WASHINGTON - The State Attorneys Generals (AGs) - exercising their compliance authority under the "Lead Exposure Warnings and Education and Training Programs Agreement between State Attorneys General and the National Paint and Coatings Association, Inc. (NPCA)," known as the "Agreement," which went into effect September, 2003 - have identified a specific concern that the point-of-sale brochures were not found at the select places monitored.
During their compliance examinations, State AG office investigators did not find point-of-sale brochures in the stores they visited, even after inquiry to store personnel. This was viewed as particularly troubling in light of the fact that the industry self-reported distribution, thus far, of more than three million brochures to retail outlets nationwide. The State AGs have asked that NPCA find a way to "reinvigorate ... distribution of brochures to retailers."
NPCA strongly urges that members redouble their efforts to communicate with their retailers. Stress that the paint industry is counting on them to be responsive to customer requests for information, and to have on-hand sufficient copies of the required consumer information brochure, which is in English and Spanish. Make sure that your customers have and are offering the up-to-date information that conforms to the Agreement. NPCA has made it easy for members to reorder copies of the Agreement-specified brochures through several printers.
It is important for all consumer paint manufacturers to review and abide by all the specific requirements of the Agreement, whose text is available online at the NPCA Web site, www.paint.org/ind_info/ state_ag_agreement.pdf.
