H1040 • 2025

An Act ban the use of tire-derived materials in playgrounds and playing fields in Massachusetts

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: Jeffrey N. Roy (By Request)
Last action: 2026-03-30
Official status: Accompanied a study order, see H5307
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act ban the use of tire-derived materials in playgrounds and playing fields in Massachusetts

An Act ban the use of tire-derived materials in playgrounds and playing fields in Massachusetts By Representative Roy of Franklin (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

An Act ban the use of tire-derived materials in playgrounds and playing fields in Massachusetts By Representative Roy of Franklin (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
1040) of Tracy Stewart for legislation to further regulate the use of tire-derived materials in playgrounds and playing fields.
Environment and Natural Resources.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-03-30 House
Accompanied a study order, see H5307
2025-06-10 Joint
Hearing scheduled for 06/17/2025 from 01:00 PM-05:00 PM in A-1
2025-02-27 House
Referred to the committee on Environment and Natural Resources
2025-02-27 Senate
Senate concurred

Official Summary Text

An Act ban the use of tire-derived materials in playgrounds and playing fields in Massachusetts
By Representative Roy of Franklin (by request), a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1040) of Tracy Stewart for legislation to further regulate the use of tire-derived materials in playgrounds and playing fields. Environment and Natural Resources.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Bill H.1040

Whereas, the use of tire-derived materials, including but not limited to tire crumb rubber, ground tire rubber, shredded tires, rubberized asphalt, pour-in-place surfacing, recycled tire chips and tire-derived aggregates in playgrounds, playing fields, and landscaping has raised concerns about potential health and environmental hazards;

Therefore, be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

Section 1. For the purposes of this act

"Tire-derived materials" shall mean any material derived from the processing of discarded tires, including but not limited to: tire crumb rubber, ground tire rubber, shredded tires, rubberized asphalt, recycled tire chips, and tire-derived aggregates.

"Playground" shall mean any area designed for children's play, including but not limited to: Playgrounds in schools, parks, and residential areas; playgrounds in childcare facilities and early childhood education centers;

"Playing field" shall mean any area used for athletic activities, including but not limited to: sports fields for baseball, soccer, football, and other sports.

Section 2. No person shall install, construct, or maintain any playground or playing field surface that contains tire-derived materials. This prohibition shall apply to both new and existing playgrounds and playing fields.

Section 3. This act shall not apply to existing playground or playing field surfaces that were installed prior to the effective date of this act.

Section 4. The Department of Environmental Protection shall be responsible for enforcing the provisions of this act. The Department of Public Health] shall provide guidance and recommendations regarding safe surfacing materials for playgrounds and playing fields.

Section 5. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held to be invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications 1 of this act which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.

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