Proposed Extension of Approval of Information Collection; Comment Request-Testing and Recordkeeping Requirements for Carpets and Rugs, 34027-34028 [2012-13935]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 111 / Friday, June 8, 2012 / Notices Force Base, CA. Service Type/Location: Courier Service, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of Chief Counsel (OCC), 1545 Hawkins Boulevard, Suite 275, El Paso, TX. NPA: Training, Rehabilitation, & Development Institute, Inc., San Antonio, TX. Contracting Activity: Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Mission Support Orlando, Orlando, FL. Service Type/Location: Janitorial Service, Corpus Christi Resident Office, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Southern Area Office (SAO), 1920 N. Chaparral St., Corpus Christi, TX. NPA: Training, Rehabilitation, & Development Institute, Inc., San Antonio, TX. Contracting Activity: Dept of the Army, W076 Endist Galveston, Galveston, TX. Service Type/Location: Secure Document Destruction Service, Navy Sea Systems (NAVSEA), Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), (Offsite: 1611 S. Miller Street, Shelbyville, IN), 300 Highway 361, Building 64, Crane, IN. NPA: Shares Inc., Shelbyville, IN. Contracting Activity: Dept of the Navy, NSWC CRANE, Crane, IN. Patricia Briscoe, Deputy Director, Business Operations (Pricing and Information Management). [FR Doc. 2012–13940 Filed 6–7–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6353–01–P CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION [Docket No. CPSC–2012–0030] Proposed Extension of Approval of Information Collection; Comment Request—Testing and Recordkeeping Requirements for Carpets and Rugs Consumer Product Safety Commission. ACTION: Notice. AGENCY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (Commission) requests comments on a proposed extension of approval, for a period of 3 years from the date of approval by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), of information collection requirements for manufacturers and importers of carpets and rugs. The collection of information is in regulations implementing the Standard for the Surface Flammability of Carpets and Rugs (16 CFR part 1630) and the Standard for the Surface Flammability of Small Carpets and Rugs (16 CFR part 1631). These regulations establish mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:23 Jun 07, 2012 Jkt 226001 requirements for testing and recordkeeping for manufacturers and importers who furnish guaranties or certificates for products subject to the carpet flammability standards. The Commission will consider all comments received in response to this notice before requesting an extension of approval of this collection of information from the OMB. DATES: The Office of the Secretary must receive comments not later than August 7, 2012. ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CPSC–2012– 0030, by any of the following methods: Electronic Submissions Submit electronic comments in the following way: Federal eRulemaking Portal: https:// www.regulations.gov. Follow the instructions for submitting comments. To ensure timely processing of comments, the Commission is no longer accepting comments submitted by electronic mail (email), except through www.regulations.gov. Written Submissions Submit written submissions in the following way: Mail/Hand delivery/Courier (for paper, disk, or CD–ROM submissions), preferably in five copies, to: Office of the Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Room 502, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone (301) 504–7923. Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name and docket number for this notice. All comments received may be posted without change, including any personal identifiers, contact information, or other personal information provided, to https://www.regulations.gov. Do not submit confidential business information, trade secret information, or other sensitive or protected information electronically. Such information should be submitted in writing. Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or comments received, go to https:// www.regulations.gov. For further information contact: Mary James, Office of Information and Technology Services, Consumer Product Safety Commission, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814; (301) 504–7213, or by email to: mjames@cpsc.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: A. The Standards The Standard for the Surface Flammability of Carpets and Rugs, PO 00000 Frm 00025 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 34027 16 CFR part 1630, and the Standard for the Surface Flammability of Small Carpets and Rugs, 16 CFR part 1631, were issued under section 4 of the Flammable Fabrics Act (FFA) (15 U.S.C. 1193) in 1970. The standards cover any type of finished product made in whole or in part of fabric or related material and intended for use as a floor covering in homes, offices, or other places of assembly or accommodation. The standards establish an acceptable level of flammability performance. Items must meet the requirements of the standards prior to distribution in commerce, and firms must issue a ‘‘General Certification of Conformity’’ (GCC) or ‘‘Children’s Product Certificate’’ (CPC), certifying that the products meet all applicable product safety regulations. The GCC and CPC requirements are additional requirements imposed by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), 15 U.S.C. 2063(g). The CPSIA also imposes a third party testing requirement for all consumer products, including carpets and rugs, subject to a consumer product safety rule or similar rule, ban, standard, or regulation under any other Act enforced by the Commission, that are primarily intended for children 12 years of age or younger. Every manufacturer (including an importer) or a private labeler of a children’s carpet or rug must have its product tested for compliance to parts 1630 and 1631 and other applicable product safety rules by an accredited, CPSC-accepted third party laboratory. In addition to the standards, certain enforcement regulations (16 CFR 1630.31 and 1631.32) have been issued under section 5 of the FFA (15 U.S.C. 1194) to address reasonable and representative tests and the recordkeeping requirement. These rules specify the frequency of testing necessary to support the issuance of a guaranty of compliance under the FFA and the types of records that must be maintained to document this activity. Beginning in 2013, firms must also employ reasonable and representative testing programs in accordance with the CPSIA. The OMB approved the collection of information in the regulations under control number 3041–0017. OMB’s most recent extension of approval expires on August 31, 2012. The Commission now proposes to request an extension of approval for the collection of information in the regulations. B. Estimated Burden The Commission estimates that 120 firms are subject to the information collection requirements. These firms E:\FR\FM\08JNN1.SGM 08JNN1 34028 Federal Register / Vol. 77, No. 111 / Friday, June 8, 2012 / Notices mstockstill on DSK4VPTVN1PROD with NOTICES have elected to issue a guaranty of compliance with the FFA, or they are required to certify compliance of products intended for children under the CPSA (as amended by the CPSIA). The number of tests that a firm issuing a guaranty of compliance would be required to perform each year varies, depending upon the number of carpet styles and the annual volume of production. CPSC staff estimates that the average firm issuing a continuing guarantee under the FFA is required to conduct a maximum of 200 tests per year. The actual number of tests required by a given firm may vary from one to 200, depending upon the number of carpet styles and the annual production volume. For example, if a firm manufactures 100,000 linear yards of carpet each year, and it consistently has obtained passing test results, then only one test per year is required. For purposes of estimating burden, we have used the midpoint, 100 tests per year. The time required to conduct each test is estimated to be 2.5 hours, plus the time required to establish and maintain the test record. We estimate the total annualized cost/burden to respondents could be as high as 12,000 tests per year at 2.5 hours per test or 30,000 hours. The annualized costs to respondents for the hour burden for collection of information is estimated to be as high as $1,837,200, using a mean hourly employer cost-per-hour-worked of $61.24 (Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS): Total compensation rates for management, professional, and related occupations in private goods-producing industries, December 2011) (30,000 hours × $61.24). The estimated annual cost to the federal government of the information and collection requirements is approximately $42,900. This sum includes three staff months expended for examination of the information in records required to be maintained by the enforcement rules. This estimate uses an average wage rate of $57.13 per hour (the equivalent of a GS–14 Step 5 employee), with an additional 30.2 percent added for benefits (BLS, Percentage of total compensation comprised by benefits for all civilian management, professional, and related employees, December 2011) or $82.56 per hour × 520 hours. C. Request for Comments The Commission solicits written comments from all interested persons about the proposed collection of information. The Commission specifically solicits information relevant to the following topics: VerDate Mar<15>2010 16:23 Jun 07, 2012 Jkt 226001 —Whether the collection of information described above is necessary for the proper performance of the Commission’s functions, including whether the information would have practical utility; —Whether the estimated burden of the proposed collection of information is accurate; —Whether the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be collected could be enhanced; and —Whether the burden imposed by the collection of information could be minimized by use of automated, electronic, or other technological collection techniques, or other forms of information technology. Dated: June 5, 2012. Todd A. Stevenson, Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission. [FR Doc. 2012–13935 Filed 6–7–12; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6355–01–P CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION Notice of Teleconference of the Chronic Hazard Advisory Panel on Phthalates and Phthalate Substitutes Consumer Product Safety Commission. ACTION: Notice of meeting. AGENCY: The Consumer Product Safety Commission (‘‘CPSC’’ or ‘‘Commission’’) is announcing a teleconference and the seventh meeting of the Chronic Hazard Advisory Panel (‘‘CHAP’’) on phthalates and phthalate substitutes. The Commission appointed this CHAP on April 14, 2010, to study the effects on children’s health of all phthalates and phthalate alternatives, as used in children’s toys and child care articles, pursuant to section 108 of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) (Pub. L. 110–314). The CHAP will discuss its progress toward completing its analysis of potential risks from phthalates and phthalate substitutes. DATES: The teleconference will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT (15 to 17 GMT) on Friday, June 29, 2012. Interested members of the public may listen to the CHAP’s discussion. Members of the public will not have the opportunity to ask questions, comment, or otherwise participate in the teleconference. Interested parties should contact the CPSC project manager, Michael Babich, by email (mbabich@cpsc.gov), for call-in instructions no later than Wednesday, June 27, 2012. SUMMARY: PO 00000 Frm 00026 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Michael Babich, Directorate for Health Sciences, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone (301) 504–7253; email: mbabich@cpsc.gov. Section 108 of the CPSIA permanently prohibits the sale of any ‘‘children’s toy or child care article’’ containing more than 0.1 percent of each of three specified phthalates: di- (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), dibutyl phthalate (DBP), and benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP). Section 108 of the CPSIA also prohibits, on an interim basis, the sale of any ‘‘children’s toy that can be placed in a child’s mouth’’ or ‘‘child care article’’ containing more than 0.1 percent of each of three additional phthalates: diisononyl phthalate (DINP), diisodecyl phthalate (DIDP), and di-n-octyl phthalate (DnOP). Moreover, section 108 of the CPSIA requires the Commission to convene a CHAP ‘‘to study the effects on children’s health of all phthalates and phthalate alternatives as used in children’s toys and child care articles.’’ The CPSIA requires the CHAP to complete an examination of the full range of phthalates that are used in products for children and: • Examine all of the potential health effects (including endocrine-disrupting effects) of the full range of phthalates; • Consider the potential health effects of each of these phthalates, both in isolation, and in combination with other phthalates; • Examine the likely levels of children’s, pregnant women’s, and others’ exposure to phthalates, based upon a reasonable estimation of normal and foreseeable use and abuse of such products; • Consider the cumulative effect of total exposure to phthalates, both from children’s products and from other sources, such as personal care products; • Review all relevant data, including the most recent, best-available, peerreviewed, scientific studies of these phthalates and phthalate alternatives that employ objective data-collection practices or employ other objective methods; • Consider the health effects of phthalates not only from ingestion, but also as a result of dermal, hand-tomouth, or other exposure; • Consider the level at which there is a reasonable certainty of no harm to children, pregnant women, or other susceptible individuals and their offspring, considering the best available science, and using sufficient safety factors to account for uncertainties SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: E:\FR\FM\08JNN1.SGM 08JNN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 111 (Friday, June 8, 2012)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34027-34028]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-13935]


=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFETY COMMISSION

[Docket No. CPSC-2012-0030]


Proposed Extension of Approval of Information Collection; Comment 
Request--Testing and Recordkeeping Requirements for Carpets and Rugs

AGENCY: Consumer Product Safety Commission.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: As required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. 
Chapter 35), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (Commission) 
requests comments on a proposed extension of approval, for a period of 
3 years from the date of approval by the Office of Management and 
Budget (OMB), of information collection requirements for manufacturers 
and importers of carpets and rugs. The collection of information is in 
regulations implementing the Standard for the Surface Flammability of 
Carpets and Rugs (16 CFR part 1630) and the Standard for the Surface 
Flammability of Small Carpets and Rugs (16 CFR part 1631). These 
regulations establish requirements for testing and recordkeeping for 
manufacturers and importers who furnish guaranties or certificates for 
products subject to the carpet flammability standards. The Commission 
will consider all comments received in response to this notice before 
requesting an extension of approval of this collection of information 
from the OMB.

DATES: The Office of the Secretary must receive comments not later than 
August 7, 2012.

ADDRESSES: You may submit comments, identified by Docket No. CPSC-2012-
0030, by any of the following methods:

Electronic Submissions

    Submit electronic comments in the following way:
    Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov. Follow the 
instructions for submitting comments. To ensure timely processing of 
comments, the Commission is no longer accepting comments submitted by 
electronic mail (email), except through www.regulations.gov.

Written Submissions

    Submit written submissions in the following way:
    Mail/Hand delivery/Courier (for paper, disk, or CD-ROM 
submissions), preferably in five copies, to: Office of the Secretary, 
Consumer Product Safety Commission, Room 502, 4330 East West Highway, 
Bethesda, MD 20814; telephone (301) 504-7923.
    Instructions: All submissions received must include the agency name 
and docket number for this notice. All comments received may be posted 
without change, including any personal identifiers, contact 
information, or other personal information provided, to https://www.regulations.gov. Do not submit confidential business information, 
trade secret information, or other sensitive or protected information 
electronically. Such information should be submitted in writing.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to https://www.regulations.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For further information contact: Mary 
James, Office of Information and Technology Services, Consumer Product 
Safety Commission, 4330 East West Highway, Bethesda, MD 20814; (301) 
504-7213, or by email to: mjames@cpsc.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

A. The Standards

    The Standard for the Surface Flammability of Carpets and Rugs, 16 
CFR part 1630, and the Standard for the Surface Flammability of Small 
Carpets and Rugs, 16 CFR part 1631, were issued under section 4 of the 
Flammable Fabrics Act (FFA) (15 U.S.C. 1193) in 1970. The standards 
cover any type of finished product made in whole or in part of fabric 
or related material and intended for use as a floor covering in homes, 
offices, or other places of assembly or accommodation. The standards 
establish an acceptable level of flammability performance. Items must 
meet the requirements of the standards prior to distribution in 
commerce, and firms must issue a ``General Certification of 
Conformity'' (GCC) or ``Children's Product Certificate'' (CPC), 
certifying that the products meet all applicable product safety 
regulations. The GCC and CPC requirements are additional requirements 
imposed by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), 15 
U.S.C. 2063(g). The CPSIA also imposes a third party testing 
requirement for all consumer products, including carpets and rugs, 
subject to a consumer product safety rule or similar rule, ban, 
standard, or regulation under any other Act enforced by the Commission, 
that are primarily intended for children 12 years of age or younger. 
Every manufacturer (including an importer) or a private labeler of a 
children's carpet or rug must have its product tested for compliance to 
parts 1630 and 1631 and other applicable product safety rules by an 
accredited, CPSC-accepted third party laboratory. In addition to the 
standards, certain enforcement regulations (16 CFR 1630.31 and 1631.32) 
have been issued under section 5 of the FFA (15 U.S.C. 1194) to address 
reasonable and representative tests and the recordkeeping requirement. 
These rules specify the frequency of testing necessary to support the 
issuance of a guaranty of compliance under the FFA and the types of 
records that must be maintained to document this activity. Beginning in 
2013, firms must also employ reasonable and representative testing 
programs in accordance with the CPSIA.
    The OMB approved the collection of information in the regulations 
under control number 3041-0017. OMB's most recent extension of approval 
expires on August 31, 2012. The Commission now proposes to request an 
extension of approval for the collection of information in the 
regulations.

B. Estimated Burden

    The Commission estimates that 120 firms are subject to the 
information collection requirements. These firms

[[Page 34028]]

have elected to issue a guaranty of compliance with the FFA, or they 
are required to certify compliance of products intended for children 
under the CPSA (as amended by the CPSIA). The number of tests that a 
firm issuing a guaranty of compliance would be required to perform each 
year varies, depending upon the number of carpet styles and the annual 
volume of production. CPSC staff estimates that the average firm 
issuing a continuing guarantee under the FFA is required to conduct a 
maximum of 200 tests per year. The actual number of tests required by a 
given firm may vary from one to 200, depending upon the number of 
carpet styles and the annual production volume. For example, if a firm 
manufactures 100,000 linear yards of carpet each year, and it 
consistently has obtained passing test results, then only one test per 
year is required. For purposes of estimating burden, we have used the 
midpoint, 100 tests per year. The time required to conduct each test is 
estimated to be 2.5 hours, plus the time required to establish and 
maintain the test record. We estimate the total annualized cost/burden 
to respondents could be as high as 12,000 tests per year at 2.5 hours 
per test or 30,000 hours.
    The annualized costs to respondents for the hour burden for 
collection of information is estimated to be as high as $1,837,200, 
using a mean hourly employer cost-per-hour-worked of $61.24 (Bureau of 
Labor Statistics (BLS): Total compensation rates for management, 
professional, and related occupations in private goods-producing 
industries, December 2011) (30,000 hours x $61.24).
    The estimated annual cost to the federal government of the 
information and collection requirements is approximately $42,900. This 
sum includes three staff months expended for examination of the 
information in records required to be maintained by the enforcement 
rules. This estimate uses an average wage rate of $57.13 per hour (the 
equivalent of a GS-14 Step 5 employee), with an additional 30.2 percent 
added for benefits (BLS, Percentage of total compensation comprised by 
benefits for all civilian management, professional, and related 
employees, December 2011) or $82.56 per hour x 520 hours.

C. Request for Comments

    The Commission solicits written comments from all interested 
persons about the proposed collection of information. The Commission 
specifically solicits information relevant to the following topics:

--Whether the collection of information described above is necessary 
for the proper performance of the Commission's functions, including 
whether the information would have practical utility;
--Whether the estimated burden of the proposed collection of 
information is accurate;
--Whether the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to be 
collected could be enhanced; and
--Whether the burden imposed by the collection of information could be 
minimized by use of automated, electronic, or other technological 
collection techniques, or other forms of information technology.

    Dated: June 5, 2012.
Todd A. Stevenson,
Secretary, Consumer Product Safety Commission.
[FR Doc. 2012-13935 Filed 6-7-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6355-01-P
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.