Charcoal Lighter Fluid And Paint Thinner To Be Recalled By Pittsburgh Penn Oil Company

Washington, DC -- Pittsburgh Penn Oil Company of Creighton, Pennsylvania, has consented to a federal court order requiring the company to recall containers of charcoal lighter fluid and paint thinner. A lawsuit filed in October by the U. S. Justice Department on behalf of the U. S. Consumer Product Safety Commission alleged that the firm was distributing charcoal lighter fluid in containers whose caps Commission tests had indicated were not child-resistant. With the filing of the Consent Decree, the lawsuit was settled without a trial.

Under the terms of the Consent Decree, Pittsburgh Penn Oil will provide copies of the court order to all individuals and companies that have held the containers for sale within the past year. The company will recall the containers which were used for paint thinner as well as charcoal lighter fluid. To ensure that its containers are child- resistant in the future, before distributing products requiring special packaging, Pittsburgh Penn will test new packaging designs according to the testing procedure prescribed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission's regulations.

The charcoal lighter fluid and paint thinner were marketed in white plastic one-quart containers bearing Pittsburgh Penn Oil's own label.

The charcoal light fluid was also marketed in the same containers with "mr. Bar-B-Q" and "Star Light" labels. The products were distributed in New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and the District of Columbia.

Consumers who have these products, if unable to return the products or until they return them, should take extra care to keep them out of the reach of small children.

Consumers who have information to report about these products may call the CPSC toll-free Hotline at 800-638-CPSC. A teletypewriter number for the hearing impaired is 800-638-8270.