This is a reminder that the Federal Trade Commission is seeking public comments by January 3, 2012 on its Textile Rules, which require that textiles sold in the U.S. carry labels disclosing the generic names and percentages by weight of the fibers in the product, the manufacturer or marketer name, and the country where the product was processed or manufactured.

The Department of Agriculture's Commodity Credit Corporation has announced Special Import Quota #115 for upland cotton that was established on December 1, 2011, allowing importation of 14,594,057 kilograms (67,030 bales) of upland cotton. It will apply to upland cotton purchased not later than February 28, 2012, and entered into the U.S. not later than May 28, 2012. The quota is equivalent to one week's consumption of cotton by domestic mills at the seasonally-adjusted average rate for the period May 2011 through July 2011, the most recent three months for which data are available.

Chairman Tenenbaum of the Consumer Product Safety Commission has awarded the first Chairman’s Circle of Commendation Awards to five individuals and groups for their exceptional contributions to consumer product safety. The recipients include the ASTM Subcommittee F15.18 on cribs, toddler beds, play yards, cradles and changing tables; Gene Rider, President of Intertek Inc.; Dr. Gary Smith, Director, Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, Ohio; Consumers Union; and Nancy Cowles, Executive Director, Kids in Danger.

California's Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) will host a workshop on December 5, 2011, to discuss the informal draft regulations for Safer Consumer Products. DTSC is required to adopt regulations to: (1) establish a process by which chemicals or chemical ingredients in consumer products may be identified and prioritized; and (2) develop criteria by which chemicals and their alternatives may be evaluated and reduce exposure to these chemicals and the hazards posed by them. This workshop is an opportunity for members of the public to discuss the scope and content of the draft regulations before the Department proceeds with the formal public notice to adopt regulations. Meeting agenda and draft regulations available here and here.

The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements has issued two notices announcing that interested entities can submit Offers to Supply by December 13, 2011, or provide a Rebuttal to an Offer by December 19, 2011, regarding two "commercial availability" requests it received under the DR-CAFTA, on behalf of Hansoll Textile Ltd., for certain heather color and solid color 100% polyester circular knit three end fleece fabrics.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission published notice of the following voluntary recalls for December 1, 2011:

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced its weekly meeting on December 7, 2011 in which the staff briefs the Commission on various compliance matters. The meeting is closed to the public, and the agenda is confidential.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is extending the comment period on its October 2011 advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPR) on whether a mandatory performance safety standard or other requirement is needed to address an unreasonable risk of injury associated with table saws. Comments are now due by February 10, 2012 (from December 12, 2011).

The Consumer Product Safety Commission is announcing a December 19, 2011 teleconference of the Chronic Hazard Advisory Panel (CHAP) on phthalates and phthalate substitutes. The Commission appointed this CHAP on April 14, 2010, to study the effects on children’s health of all phthalates and phthalate alternatives, as used in children’s toys and child care articles, as required by the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA). Its recommendations will be used to inform a future CPSC rulemaking on the topic, including which phthalates, combinations of phthalates, or phthalate alternatives should be prohibited from use in children’s toys or child care articles or otherwise restricted. The CHAP’s final report is expected in April 2012. The public will not be able to comment during the teleconference but may listen by requesting call-in instructions.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission published notice of the following voluntary recalls for November 30, 2011: