S 1129: Prohibits the sale, offer for sale, or distribution of foam flotation docks, buoys and floating structures in the state where such foam flotation is not fully encapsulated to prevent degradation into the environment.
The proposed law aims to protect the environment by banning the use of unencapsulated foam flotation in docks, buoys, and floating structures. This ban applies to materials such as expanded polystyrene, polyurethane foam, and other plastic foams designed to provide flotation or buoyancy. The law defines these materials as foam flotation and prohibits their use in docks, buoys, and floating structures as of the bill's effective date. The ban aims to prevent the exposure and degradation of foam flotation into the environment. The law applies to all sellers, offerers, and distributors of docks, buoys, and floating structures using unencapsulated foam flotation. The ban takes effect immediately upon the bill's passage.
| Jun. 05, 2026 | COMMITTED TO RULES |
| Apr. 27, 2026 | AMENDED ON THIRD READING 1129B |
| Feb. 09, 2026 | ADVANCED TO THIRD READING |
| Feb. 05, 2026 | 2ND REPORT CAL. |
| Feb. 04, 2026 | 1ST REPORT CAL.257 |
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 1129 2025-2026 Regular Sessions IN SENATE January 8, 2025 ___________ Introduced by Sen. MAY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Environmental Conservation AN ACT to amend the environmental conservation law, in relation to banning the use of polystyrene foam docks, buoys and floating struc- tures The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Article 27 of the environmental conservation law is amended 2 by adding a new title 34 to read as follows: 3 TITLE 34 4 POLYSTYRENE FOAM DOCKS BAN 5 Section 27-3401. Definitions. 6 27-3403. Prohibition on polystyrene docks, buoys, and floating 7 structures. 8 § 27-3401. Definitions. 9 For the purposes of this title, the following terms shall have the 10 following meanings: 11 1. "Buoy" means any float or marker that is attached to a mooring 12 anchor and either is suitable for attachment to a boat through the use 13 of a pennant or other device or facilitates the attachment of the boat 14 to the mooring anchor. 15 2. "Dock" means an unenclosed structure secured to land, land under 16 waters, a mooring, or a floating structure that is used for mooring 17 boats or for recreational activities, such as a swimming, fishing, or 18 sunbathing platform. A dock includes a structure that is partially 19 enclosed or has two or more levels. 20 3. "Expanded polystyrene foam" means a thermoplastic petrochemical 21 material utilizing the styrene monomer that is processed according to 22 multiple techniques including fusion of polymer spheres, injection mold- 23 ing, form molding, and extrusion-blow molding. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD03415-01-5S. 1129 2 1 4. "Extruded polystyrene foam" means polystyrene foam manufactured via 2 an extrusion process where plastic resin and other additives are 3 combined and extruded through a die, before cooling and expanding into 4 its final shape. 5 5. "Rigid polystyrene" means plastic made from rigid polystyrene resin 6 that has not been expanded, extruded, or foamed. 7 6. "Floating structure" means a structure constructed on or in waters 8 of the state that is supported by flotation and is secured in place by a 9 piling or mooring anchor, including boathouses, fueling structures, 10 navigation markers, floating homes, marinas, walkways, or boarding plat- 11 forms. 12 § 27-3403. Prohibition on polystyrene docks, buoys, and floating struc- 13 tures. 14 Beginning January first, two thousand twenty-seven, no person shall 15 sell, offer to sell, or distribute docks, buoys, or floating structures 16 made with expanded polystyrene foam, extruded polystyrene foam, or rigid 17 polystyrene. 18 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.