What's happening
This bill bans the sale of residential upholstered furniture containing intentionally-added chemical flame retardants in New York State.
Why it matters
Potential health benefits. Chemical flame retardants, especially those that are halogenated or phosphorus-bromine based, have been linked to health concerns such as hormone disruption, cancer, and developmental effects, so banning their use in furniture could reduce these risks in homes.
Shifts in manufacturing and consumer products. Furniture manufacturers and retailers would need to adapt by removing these chemicals from their products, potentially changing materials or production processes and possibly influencing national standards.
Resale market unaffected. The law specifically exempts resale or second-hand furniture, which means used furniture containing these chemicals can still circulate, partially limiting the scope of exposure reduction.
Role of state environmental regulation. By authorizing the Department of Environmental Conservation to issue regulations, New York is positioning itself to enforce and potentially expand oversight on chemical safety in consumer products, setting a precedent for other states.
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Who cares
Furniture retailers
The bill would prohibit selling or offering residential upholstered furniture containing intentionally added chemical flame retardants covered by its definition beginning July 1, 2020.
Residential upholstered furniture manufacturers
Products containing intentionally added halogenated or phosphorus-bromine flame retardants would be barred from sale in New York.
Consumers reselling or distributing used furniture
The bill would exempt residential upholstered furniture resold, offered for resale or distributed by consumers for consumer use.
Department of Environmental Conservation
The commissioner would be authorized to issue rules and regulations needed to implement the restrictions.
Headline styles
Ban Flame Retardants in Furniture
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
26 Co-sponsors
- William Magnarelli
- Marianne Buttenschon
- Monica P. Wallace
- Anthony D'Urso
- Harry B. Bronson
- John T. McDonald III
- Phil Steck
- Brian Manktelow
- Walter T. Mosley
- Linda Rosenthal
- Fred Thiele
- Felix Ortiz
- William Colton
- Jaime R. Williams
- Sandy Galef
- Richard Gottfried
- Charles Barron
- Karines Reyes
- Judy Griffin
- Albert A. Stirpe
- Jonathan Jacobson
- Robert C. Carroll
- Rebecca Seawright
- Deborah Glick
- Joe DeStefano
- Pamela J. Hunter
1 Multi-sponsor
History
- Ordered to third reading cal.233
- Amended on third reading 6260a
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.147
- Rules report cal.147
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to codes
- 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.
Ban Chemical Flame Retardants
In Senate Committee · Environmental Conservation · Sponsor Pete Harckham
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
6260--A R. R. 147
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
March 4, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. GUNTHER, MAGNARELLI, BUTTENSCHON, WALLACE, D'URSO, BRONSON, McDONALD, STECK, MANKTELOW, MOSLEY, L. ROSENTHAL, THIELE, ORTIZ, COLTON, WILLIAMS, GALEF, GOTTFRIED, BARRON -- Multi- Sponsored by -- M. of A. ENGLEBRIGHT -- read once and referred to the Committee on Environmental Conservation -- reported and referred to the Committee on Codes -- reported and referred to the Committee on Rules -- amended on the special order of third reading, ordered reprinted as amended, retaining its place on the special order of third reading
AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to prohibiting the use of chemical flame retardants
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Article 37 of the environmental conservation law is amended by adding a new title 9 to read as follows:
TITLE 9
CHEMICAL FLAME RETARDANTS Section 37-0901. Definitions.
37-0903. Prohibition on the use of chemical flame retardants. § 37-0901. Definitions. As used in this title:
1. "Chemical flame retardants" shall mean any halogenated chemical flame retardant, including but not limited to TDCPP Tris (1, 3 Dicholoro-2-propyl) phosphate, and any Phosphorus-Bromine flame retardants.
2. "Residential upholstered furniture" shall mean a sofa, loveseat, chair, ottoman, footstool, or other item of furniture, intended for indoor use in a home that consists, in whole or in part, of leather, plastic, fabric or other material that contains cotton, wool, polyurethane or other natural or synthetic material that is placed in cushions or on the frame of the furniture. § 37-0903. Prohibition on the use of chemical flame retardants.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD03674-02-9
A. 6260--A 2
1. Beginning July first, two thousand twenty, no person, firm, partnership, association, limited liability company or corporation shall sell or offer for sale any residential upholstered furniture that contains chemical flame retardants intentionally-added in order to provide a specific characteristic, appearance or quality, to perform a specific function, or for any other purpose.
2. The provisions of this section shall not apply to the sale or distribution of residential upholstered furniture resold or offered for resale, or distributed by consumers for consumer use.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law. Effective immediately, the commissioner of environmental conservation is authorized to promulgate any rules and regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this act on or before such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.