US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

15 U.S.C. § 2056d

Performance standards to protect against portable fuel container explosions near open flames or other ignition sources

(a)

Short title

This section may be cited as the “Portable Fuel Container Safety Act of 2020”.

(b)

Standards

(1)

Rule on safety performance standards required

Not later than 30 months after , the Consumer Product Safety Commission (referred to in this section as the “Commission”) shall promulgate a final rule to require flame mitigation devices in portable fuel containers that impede the propagation of flame into the container, except as provided in paragraph (3).

(2)

Rulemaking; consumer product safety standard

A rule under paragraph (1)—
(A)
section 553 of title 5 shall be promulgated in accordance with ; and
(B)
section 2058 of this title shall be treated as a consumer product safety rule promulgated under .
(3)

Exception

(A)

Voluntary standard

Paragraph (1) shall not apply for a class of portable fuel containers in the scope of this section if the Commission determines at any time that—
(i)
there is a voluntary standard for flame mitigation devices for those containers that impedes the propagation of flame into the container;
(ii)
the voluntary standard described in clause (i) is or will be in effect not later than 18 months after ; and
(iii)
the voluntary standard described in clause (i) is developed by ASTM International or such other standard development organization that the Commission determines to have met the intent of this section.
(B)

Determination required to be published in the Federal Register

Any determination made by the Commission under this subsection shall be published in the Federal Register.

(4)

Treatment of voluntary standard for purpose of enforcement

section 2058 of this titleIf the Commission determines that a voluntary standard meets the conditions described in paragraph (3)(A), the requirements of such voluntary standard shall be treated as a consumer product safety rule promulgated under beginning on the date which is the later of—
(A)
180 days after publication of the Commission’s determination under paragraph (3); or
(B)
the effective date contained in the voluntary standard.
(5)

Revision of voluntary standard

(A)

Notice to commission

If the requirements of a voluntary standard that meet the conditions of paragraph (3) are subsequently revised, the organization that revised the standard shall notify the Commission after the final approval of the revision.

(B)

Effective date of revision

section 2058 of this titleNot later than 180 days after the Commission is notified of a revised voluntary standard described in subparagraph (A) (or such later date as the Commission determines appropriate), such revised voluntary standard shall become enforceable as a consumer product safety rule promulgated under , in place of the prior version, unless within 90 days after receiving the notice the Commission determines that the revised voluntary standard does not meet the requirements described in paragraph (3).

(6)

Future rulemaking

1

1 So in original. Probably should be followed by a comma.
section 553 of title 5section 2058 of this titleThe Commission, at any time after publication of the consumer product safety rule required by paragraph (1), a voluntary standard is treated as a consumer product safety rule under paragraph (4), or a revision is enforceable as a consumer product safety rule under paragraph (5)  may initiate a rulemaking in accordance with to modify the requirements or to include any additional provision that the Commission determines is reasonably necessary to protect the public against flame jetting from a portable fuel container. Any rule promulgated under this subsection shall be treated as a consumer product safety rule promulgated under .

(7)

Action required

(A)

Education campaign

Not later than 1 year after , the Commission shall undertake a campaign to educate consumers about the dangers associated with using or storing portable fuel containers for flammable liquids near an open flame or any other source of ignition.

(B)

Summary of actions

Not later than 2 years after , the Commission shall submit to Congress a summary of actions taken by the Commission in such campaign.

(8)

Portable fuel container defined

In this section, the term “portable fuel container” means any container or vessel (including any spout, cap, and other closure mechanism or component of such container or vessel or any retrofit or aftermarket spout or component intended or reasonably anticipated to be for use with such container)—
(A)
intended for flammable liquid fuels with a flash point less than 140 degrees Fahrenheit, including gasoline, kerosene, diesel, ethanol, methanol, denatured alcohol, or biofuels;
(B)
that is a consumer product with a capacity of 5 gallons or less; and
(C)
that the manufacturer knows or reasonably should know is used by consumers for transporting, storing, and dispensing flammable liquid fuels.
(9)

Rule of construction

Public Law 110–278122 Stat. 2602This section may not be interpreted to conflict with the Children’s Gasoline Burn Prevention Act (; ).

(c)

Children’s Gasoline Burn Prevention Act

(1)

Omitted

(2)

Applicability

The amendment made by paragraph (1) shall take effect 6 months after .

Pub. L. 116–260, div. FF, title IX, § 901134 Stat. 3204(, , .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 901 of Pub. L. 116–260134 Stat. 3204This section, referred to in subsec. (b)(1), (3)(A), (8), and (9), was in the original “this Act”, which was translated as reading “this section”, meaning , div. FF, title IX, , , to reflect the probable intent of Congress.

Pub. L. 110–278122 Stat. 2602section 2056 of this titleThe Children’s Gasoline Burn Prevention Act, referred to in subsecs. (b)(9) and (c), is , , , which is set out as a note under .

Codification

Section was enacted as the Portable Fuel Container Safety Act of 2020, and not as part of the Consumer Product Safety Act which comprises this chapter.

section 901 of div. FF of Pub. L. 116–260section 901 of div. FF of Pub. L. 116–260section 2 of Pub. L. 110–278section 2056 of this titleSection is comprised of . Subsec. (c)(1) of amended , which is set out in a note under .