Recall: Genuine Carpet & Rug Stops Sale Carpets & Rugs

CPSC Announces Consent Agreement With Genuine Carpet & Rug, Inc., Dalton, Georgia

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 12) -- The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today announced it has provisionally accepted a consent agreement prohibiting Genuine Carpet and Rug, Inc., a Dalton, Georgia, carpet distributor, and Edward Coker, individually and as an officer of the corporation, from selling carpets that do not meet the standards of the Flammable Fabrics Act.

The agreement is now available for a 60-day period for public comment after which the Commission will make its final decision on acceptance or rejection of the agreement.

In November, 1974, Coker, in supplying four styles of oval fringed rugs to a carpet-broker, offered a written guarantee that the rugs met the flammability standard for small carpets and rugs. Coker did not base his guarantee on any testing his company performed nor on a guarantee from his supplier that the rugs would meet Federal standards.

Under the terms of the agreement the corporation agrees to furnish flammability guarantees only if they themselves or their supplier have conducted "reasonable and representative tests" on the carpets as specified by law. No recall is mandated by this provisional consent agreement. This agreement is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission by the company that it has violated the law. Any violation of this consent agreement by Genuine Carpet and Rug, Inc., could result in the assessment of substantial civil penalties.

Copies of the complaint and consent agreement can be obtained from the Office of the Secretary, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207. Comments on the agreement should be received by the Office of the Secretary by September 10, 1976, the end of the 60-day cement period.

For additional information about this consent agreement, contact the Bureau of Compliance, U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Washington, D.C. 20207.