NJ S1370

New Jersey schools, community centers, and child care centers must obtain manufacturer certification that new flooring materials are mercury-free before construction permits can be issued for flooring projects.

Facilities with existing poured polyurethane flooring or other materials containing phenyl mercuric acetate (commonly installed between 1960 and 2005) must either certify the flooring is mercury-free, pass air quality assessments, or implement mitigation measures.

Flooring that fails to meet mercury vapor concentration standards after mitigation must be removed within six months, with disposal following Department of Environmental Protection hazardous waste regulations.

Manufacturers issuing false mercury-free certifications face civil penalties of $10,000 for first offenses and $25,000 for subsequent violations.

Facilities with mercury-containing flooring that passes initial air quality tests must conduct retesting every three years and maintain publicly accessible records, while the Department of Health will publish an online database of all tested facilities updated annually.