S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
8932
I N S E N A T E
April 1, 2024
___________
Introduced by Sen. HINCHEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to the
regulation of toxic substances in playground surfacing materials
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Article 37 of the environmental conservation law is
amended by adding a new title 4 to read as follows:
TITLE IV
REGULATION OF TOXIC SUBSTANCES IN PLAYGROUND SURFACING MATERIALS
SECTION 37-0401. DEFINITIONS.
37-0403. PROHIBITION ON SALE, DISTRIBUTION, OR OFFER FOR SALE OF
PLAYGROUND SURFACING MATERIALS CONTAINING PFAS, PAHS,
OR CERTAIN QUANTITIES OF LEAD.
37-0405. REQUIRED NOTIFICATION.
37-0407. VIOLATIONS.
§ 37-0401. DEFINITIONS.
AS USED IN THIS TITLE, THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING
MEANINGS:
1. "PLAYGROUND SURFACING MATERIALS" MEANS PRODUCTS, MATERIALS, OR
SUBSTANCES USED OR INSTALLED ON THE GROUND SURFACE OF A PLAYGROUND.
2. "PLAYGROUND" MEANS AN OUTDOOR RECREATION AREA FOR CHILDREN EQUIPPED
WITH ONE OR MORE PLAY STRUCTURES.
3. "MANUFACTURER" MEANS THE PERSON THAT MANUFACTURES A PRODUCT OR
WHOSE BRAND NAME IS AFFIXED TO THE PRODUCT. IN THE CASE OF A PRODUCT
IMPORTED INTO THE UNITED STATES, "MANUFACTURER" INCLUDES THE IMPORTER OR
FIRST DOMESTIC DISTRIBUTOR OF THE PRODUCT IF THE PERSON THAT MANUFAC-
TURED OR ASSEMBLED THE PRODUCT OR WHOSE BRAND NAME IS AFFIXED TO THE
PRODUCT DOES NOT HAVE A PRESENCE IN THE UNITED STATES.
4. "PFAS" MEANS PERFLUOROALKYL AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES AND
INCLUDES ANY MEMBER OF THE CLASS OF FLUORINATED ORGANIC CHEMICALS
CONTAINING AT LEAST ONE FULLY FLOURISHED CARBON ATOM.
5. "PAHS" MEANS POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS.
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14813-02-4
S. 8932 2
§ 37-0403. PROHIBITION ON SALE, DISTRIBUTION, OR OFFER FOR SALE OF PLAY-
GROUND SURFACING MATERIALS CONTAINING PFAS, PAHS, OR
CERTAIN QUANTITIES OF LEAD.
COMMENCING ON JANUARY FIRST, TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-SIX, NO PERSON SHALL
SELL, DISTRIBUTE, OR OFFER FOR SALE IN THIS STATE ANY PLAYGROUND SURFAC-
ING MATERIAL THAT CONTAINS PFAS, PAHS, OR MORE THAN NINETY PARTS PER
MILLION OF LEAD.
§ 37-0405. REQUIRED NOTIFICATION.
1. A MANUFACTURER OF PLAYGROUND SURFACING MATERIALS SOLD INTO THE
STATE SHALL PROVIDE PERSONS THAT OFFER THE PRODUCT FOR SALE OR
DISTRIBUTION IN THE STATE WITH A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE. THE CERTIF-
ICATE OF COMPLIANCE SHALL PROVIDE ASSURANCE, AT A MINIMUM, THAT THE
PRODUCT DOES NOT CONTAIN ANY INTENTIONALLY ADDED PFAS, PAHS, OR AN
AMOUNT OF LEAD THAT IS MORE THAN NINETY PARTS PER MILLION. ANY CERTIF-
ICATE OF COMPLIANCE PROVIDED UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE SIGNED BY AN
AUTHORIZED OFFICIAL OF THE MANUFACTURER.
2. IF PFAS, PAHS, OR AN AMOUNT OF LEAD THAT IS MORE THAN NINETY PARTS
PER MILLION ARE DISCOVERED IN PLAYGROUND SURFACING MATERIALS AFTER THE
ISSUANCE OF A CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE, THE MANUFACTURER SHALL RECALL
THE PLAYGROUND SURFACING MATERIALS AND REIMBURSE THE DISTRIBUTOR OR
RETAILER FOR THE PLAYGROUND SURFACING MATERIALS.
§ 37-0407. VIOLATIONS.
1. A VIOLATION OF ANY OF THE PROVISIONS OF THIS TITLE OR ANY RULE OR
REGULATION PROMULGATED PURSUANT THERETO SHALL BE PUNISHABLE IN THE CASE
OF A FIRST VIOLATION, BY A CIVIL PENALTY NOT TO EXCEED TEN THOUSAND
DOLLARS. IN THE CASE OF A SECOND AND ANY FURTHER VIOLATION, THE LIABIL-
ITY SHALL BE FOR A CIVIL PENALTY NOT TO EXCEED TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND
DOLLARS FOR EACH VIOLATION.
2. IF THE DEPARTMENT HAS REASON TO BELIEVE THAT A PLAYGROUND SURFACING
MATERIAL CONTAINS PFAS, PAHS, OR AN AMOUNT OF LEAD THAT IS MORE THAN
NINETY PARTS PER MILLION AND IS BEING DISTRIBUTED, SOLD, OR OFFERED
FOR SALE IN VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DIRECT THE
MANUFACTURER OF THE PLAYGROUND SURFACING MATERIALS TO, WITHIN THIRTY
DAYS:
(A) PROVIDE THE DEPARTMENT WITH INDEPENDENT, THIRD-PARTY LABORATORY
TEST RESULTS DEMONSTRATING THAT THE PLAYGROUND SURFACING MATERIALS DO
NOT CONTAIN PFAS, PAHS, OR AN AMOUNT OF LEAD THAT IS MORE THAN NINETY
PARTS PER MILLION; OR
(B) NOTIFY PERSONS WHO SELL THE PLAYGROUND SURFACING MATERIALS IN
THIS STATE THAT THE SALE OF THE PLAYGROUND SURFACING MATERIALS IS
PROHIBITED IN THIS STATE AND PROVIDE THE DEPARTMENT WITH A LIST OF THE
NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF THOSE NOTIFIED.
3. A DISTRIBUTOR OR RETAILER OF A PRODUCT, WHO IS NOT ALSO THE
MANUFACTURER OF THE PRODUCT, SHALL NOT BE HELD IN VIOLATION OF THIS
TITLE IF IT CAN SHOW THAT SUCH DISTRIBUTOR OR RETAILER RELIED IN GOOD
FAITH ON THE CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE PROVIDED FOR IN SUBDIVISION ONE
OF SECTION 37-0405 OF THIS TITLE OR THE RETAILER RECEIVED A NOTIFICATION
PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISION TWO OF THIS SECTION.
4. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL MAKE INFORMATION ABOUT ANY CITATION ISSUED
PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC ON ITS INTERNET
WEBSITE.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.