Sep 02, 2008

Accepted Fire Prevention Measure to Benefit Citizen Safety

Seeking to prevent accidental death and damage to property related to untended cigarettes, Finland has proposed that all cigarettes sold in the country be tested to assess their likelihood to cause fire in bedding or upholstered furniture.

The regulatory proposal specifies the use of ASTM E2187 - an international standard developed by ASTM International Committee E05 on Fire Safety - to test the ignition performance of cigarettes and aims to reduce the 700 annual fires and 35-40 deaths in Finland attributed to such threats. While any lit cigarette is a potential fire hazard, cigarettes that perform well as measured by the ASTM International standard are less likely to start fires when left unattended.

Finland's Ministry of Social Affairs and Health stated last month that using the ASTM International standard represented an important step forward toward achieving local and European consumer protection goals.

The Finnish decision to utilize ASTM E2187 represents a pivotal breakthrough in terms of public safety, as there is currently no equivalent European standard available. The ASTM International standard has already been adopted nationwide in Canada and in the majority of U.S. states.

"By using the international standard ASTM E2187 to measure the ignition strength of cigarettes, the Finnish government is taking action to help prevent fires and save lives," said ASTM International President James A. Thomas. "ASTM International standards satisfy principles established by the WTO Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade and are recognized worldwide for their technical quality and relevance.  I commend the Finnish government for utilizing an ASTM International standard for this important regulatory purpose and urge other governmental bodies in Europe to take similar action."

ANEC, a Brussels-headquartered European consumer association, has welcomed the Finnish initiative as a contribution towards improved consumer safety. Stephen Russell, ANEC Secretary-General said: "We recognize ASTM International to be an innovative standards developer and so support the proposal to reference ASTM E2187 as a test method until the details of a formal European Standard have finally been worked out. We also have no doubt that ASTM E2187 provides a benchmark for this latter task." 

A key member of the RIP Alliance, which brings together a number of health NGOs and policy makers at the European level, Florence Berteletti Kemp likewise states, "In view of the fact that it is technologically and economically feasible for cigarettes to meet fire-safety standards, tobacco manufacturers should be required to produce and market only reduced-ignition propensity cigarettes in the EU. Tobacco manufacturers should use the same standard as in New York and Canada, [ASTM] E2187."

For more information about ASTM International, contact Kevin Cummins, ASTM International (phone:  202-223-8484; kcummins@astm.org).  For more information about ASTM International Committee E05 on Fire Safety, conatct Tom O'Toole, ASTM International (phone: 610-832-9739; totoole@astm.org).

For an article with in-depth information about the ASTM E2187 standard and the Coalition for Fire-Safe Cigarettes/National Fire Protection Association, click here.  For more information on the RIP alliance click here.

Release #8053/Sept08