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TOXIC CARPETING AND HUMAN HEALTH VERY IMPORTANT LETTER REPRESENTING THE VIEWS OF THE MAJORITY OF AMERICA'S STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL Office of the Attorney General State at Texas DAN MORALES December 23, 1991 Jerry G. Thorn Dear Mr. Thorn: We, the Attorneys General of Texas, Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin are writing to request that the CPSC docket the carpet petition onginally submitted by New York Attorney General Robert Abrams in April, 1991. We understand that your office refused to docket the petition and that Attorney General Abrams has appealed that decision. If the Commission dockets the petition, we would like to join the New York Attorney General as petitioners. The carpet petition and accompanying exhibits document not only the existence of numerous hazardous substances that are emitted from carpets, posing a potential danger to consumers in each of our states, but also that substantial numbers of consumers have actually suffered injuries from exposure to the volatile organic compounds (VOCS) emitted from newly installed carpets. In many instances, the injuries suffered have been substantial, including the onset of asthma, allergies and multiple chemical sensitivities. Not only are the complaints cited in the petition abundant, but we believe they represent only the relatively limited number of consumers who were both aware of the connection between carpet emissions and the development of their illness and who then filed complaints with government agencies; thus It is likely that there are many more affected consumers. In light of this serious problem, the State of New York, in
its carpet petition, requests that CPSC require Industry to prepare and
distribute certain educational materials that would alert the public to this
potential problem and advise prospective purchasers of the importance of
adequate ventilation. By widely distributing this type of educational material
many susceptible consumers will avoid injury. In addition, other consumers, who
have already suffered ill effects, will at least have an opportunity to learn
about the possible connection between their symptoms and newly Installed carpets
so that they can take prompt action. We believe that the. petition filed by the State of New York offers a simple and responsible solution to a serious problem and accordingly deserves CFSC’s immediate attention. We urge you to promptly docket the petition, and then permit us, on behalf of our states, to join in as petitioners. Sincerely,
Dan Morales Attorney General of Texas Jimmy Evans Attorney General of Alabama Grant Woods Attorney General of Arizona Richard Blumenthal Attorney General of Connecticut Robert A. Butterworth Attorney General of Florida Bonnie Campbell Attorney General of Iowa Robert T. Stephan Attorney General of Kansas Scott Harshbarger Attorney General of Massachusetts Hubert H. Humphrey, ifi Attorney General of Minnesota William L. Webster Attorney General of Missouri Frankle Sue Del Papa Attorney General of Nevada Robert J. Del Tufo Attorney General of New Jersey Tom Udall Attorney General of New Mexico Nicholas Spaeth Attorney General of North Dakota Lee Fisher Attorney Ceneral of Ohio Robert H. Henry Attorney General of Oklahoma Dave Frohnmayer Attorney General of Oregon Ernest D. Preate, Jr. Attorney General of Pennsylvania Mark Barrtett Attorney General of South Dakota Charles W. Burson Attorney General of Tennessee Paul Van Dam Attorney General of Utah Jeffrey L. Amestoy Attorney General of Vermont Ken Eikenberry Attorney General of Washington Mario Palumbo Attorney General o West Virginia James B. Doyle Attorney General of Wisconsin |