AHFA Announces 2016 Regulatory Summit Program

July 6, 2016  by in Industry, Special Events   

The commissioner will bring the industry up-to-date on two reports due to be released by CPSC staff in September.  One investigates the merits of adopting California Technical Bulletin 117-2013 as a national, mandatory flammability standard for upholstered furniture. The other is a review of the voluntary ASTM furniture stability standard and any relevant data that would support revisions to that standard.

“These two reports are directly tied to AHFA advocacy efforts over the past several years,” states AHFA CEO Andy Counts. “The Summit will provide a timely opportunity for industry executives to ask questions of the commissioner and weigh in on these two important issues.”

The 2016 Summit program also features a mid-day keynote address by Linda S. Birnbaum, Ph.D., director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program.  A board-certified toxicologist, Birnbaum has served as a federal scientist for nearly 35 years. Her research focuses on linking real-world chemical exposures to health effects. She will discuss the growing global field of chemical alternatives assessment, and the challenge that manufacturers face finding suitable substitutes for “chemicals of concern.”

Topic experts and regulatory officials on leading issues are slated to participate in the packed, one-day program.

·        Todd Sax, Enforcement Division Chief for California’s Air Resources Board (CARB), will explain the 10-step Fabricator Laminate Evaluation and Audit Program (“LEAP”) that was a part of CARB’s settlement with Lumber Liquidators and how it would apply and be enforced for furniture.

·        Amy Lally, Partner in the Los Angeles-based law firm of Sidley Austin, and an expert on litigation involving California’s Proposition 65, will review new Prop 65 “clear and reasonable” warning requirements.

·        Meredith Williams, Ph.D., Deputy Director of California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control, will explain the state’s “Safer Consumer Product Priority Work Plan.” The Work Plan includes home furnishings in a list of product categories from which the department will select “priority products” to be investigated for suspect chemicals.

·        A panel of presenters will address the topic of fluorinated chemicals used in performance fabrics, including Jessica Bowman, Executive Director of the FluoroCouncil, a global industry council on fluorochemical technology; Seth Goldberg, Partner in the Washington, D.C.-based Steptoe & Johnson and leader of the firm’s global chemical and life sciences practice;  and Erin Tesch, Vice President at Technology Sciences Group, where she specializes in antimicrobials. The panel will be moderated by a representative from the National Council of Textile Organizations.

·        Len Morrissey, Director, Technical Committee Operations Division for ASTM International, will provide an overview of the voluntary consensus standard development process.

·        William Tarantino, Partner in Morrison & Foerster, will offer an update on the Lumber Liquidators litigation.

·        A trio of experts will address the topic of comprehensive risk management, using Lumber Liquidators as a “case study.” This panel includes Michael Sullivan and Whitney Passmore, product liability experts at Womble Carlyle, and Anders Abelmann, Ph.D., Supervising Health Scientist and Practice Area Lead for Exposure Science with Cardno ChemRisk.

The Summit is open to all manufacturers, distributors, suppliers and retailers whose regulatory compliance efforts rely on accurate, up-to-date guidance and authoritative answers to industry-specific questions. 

Summit registration details are available on the Upcoming Events page of AHFA’s website, www.ahfa.us.  Registration is $99 for AHFA members and $299 for non-members and includes lunch. The program will run from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., concluding with a reception for Commissioner Buerkle from 5:30 to 6 p.m.

The Regulatory Summit is presented by AHFA’s Solution Partners division and will be preceded by the 2016 Solution Partners Education Golf Tournament Wednesday, September 14, at Lake Hickory Country Club in Hickory. Leggett & Platt is a sponsor of both the Summit and the golf tournament. Team sign-up for the golf tournament also is available at www.ahfa.us.