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Opposing California Furniture Labeling Bill

On April 2, 2014, two furniture industry trade associations, The American Home Furnishings Alliance and the North American Home Furnishings Assn., joined the Polyurethane Foam Assn., in opposing a bill in the California senate that would require labels to disclose whether or not upholstered furniture contains fire retardant chemicals.

Turning Star is also opposed to this bill because of its overly broad reach, and the burden of unnecessary requirements placed on manufacturers and retailers. This legislation would affect every piece of furniture sold in California, regardless of where it is manufactured, as well as the rest of the country’s furniture manufacturing sector.

This bill also lumps non-toxic safe fire retardants (like Turning Star makes) in with toxic fire retardants.

While Turning Star supports the public’s right to know that their household items are safe, increased regulation and enforcement of the use of hazardous and toxic materials is needed to address the underlying issue at its core. Even though this bill may be a state’s response to years of Congress defunding EPA and restricting its powers, state legislatures and Federal agencies can still identify, and stringently regulate, materials deemed unsafe, as well as clarify the safety of other materials and chemicals.

If you are a Californian, please contact your state Senator  and urge them to vote ‘NO’ on SB1019, and ask them to support updating the Federal Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) instead. 

Keep track of CA SB1019

UPDATE: Followup posts look at the labeling, how SB 1019 is used to reinforce TB 117-2013, and what the public and industry can do to intervene.

Source: Furniture Today