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S1911Senate2015-2016 SessionSame asA4732

Provides for disposal of automotive mercury switches

Sponsor Carl L. MarcellinoSD-5Affects Environment & Energy
Status
In Senate Committee
Environmental Conservation
Impact
Pending
Passage
Pending

Bill progress

Step 2 of 7

In committee · Environmental Conservation

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Who cares

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Sponsors

Primary sponsor
Carl L. Marcellino

Senator · Senate District 5

Chair, Infrastructure And Capital InvestmentChair, Investigations And Government Operations

No co-sponsors yet.

History

  1. Referred to environmental conservation
  2. 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.

A4732Assembly

Provides for disposal of automotive mercury switches

In Assembly Committee · Environmental Conservation · Sponsor William Colton

Full text

The text isn't available here yet. Check nysenate.gov.

Sponsor's memo

BILL NUMBER:S1911

Title of bill

An act to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to the disposal and removal of mercury switches from automobiles

Purpose

To establish a motor vehicle mercury switch recovery program for auto manufacturers to remove and safely dispose of mercury switching components within the vehicle.

Summary of provisions

Section 1: § 27-2101 is added to create three definitions of "mercury switch", "end of life vehicle" and "automobile recycler"

Section 2: The bill adds a new § 27-2119 to Article 27 of the environmental conservation law to establish a program of removal, collection and recovery of motor vehicle mercury switches. Motor vehicle manufacturers who have sold vehicles containing mercury switches must submit a recycling plan to the department of motor vehicles for end of life vehicles. The plan must include information identifying the vehicles from which the switches were removed, and the acceptable methods of switch removal, storage and collection. Upon approval by the department, the plan must be implemented by the manufacturer within 30 days.

The bill also requires automotive recyclers to remove and properly store all motor vehicle mercury switches and certify that they have been properly removed prior to destroying a vehicle. Automotive recyclers would be reimbursed for their labor and storage costs by a four dollar per switch fee to be charged to the manufacturer.

Section 3: Effective date.

Justification

The dangers of mercury contamination have been well documented as threats to our environment. Mercury has a documented history of bio-accumulation and poses a danger to fish and women of child bearing age as well as other individuals. It has been estimated that there may be more than 200 tons of mercury containing vehicles currently operating in this continent alone. This program places the cost for removal upon the manufacturer who originally placed the vehicle in the stream of commerce and should bear the ultimate responsibility for ensuring this contaminant is not re-released into the environment.

Legislative history

2013-14: S. 4318 Environmental Conservation/A. 1604 Environmental Conservation 2011-12. S. 3408 Environmental Conservation/A. 1240 Environmental Conservation 2009-10: A. 10262/Environmental Conservation

Fiscal implications

None

Effective date

This act shall take effect on the first of January next succeeding the date on which it shall have become a law; provided that effective immediately any rules, regulations and actions necessary to implement the provisions of this act on its effective date are authorized to be commenced and completed prior to such date.

Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.