Bill Text: NY A01851 | 2013-2014 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Requires flooring contractor to remove used carpeting from the premises of a customer's property; requires such contractors to manage used carpeting in accordance with the state solid waste management policy; provides for the reuse and recycling of used carpeting by localities.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-01-18 - reference changed to environmental conservation [A01851 Detail]

Download: New_York-2013-A01851-Introduced.html
                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         1851
                              2013-2014 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                      (PREFILED)
                                    January 9, 2013
                                      ___________
       Introduced by M. of A. MAISEL -- read once and referred to the Committee
         on Consumer Affairs and Protection
       AN ACT to amend the general business law and the environmental conserva-
         tion law, in relation to the reuse and recycling of carpeting
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. Section 770 of the  general  business  law  is  amended  by
    2  adding three new subdivisions 8, 9 and 10 to read as follows:
    3    8.  "CARPETING" MEANS ANY MANUFACTURED FLOOR COVERING THAT IS COMPOSED
    4  OF A VISIBLE TOP SURFACE OF FIBERS, YARNS OR TUFTS ATTACHED TO A BACKING
    5  MADE OF SYNTHETIC OR NATURAL MATERIALS. CARPETING INCLUDES, BUT  IS  NOT
    6  LIMITED  TO,  COMMERCIAL  OR  RESIDENTIAL  BROADLOOM  CARPET, OR MODULAR
    7  CARPET TILES.  CARPETING  INCLUDES  THE  PAD  OR  UNDERLAYMENT  USED  IN
    8  CONJUNCTION  WITH  A  CARPET. SUCH TERM SHALL NOT INCLUDE HANDMADE RUGS,
    9  AREA RUGS OR MATS.
   10    9. "FLOORING AND FLOOR COVERING"  MEANS  MATERIAL  USED  TO  MAKE  THE
   11  SURFACE  OF  A  FLOOR ABOVE THE SUB-FLOOR INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO,
   12  CARPETING; LINOLEUM,  VINYL  OR  RUBBER  ROLLS  AND  TILE;  NATURAL  AND
   13  SYNTHETIC  STONE  TILES; OR PLANKS, SECTIONS OR SQUARES CUT OR ASSEMBLED
   14  FROM WOOD, BARK, OR OTHER PLANT OR SYNTHETIC MATERIALS.
   15    10. "FLOORING AND FLOOR COVERING CONTRACTOR" MEANS ANY PERSON OR ENTI-
   16  TY WHICH OPERATES A BUSINESS THAT INSTALLS, REPLACES OR REMOVES FLOORING
   17  OR FLOOR COVERING, OR THAT UNDERTAKES, OFFERS TO UNDERTAKE OR AGREES  TO
   18  INSTALL, REPLACE OR REMOVE FLOORING OR FLOOR COVERING FOR A FEE; AND FOR
   19  WHICH  THE  TOTAL  COST  OF ALL OF HIS OR HER FLOORING OR FLOOR COVERING
   20  CONTRACTS WITH ALL ITS  CUSTOMERS  EXCEEDS  ONE  THOUSAND  FIVE  HUNDRED
   21  DOLLARS  DURING ANY PERIOD OF TWELVE CONSECUTIVE MONTHS. SUCH TERM SHALL
   22  NOT INCLUDE A PERSON, FIRM, CORPORATION,  LANDLORD,  COOPERATIVE  CORPO-
   23  RATION,  CONDOMINIUM  BOARD  OF MANAGERS, JOINT TENANT OR CO-TENANT THAT
   24  OWNS, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, THE REAL PROPERTY TO BE IMPROVED.
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD04352-01-3
       A. 1851                             2
    1    S 2. The general business law is amended by adding a new section 771-b
    2  to read as follows:
    3    S  771-B. RESPONSIBILITIES OF FLOORING AND FLOOR COVERING CONTRACTORS.
    4  1. EVERY FLOORING AND FLOOR COVERING CONTRACTOR WHO REMOVES USED CARPET-
    5  ING FROM A CUSTOMER'S FLOOR OR SUB-FLOOR  SHALL  REMOVE  SUCH  CARPETING
    6  FROM  THE  PREMISES  OF SUCH CUSTOMER'S PROPERTY NOT LATER THAN THE TIME
    7  THE CONTRACTED WORK IS COMPLETED.
    8    2. EVERY FLOORING AND  FLOOR  COVERING  CONTRACTOR  SHALL  MANAGE  AND
    9  UTILIZE  ALL  USED  CARPETING,  RECOVERED  PURSUANT  TO THIS SECTION, IN
   10  ACCORDANCE WITH THE STATE  SOLID  WASTE  MANAGEMENT  POLICY  ESTABLISHED
   11  PURSUANT TO SECTION 27-0106 OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION LAW.
   12    3.  NOTWITHSTANDING THE PROVISIONS OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF THIS SECTION,
   13  A FLOORING AND FLOOR COVERING CONTRACTOR SHALL NOT BE REQUIRED TO REMOVE
   14  USED CARPETING FROM THE PREMISES OF A CUSTOMER'S PROPERTY WHEN:
   15    (A) THE CUSTOMER REQUESTS TO RETAIN CUSTODY OF ALL OR ANY  PORTION  OF
   16  THE USED CARPETING, AND THE FLOORING AND FLOOR COVERING CONTRACTOR:
   17    (1)  REMOVES  ALL  USED CARPETING WHICH THE CUSTOMER DOES NOT ELECT TO
   18  RETAIN CUSTODY OF,
   19    (2) INFORMS THE CUSTOMER THAT HE OR SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE  PROPER
   20  MANAGEMENT OF THE USED CARPETING IN ACCORDANCE WITH LOCAL LAWS AND ORDI-
   21  NANCES, AND
   22    (3)  OBTAINS A STATEMENT, SIGNED BY THE CUSTOMER, ATTESTING THAT HE OR
   23  SHE HAS ELECTED TO RETAIN CUSTODY OF  USED  CARPETING,  THE  APPROXIMATE
   24  SQUARE  YARDAGE OF THE RETAINED USED CARPETING AND ACKNOWLEDGING THAT HE
   25  OR SHE HAS BEEN INFORMED OF HIS OR HER  RESPONSIBILITY  FOR  THE  PROPER
   26  MANAGEMENT  OF  THE  USED CARPETING, INCLUDING ANY COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH
   27  THE COLLECTION THEREOF BY OR ON BEHALF OF THE APPROPRIATE  MUNICIPALITY,
   28  OR BY A CONTRACTED RECYCLING OR WASTE HAULER; OR
   29    (B)  THE  CUSTOMER'S  MUNICIPALITY  OPERATES OR HAS CONTRACTED FOR THE
   30  OPERATION OF A PROGRAM WHICH ACCEPTS USED CARPETING FROM THE  CUSTOMER'S
   31  PREMISES,  AND  REUSES  OR RECYCLES USED CARPETING AT A RATE OF NOT LESS
   32  THAN FIFTY PERCENT, BY WEIGHT, OF THE USED  CARPETING  IT  RECEIVES,  AS
   33  APPROVED BY THE COMMISSIONER OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION.
   34    S  3.  Section  773 of the general business law is amended by adding a
   35  new subdivision 4 to read as follows:
   36    4. CARPETING VIOLATIONS. ANY FLOORING AND  FLOOR  COVERING  CONTRACTOR
   37  WHO  IS  FOUND  TO  HAVE VIOLATED ANY PROVISION OF SECTION SEVEN HUNDRED
   38  SEVENTY-ONE-B OF THIS ARTICLE SHALL BE SUBJECT TO A CIVIL PENALTY OF NOT
   39  MORE THAN TWO HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS FOR EACH VIOLATION THEREOF.
   40    S 4. Article 27 of the environmental conservation law  is  amended  by
   41  adding a new title 29 to read as follows:
   42                                  TITLE 29
   43                             CARPETING REUSE AND
   44                                  RECYCLING
   45  SECTION 27-2901. DEFINITIONS.
   46          27-2903. MANAGEMENT OF USED CARPETING.
   47  S 27-2901. DEFINITIONS.
   48    AS USED IN THIS TITLE:
   49    1.  "CARPETING" MEANS ANY MANUFACTURED FLOOR COVERING THAT IS COMPOSED
   50  OF A VISIBLE TOP SURFACE OF FIBERS, YARNS OR TUFTS ATTACHED TO A BACKING
   51  MADE OF SYNTHETIC OR NATURAL MATERIALS. CARPETING INCLUDES, BUT  IS  NOT
   52  LIMITED  TO,  COMMERCIAL  OR  RESIDENTIAL  BROADLOOM  CARPET, OR MODULAR
   53  CARPET TILES.  CARPETING  INCLUDES  THE  PAD  OR  UNDERLAYMENT  USED  IN
   54  CONJUNCTION  WITH  A  CARPET. SUCH TERM SHALL NOT INCLUDE HANDMADE RUGS,
   55  AREA RUGS OR MATS.
       A. 1851                             3
    1    2. "PLANNING UNIT" SHALL HAVE THE SAME MEANING AS IS ASCRIBED TO  SUCH
    2  TERM  PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (A) OF SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION 27-0107 OF
    3  THIS ARTICLE.
    4  S 27-2903. MANAGEMENT OF USED CARPETING.
    5    1.  ANY  PLANNING UNIT OR MUNICIPALITY THEREIN MAY ESTABLISH A PROGRAM
    6  TO MANAGE USED CARPETING FOR REUSE OR RECYCLING IN ACCORDANCE  WITH  THE
    7  STATE  SOLID  WASTE  MANAGEMENT  POLICY  ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION
    8  27-0106 OF THIS ARTICLE.
    9    2. A PLANNING UNIT OR PARTICIPATING  MUNICIPALITY  THAT  MANAGES  USED
   10  CARPETING  IN  ANY  ASPECT SHALL INCLUDE A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROCESS IN
   11  ITS LOCAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN OR ANY COMPONENT REQUIRED  THEREIN
   12  INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO:
   13    (A) ANY EXISTING MEANS BY WHICH USED CARPETING IS MANAGED IN THE PLAN-
   14  NING UNIT OR BY THE MUNICIPALITIES; AND
   15    (B)  AN  EVALUATION  OF  ALTERNATIVES  TO DISPOSAL METHODS TO INCREASE
   16  REDUCTION, REUSE AND RECYCLING OF USED CARPETING.
   17    3. NO PLANNING UNIT, MUNICIPALITY, ENTITY ACTING ON BEHALF OF A  MUNI-
   18  CIPALITY  OR  WASTE  HAULER  SHALL  COLLECT USED CARPETING, THAT EXCEEDS
   19  THREE FEET IN LENGTH, FROM CURBSIDE OR ROADSIDE, UNLESS IT EMPLOYS:
   20    (A) A CARPETING REUSE OR RECYCLING PROGRAM  WHICH  RECOVERS  AT  LEAST
   21  FIFTY PERCENT BY WEIGHT OF ALL USED CARPETING COLLECTED; OR
   22    (B)  ANOTHER MEANS OF PROMOTING THE REUSE OR RECYCLING OF USED CARPET-
   23  ING APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT.
   24    S 5. This act shall take effect immediately,  provided  that  sections
   25  one, two and three of this act shall take effect January 1, 2014.
feedback