Larson – Element St. Paul
  • Joanne Mattiace – Law Offices of Joanne E. Mattiace
  • Tim McRee – William T. Burnett & Co.
  • Emily Moore – NuTex Concepts
  • Scott Pugh – Carpenter Co.
  • Mike Schweiger – Innocor Inc.
  • Steven Willis – Leggett & Platt Inc.
  • ISPA Staff: Chris Hudgins, Vice President of Policy & Government; Jane Oseth, Manager of Member Services & Statistics; Ryan Trainer, President
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