Michael Payne wrote:
>
> Just got home from the Washington DC Metric Forum on changes to the Fair
> Packaging and Labeling Act (FPLA) to allow voluntary Metric only labeling
> in lieu of the present requirement that both inch pound and metric have to
> be listed.
Thanks for posting this, Mike. Let me stick a word or two in, if I may.
> .... some trade organizations asked questions, mostly where is this
> amendment to the FPLA in the legislation process? Apparently waiting in the
> White house for action by the administration, NIST has moved it thru the US
> Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, etc. It has to
> be passed by congress before it becomes law; we all know how long that
> might take. ...
There are still some agencies through which it must pass, I believe. It
is at or has just passed through the White House. It still has to make
the rounds at OMB. My best guess for introduction in Congress is the
second half of the 108th Congress (i.e., 2004-01), about 14 months from
now.
> Interesting to know that when two values (Inch/Pound and Grams)
> are placed on a package, the larger one is what controls the net content,
Yes, that's found in various places (most online). For UPLR, look at
Handbook 130, also available online via the NIST pages.
> What I learnt is that companies note consumer comments made to their
> customer comment numbers both pro and negative. What this means is that for
> 5 minutes a day each of us needs to call these (free) numbers and express
> our agreement with manufactures who lead the pack and market metric sized
> product packages (e.g. Proctor and Gamble). And also to companies who
> don't, to tell them this is what you want. One person, cannot recall what
> company said they had not heard from consumers wanting metric labeling,
> obviously I did not have their number.
Gee, I've got to strongly second what Mike said here. Vote early and
vote often.
Ballot via 800 numbers, web feedback forms, and snail mail.
Jim
