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History
- 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.
Relates to the collection of mercury containing thermostats
In Senate Committee · Environmental Conservation · Sponsor Robert Sweeney
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 the collection of mercury containing thermostats
Purpose or general idea of bill
The purpose of this bill is to encourage the safe collection of mercury-containing thermostats.
Summary of specific provisions
This bill would:
* require thermostat manufacturers, no later than June 1, 2011, to submit a plan to the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) establishing a collection program for out-of-service thermostats. The collection program, to be offered free of cost to contractors, service technicians and homeowners, would include, but not be limited to:
o an education and outreach program directed to retailers, contractors and homeowners;
o the distribution of containers for mercury-containing thermostats;
o measures to protect against the fraudulent return of mercury-containing thermostats;
o criteria to encourage the purchase of mercury-free thermostats;
o criteria to ensure that the capture rate of out-of-service mercury thermostats is maximized; and,
o a collection goal
* require manufacturers to implement their plans not later than December 1, 2011;
* require manufacturers, no later than June 2012 and annually thereafter, to submit a report to DEC identifying:
o the number of thermostats collected,
o the estimated total amount of mercury in the thermostats,
o an evaluation of the programs effectiveness, and
o an accounting of the administrative costs incurred.
* require DEC to:
o grant, deny or approve manufacturer collection plans within 90 days of submission,
o maintain a list of mercury-containing thermostat collection points,
o conduct education and outreach,
o issue annual reports on its website,
o estimate, by January 15, 2013, the number of out-of-service thermostats generated in New York on an annual basis;
o May require the modification of manufacturers plans, including the implementation of a financial collection incentive, to result in the
collection and recycling of at least 25 percent of the out-of-service mercury-containing thermostats statewide.
o beginning June 2015, shall require the modification of manufacturers plans, including the implementation of a financial collection incentive, to result in the collection and recycling of at least 65 percent of the out-of-service mercury-containing thermostats statewide.
Justification
Mercury has been proven to impair brain development. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that between 300,000 and 630,000 infants each year are born in the United States with mercury levels high enough to be associated with IQ loss. Each year, more than two million mercury-containing thermostats are discarded. Most states now ban the sale of new mercury containing thermostats, but despite disposal limitations, only a very small percentage of old thermostats are collected and recycled. The remainder enters the waste stream and poses the potential to pollute the environment. This bill would protect the environment and public health by requiring the establishment of a program to collect mercury-containing thermostats, ensuring they do not go on to cause harm to the public and the environment.
Prior legislative history
This is a new bill.
Fiscal implications
None to the State.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.