WSR 99-16-089

PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE


[ Filed August 4, 1999, 9:18 a.m. ]

Subject of Possible Rule Making: WAC 16-720, Dietary supplements--Elemental iron, this is filed to correct error in original filing on June 23, 1999, where caps for bottles of iron supplements were referred to as child-proof instead of the correct term which is child-resistant.

Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 70.106, Washington Poison Prevention Act.

Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Rule establishes requirements for child-resistant caps on iron supplements containing 250 Mg of iron or more per package. This helps to prevent accidental poisoning of children from iron supplements.

Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: United States Food and Drug Administration and Consumer Product Safety Commission. Rule is consistent with requirements of these federal agencies.

Process for Developing New Rule: The department has determined after review of this rule that it does not require any changes. It will be scheduled for review again in 2003.

Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication. Comments will be accepted for thirty days after the date of publication of this order. Please direct written comments to Verne E. Hedlund, Washington State Department of Agriculture, 1111 Washington Street, P.O. Box 42560, Olympia, WA 98504-2560 or by phone (360) 902-1860, fax (360) 902-2087.

August 4, 1999

Candace A. Jacobs, DVM

Assistant Director