CPSC Provisionally Accepts Consent Agreement With General Felt Industries, Inc., Saddle Brook, New Jersey

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 5) -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today announced it has provisionally accepted a consent agreement prohibiting General Felt Industries, Inc., Saddle Brook, New Jersey, from selling products that fail to meet the standards of the Flammable Fabrics Act.

Through its Falcon Carpet Mills division in Dalton, Georgia, General Felt manufactured and sold to retailers and distributors throughout the country about 183,000 yards of carpet that failed flammability standards (DOC FF l-70).

The carpet involved in the order was produced from April 16, 1971, to March 31, 1973, when Falcon went out of business. The carpet was marketed as "Fashion Right" style in various colors. It was an all nylon shag pile carpet with a jute back.

Customers who may have purchased the "Fashion Right" style carpet should contact the place of business where it was purchased to determine if it is carpet that failed the standard.

The carpet covered by the consent order included all rolls of an experimental production using Enka bulk yarn and manufactured in the summer of 1971; all rolls of a "Tigress Gold" color manufactured between April 16, 1971, and October 7, 1971; roll no. 29574-c of dye lot 5259 and two additional rolls in this dye lot in the color "Green Mist," manufactured October 4, 1971.

Rolls nos. 39247-l manufactured March 10, 1972; 42657-0 manufactured March 14, 1972; 39317-2, manufactured March 15, 1972; 39452-1, manufactured March 16, 1972, and two other rolls manufactured during the shifts that these four rolls were produced.

Rolls nos. 44330-0, manufactured May 30, 1972, and 49515-0, manufactured July 11, 1972, and the other rolls which, prior to those dates were manufactured after extended plant shutdown and restart procedures.

And roll no. 56922-0 of dye lot 13813 and the three additional rolls of this dye lot manufactured October 18, 1971; roll no. 56761-0 of dye lot 13668 and the three additional rolls of this dye lot manufactured October 10, 1971; and roll no. 47641-1 dye lot 007056 and the one additional roll of this dye lot manufactured June 21, 1972.

A consent agreement does not constitute an admission that the company has violated a law but does provide for a settlement. Any violation of this consent agreement by the corporation could result in the assessment of substantial civil penalties.

Under the consent order, the company agrees to stop marketing goods that do not comply with the flammability standard and to notify known purchasers of substandard goods in order to recall the defective items for correction or destruction.

The complaint and consent order will remain on the public record for 60 days through April 5, 1976, during which time any interested person may submit comments to the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207.

After considering any comments, the Commission may accept the agreement or withdraw its provisional acceptance. For additional information about the order, contact the Bureau of Compliance, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207.