California flame retardant deadline coming

AB 2998 flame-retardant standard is effective Jan. 1

Powell Slaughter//Senior Editor•August 2, 2019

AB 2998 flame-retardant standard is effective Jan. 1

Powell Slaughter//Senior Editor•August 2, 2019

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – The compliance deadline for California’s new flame retardant standard

for furniture and bedding is looming.

Effective Jan. 1, 2020, the new standard passed last year by the California Assembly as AB

2998 will prohibit the sale and distribution of juvenile products, upholstered furniture,

replacement components of reupholstered furniture, and the foam in mattresses that contain

covered flame retardant chemicals at levels above 1,000 parts per million in California.

Since the bill was signed into law last September in order to give manufacturers time to comply

with the regulation, even products manufactured before Jan. 1 are subject to the standard.

For the purposes of enforcement, responsibility may lie with all parties in the chain of

distribution, including the manufacturer, importer, wholesaler and retailer.

AB 2998 also requires the International Sleep Products Assn. to conduct a survey of all mattress

producers to report materials and methods used to meet flammability standards. ISPA must

submit survey results to the Bureau no later than Jan. 31, 2020, and every three years thereafter,

including a list of mattress producers that fail to respond.

The Bureau of Household Goods and Services at the California Department of Consumer Affairs

has produced an FAQ regarding AB 2998 implementation.

Powell Slaughter//Senior Editor
I'm Powell Slaughter, senior editor at Furniture/Today. I returned to the publication in January
2015 after nine years of writing about furniture retail strategies and best practices at a monthly
magazine focusing on home furnishings retail operations. Prior to that, I spent 10 years with F/T
covering wood furniture, the last five of those as case goods editor. Upon my return to F/T, Ideveloped coverage of the logistical and service aspects of the furniture industry as well as
following the occasional, home office and home entertainment categories. In April 2018 I took
over the upholstery category, with responsibility for coverage of the fabric and leather stationary
and motion upholstery, recliners and massage chair categories.

Post time: Aug-03-2019