Recently, the governor of the U.S. state of New York signed S4630B and S7737 to approve and amend the Home and Firefighter Protection Act to restrict the use of certain flame retardants in upholstered furniture, mattresses and electronic displays. The bill provides for fines of up to $1,000 per day for first-time offenders and up to $2,500 per day for repeat offenders.
The main requirements of the Act are as follows
definition:
"Electronic Display" means a consumer product with a display screen and related electronic devices whose primary function is to display visual information from wired or wireless resources that can be purchased by an individual or family for use by an individual within a residential space. However, it does not include:
1. Any electronic display with a screen area of less than or equal to 100 square centimeters or fifteen and a half square inches;
2. Projector;
3. Virtual reality headset;
4. Integrated video conferencing system; or
5. Displays that are integrated with appliances and cannot be purchased by the end user as a separate product.
"Covered flame retardants" means any chemical that meets both of the following conditions:
A. The functional use of chemicals is to prevent or inhibit the spread of fire or as a synergist for chemicals that prevent or inhibit the spread of fire;
B. A chemical is one of the halide, organophosphorus-based, organozo-based or nano-sized chemicals:
1. "Halogenated chemicals" means chemicals containing one or more halogen elements (including fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine);
2. "Organophosphorus-based chemicals" means chemicals containing one or more carbon elements and one or more phosphorus elements;
3. "Organic nitrogen-based chemicals" means chemicals containing one or more carbon elements and one or more nitrogen elements.
"Organohalogen flame retardant" means any chemical that meets both of the following conditions:
Chemicals containing one or more halogen elements (including fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine) bound to carbon.