Detergent PACS Act of 2015

To require the Consumer Product Safety Commission to establish a consumer product safety standard for liquid detergent packets to protect children under the age of five from injury or illness, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Detergent Poisoning And Child Safety Act of 2015 Detergent PACS Act of 2015 2. Special packaging and other requirements for liquid detergent packets (a) Definitions In this Act: (1) Commission The term Commission (2) Consumer product The term consumer product 15 U.S.C. 2052(a) (3) Detergent packet The term detergent packet (4) Liquid detergent packet The term liquid detergent packet (5) Special packaging The term special packaging 15 U.S.C. 1471 (b) Safety standards required (1) In general Except as provided in subsection (c)(1), not later than 540 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall promulgate a final rule that establishes safety standards for liquid detergent packets to protect children who are younger than 5 years of age from injury or illness caused by exposure to such packets. (2) Elements The final rule promulgated under paragraph (1) shall— (A) require special packaging for liquid detergent packets; (B) include standards to address the design and color of liquid detergent packets to— (i) make them less attractive to children; (ii) reduce the likelihood of exposure to detergent; and (iii) otherwise reduce risks related to the ingestion or aspiration of, or ocular contact with, detergent and other potential injury risks of liquid detergent packets; (C) include standards to address the composition of liquid detergent packets to make the consequences of exposure less severe; and (D) prescribe warning labels that— (i) adequately inform consumers of the potential risks of injury and death caused by liquid detergent packets; (ii) are conspicuous and visible at the point of sale; (iii) clarify hazard patterns, including known consequences of such hazards; and (iv) identify actions needed to avoid injury. (3) Treatment as consumer product safety standard A rule promulgated under paragraph (1) shall be treated as a consumer product safety standard described in section 7(a) of the Consumer Product Safety Act ( 15 U.S.C. 2056(a) (4) Rulemaking (A) In general A rule under paragraph (1) shall be promulgated in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code. (B) Inapplicability of certain requirements Section 9 of the Consumer Product Safety Act ( 15 U.S.C. 2058 (c) Adoption of voluntary standard (1) In general Subsection (b)(1) shall not apply if the Commission determines that— (A) a voluntary standard pertaining to liquid detergent packets manufactured or imported for use in the United States protects children as described in subsection (b)(1); (B) such voluntary standard is or will be in effect not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act; and (C) such voluntary standard is developed by ASTM International Subcommittee F15.71 on Liquid Laundry Packets, or such other entity as the Commission considers a successor to ASTM International Subcommittee F15.71. (2) Publication of determination If the Commission makes a determination under paragraph (1), the Commission shall publish such determination in the Federal Register. (3) Treatment of voluntary standard If the Commission determines that a voluntary standard meets the conditions in paragraph (1), such standard shall be treated as a consumer product safety standard described in section 7(a) of the Consumer Product Safety Act ( 15 U.S.C. 2056(a) (A) the date that is 180 days after the date of the publication under paragraph (2) of such determination; or (B) the effective date specified in the voluntary standard. (4) Revision of voluntary standard (A) Notice of revision If a voluntary standard is treated as a consumer product safety standard under paragraph (3) and such standard is revised by ASTM International after the Commission makes a determination under paragraph (1), ASTM International shall notify the Commission of such revision not later than 60 days after making such revision. (B) Treatment of revisions A voluntary standard with respect to which the Commission receives notice under subparagraph (A) shall be treated as a consumer product safety standard described in section 7(a) of the Consumer Product Safety Act ( 15 U.S.C. 2056(a) (d) Future rulemaking (1) In general The Commission may, at any time after promulgating a final rule under subsection (b)(1) or making a determination under subsection (c)(1), promulgate such rules in accordance with section 553 of title 5, United States Code, as the Commission considers appropriate to protect, to the maximum degree practicable, children as described in subsection (a)(1). (2) Treatment as consumer product safety standard A rule promulgated under paragraph (1) shall be treated as a consumer product safety standard described in section 7(a) of the Consumer Product Safety Act ( 15 U.S.C. 2056(a) (3) Inapplicability of certain requirements Section 9 of the Consumer Product Safety Act ( 15 U.S.C. 2058 (e) Report to Congress (1) In general Not later than 4 years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Commission shall submit to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on risks posed by detergent packets to young children and how the Commission is working to protect such children from such risks. (2) Matters Covered The report required by paragraph (1) shall include the following: (A) A quantitative assessment of annual national pediatric exposure to detergent packets, including the number of exposure incidents, the means of exposure (whether by ingestion, aspiration, or ocular contact), the clinical effects of the exposures, and medical outcomes. (B) An assessment as to whether the rule promulgated under subsection (b)(1) or the voluntary standard adopted under subsection (c), as the case may be, has been effective in protecting young children from injury or illness caused by exposure to detergent packets. (C) Such recommendations for legislative or administrative action as the Commission may have to protect young children as described in subparagraph (B). (3) Publication The Commission shall make the report required by paragraph (1) available to the public on the Internet website of the Commission.

Summary: Detergent Poisoning And Child Safety Act of 2015 or the Detergent PACS Act of 2015 Requires the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to establish safety standards for liquid detergent packets to protect children who are younger than five years of age from injury or illness. Directs the CPSC to establish such standards by promulgating a rule or adopting voluntary ASTM International standards. Provides for any final rule that is promulgated to include: (1) requirements for special packaging and warning labels, (2) standards to make the color and design of packets less attractive to children, and (3) liquid composition standards to make the consequences of exposure less severe. Requires the rule or standards to be treated as consumer product safety standards under the Consumer Product Safety Act.