Lower ignition propensity

Tobacco manufacturers are fully committed to working with regulators and authorities in their efforts to reduce the risk of accidental fires caused by cigarettes.

In the UK figures released for 2006[1] show that there were 45,700 accidental fires in the home – the lowest number in more than a decade. It would appear that fire safety awareness is improving or that improved measures are in place.

However, there is no such thing as a fire-safe cigarette. Cigarettes are designed to be burned and any burning item presents a fire hazard.

It is the careless use and disposal of cigarettes that can cause smoking-related fires and we would urge all smokers to be responsible and ensure all cigarettes are extinguished and disposed of carefully.

Cigarette design modifications have been made, for example using ‘banded’ paper, there are bands of thicker paper which make the cigarette more likely to self-extinguish.

In response letters to calls for LIP cigarettes, TMA member companies have called for a harmonised European or international testing method and standard as a basis for any regulation on LIP cigarettes in Europe.

A general reduction of accidental fires is already being addressed in the UK by the introduction of rigorous flammability standards for bedding and furniture, the wider use of flame retardant fabrics and furnishings, building codes and through a comprehensive fire-prevention programme, including for example public education campaigns.

We believe that proportionate and evidence based regulation for cigarettes, based on a common EU or international standard, could be part of such a programme.

However, it is still unclear whether the introduction of regulation based on the propensity of a cigarette to self-extinguish will achieve meaningful reductions in cigarette-related fire incidences in real world situations.

As a pragmatic approach the TMA member companies would not object to regulation based on the forthcoming ISO standard that is based on the ASTM standard test method for measuring the ignition strength of cigarettes (ASTM standard E2187-04).  This extinguishing test method is becoming widely used and is the requirement for LIP product testing in Canada and in many US States, and it is proposed as the recognized test method in Finland and Australia.

The EU General Product Safety Directive Committee has mandated CEN (the European standards organisation) to develop a European standard for the testing of LIP cigarettes.  In response to CEN, ISO Technical Committees 92 (Fire Safety) and 126 (Tobacco and Tobacco Products) are now in the process of elaborating such a standard which should be finalised by 2011. National Standardisation Organizations, such as the British Standards Institute (BSI), are part of the development process.

TMA member companies will need the time before and after the introduction of an ISO LIP standard test is available to develop LIP products, and to address material sourcing, consumer acceptance and product compliance questions. Once the LIP standard is established and the legislative timetable set, UK manufacturers will implement the required measures.

The TMA strongly believes its members, as experts in their products, should be involved with regulators in the evaluation of this standard to ensure it is fit for purpose. A proper impact assessment must also be carried out in order to assess the effectiveness of such measures on fire reduction.