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History
- Referred to environmental conservation
- Referred to environmental conservation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Prohibits the use of mercury-containing gauges and manometers and the sale of mercury-containing fever thermometers
In Assembly Committee · Environmental Conservation · Sponsor Brian Kavanagh
Full text
The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to banning the use or sale of certain mercury products
Purpose
This legislation prohibits the use of mercury-containing gauges and manometers and the sale of mercury-containing fever thermometers.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 of the bill outlines the legislative intent, defines the terms, bans the use of mercury gauges or manometers used to test gas pressure in plumbing lines, and bans the sale of mercury fever thermometers.
Section 2 establishes a violation for the use of mercury gauges or manometers, and the sale of mercury fever thermometers, and subjects the imposition of a civil penalty not exceeding $150 for each single violation.
Existing law
Sale and use of mercury thermometers and mercury gauges or manometers are currently hot banned under New York State law.
Justification
Mercury is a highly toxic substance, and its use in mercury thermometers and gauges have been banned in Westchester County. While liquid mercury is not easily absorbed by the skin, vaporized mercury can be inhaled, causing a range of health effects from tremors and nausea at low levels of exposure, to irreversible brain and kidney damage at high levels. Children and pregnant women are especially at risk, since even small amounts of mercury exposure can cause serious developmental problems.
Mercury thermometers are known to pose a significant risk to public health and safety. "Health Care Without Harm," an international coalition of health care organizations, reported that in 1998, 18,000 calls were made to poison control centers and emergency rooms around the country because of broken mercury thermometers. Furthermore, mercury thermometers have been identified as the largest single source of mercury that is discarded in municipal solid waste, contributing as much as 17 tons per year, according to US Dept. of Environmental Protection Agency estimates.
Mercury manometers and gauges are used to test home gas lines for adequate pressure. During pressure tests gauges have been known to rupture, and, without properly handled clean-up, toxic mercury vapors can spread throughout the home.
Since safer substitute products are available that can be used in place of manometers to test and measure gas pressure, there will be no subsequent impacts associated with gas utilities as a result of banning this particular devise. Likewise, alternative fever thermometers that pose less risk to the environment are currently available, which can be purchased and used in place of mercury thermometers. A statewide ban is imperative to remove mercury from homes and the marketplace.
Legislative history
2007 S.1941/A.8410 Schneiderman/Kavanaugh - Referred to Environmental Conservation 2008 S.1941/A.8410 Schneiderman/Kavanaugh - Referred to Environmental Conservation
Fiscal implications
None.
Local fiscal implications
None.
Effective date
This act shall take effect one year after is shall have become a law.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.