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S 2796Pollution & Waste

State Affairs and Government - Department of Environmental Management

This bill requires the Department of Environmental Management to track the installation, life cycle, and disposal of artificial turf fields.

Introduced
Population
Affected
15
Email Legislator
Introduced Mar 4, 2026Committee Senate Environment & Agriculture

Plain-English Summary

This legislation mandates the creation of a "chain of custody" tracking system for artificial turf installed on sports and playing fields in Rhode Island. The Department of Environmental Management (DEM) is tasked with establishing this system to monitor turf from installation through disposal or recycling. Owners or "custodians" of fields larger than 5,000 square feet—such as schools, universities, and private clubs—must report details including location, materials used, and disposal methods to the DEM. The DEM must also maintain a publicly accessible website displaying this data. Violations of reporting requirements can result in civil penalties up to $5,000.

For younger readers

This bill is about keeping track of the fake grass used on big sports fields, which is called artificial turf. Sometimes this turf is made of materials that need to be thrown away carefully when they get old. The government wants to know exactly where this turf is installed and where it goes when it is removed. The people who own the fields, like schools or sports clubs, will have to tell the government details about the turf. The government will put this information on a website so everyone can see it to make sure the turf is handled safely.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Public and Private SchoolsMunicipalitiesPrivate Athletic ClubsArtificial Turf InstallersArtificial Turf Manufacturers
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
Amount unknown
Estimated revenue
Amount unknown

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Promotes environmental justice and community health by creating transparency regarding the composition and disposal of potentially hazardous synthetic materials used in communities.
  • Establishes a necessary regulatory framework to prevent the illegal dumping of massive amounts of non-biodegradable waste, protecting local ecosystems and water sources.
  • Empowers the public with accessible data through a mandated website, allowing communities to monitor the environmental footprint of local institutions and hold them accountable.
  • Fails to ban or restrict the use of artificial turf containing potentially toxic chemicals (like PFAS), focusing only on tracking rather than elimination.
  • Places the administrative and potential financial burden of reporting and compliance on public schools and municipalities that may already be underfunded.
  • The civil penalties, while intended to enforce compliance, could effectively take money away from educational or recreational budgets in lower-income districts if they fail to file paperwork on time.
For Conservatives
  • Ensures that entities utilizing artificial turf are held responsible for their own waste, preventing the externalization of disposal costs onto the general public or neighboring property owners.
  • Provides transparency regarding taxpayer-funded assets in public schools and municipal facilities, allowing citizens to see how long expensive fields last and how they are managed.
  • Focuses on data collection and reporting rather than imposing heavy-handed bans or mandates on what types of materials private entities are allowed to purchase.
  • Expands the size and scope of the Department of Environmental Management, creating a new government database and bureaucracy that requires taxpayer funding to maintain.
  • Imposes new regulatory red tape and reporting requirements on private businesses, athletic clubs, and private schools, interfering with their operations.
  • Grants the state the power to levy significant fines ($5,000) against private entities for administrative paperwork errors regarding their own property.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 78 additions

SECTION 1. Purpose and findings. The purpose of this act is to require: (1) The department of environment management ("department") to establish a system to track the chain of custody of artificial turf installed on sports and playing fields in the state; (2) The custodian of artificial turf sports or playing field installed in the state to report chain of custody information to the department on or before a certain date or within a certain amount of time after the completion of the installation, whichever is later; (3) The new custodian of artificial turf that was removed after the chain of custody information was reported to the department under this act to report updated chain of custody information to the department; (4) The department to serve as the custodian for chain of custody information submitted under this act and develop and maintain a website that includes certain chain of custody information.

SECTION 2. Chapter 42-17.2 of the General Laws entitled "Ski Tramways" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 42-17.2-47. Environment -- Artificial turf -- Chain of custody.

(a) Definitions. When used in this section, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

(1) "Artificial turf" has the same meaning as defined in § 23-18.18-3 and that:

(i) Is intended to have, or incidentally has, an appearance that mimics grass;

(ii) Functions as a replacement for grass;

(iii) Has the primary purpose of being used as an indoor or outdoor sports or playing field;

(iv) Is at least five thousand square feet (5,000 ft2) in size; and

(v) Includes shock pads and turf infill.

(2) "Custodian" means a person who owns or is in control of artificial turf in the state or any current or subsequent owner of a property on which there is existing artificial turf. Custodians may also include those in control of charter schools, daycare centers, colleges and universities, municipal athletic facilities, private athletic clubs, or other facilities where artificial turf is used.

(3) "Department" means the department of environmental management.

(4) "Producer" means a person who owns or licenses a trademark or brand under which artificial turf is sold, offered for sale, distributed, or offered for promotional purposes in the state; or imports artificial turf into the state for sale or distribution.

(5) "Turf infill" means a material that:

(i) Is poured on top of artificial turf to hold artificial turf blades in place;

(ii) Weighs down the artificial turf in order that it does not develop wrinkles or buckle;

(iii) Mimics the impact absorption properties of soil under natural grass; and

(iv) Includes shredded or granulated tire, rubber, silica sand, or other material that is used as infill on artificial turf.

(b) The department shall establish a system to track the chain of custody of artificial turf installed on sports and playing fields in the state, from the transportation, installation, and removal of the artificial turf to its reuse, recycling, and final disposal.

(c) On or before January 1, 2027, or within thirty (30) days after the completion of the installation, whichever is later, the custodian of artificial turf sports or playing field installed in the state, including a replacement or brand new artificial turf sports or playing field, shall report to the department the following information:

(1) The geographic location and street address of the installed artificial turf;

(2) The name, address, and contact information of:

(i) The custodian of the artificial turf;

(ii) The producer of the artificial turf; and

(iii) The business or contractor that installed the artificial turf;

(3) The type and brand of artificial turf installed, to include detailed information on the composition of the infill and whether the turf is indoors or outdoors;

(4) The area of the artificial turf in square feet;

(5) The weight of the artificial turf;

(6) The date the artificial turf was installed;

(7) The distance to and name of the nearest down gradient surface body of water; and

(8) Any other information required by the department. (d)(1) Except as provided in subsection (d)(2) of this section, if the artificial turf is removed after the chain of custody information is reported to the department under subsection (b) of this section, the new custodian of the artificial turf shall report to the department:

(i) The new geographic location and street address of the artificial turf;

(ii) The name, address, and contact information of:

(A) The transporter of the artificial turf; and

(B) The new custodian of the artificial turf;

(iii) The area of the artificial turf in square feet;

(iv) To the extent practicable, the weight of the artificial turf;

(v) How the artificial turf is used at the new location, including whether the artificial turf is recycled, processed for final disposal, or used to refurbish or replace a sports or playing field;

(vi) If the artificial turf is installed at a sports or playing field, the date of installation; and

(vii) Any other information reasonably related to the chain of custody of artificial turf, as required by the department.

(2) A new custodian of artificial turf that transports the artificial turf for use or disposal out-of-state shall report to the department the information required under subsections (d)(1)(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), and (vii) of this section.

(e) Chain of custody information shall be:

(1) Reported in writing to the department; and

(2) In a form required by the department.

(f) A custodian shall not be penalized for variation in the weight totals reported under subsection (d) of this section.

(g) The department shall:

(1) Serve as the repository for the chain of custody information submitted under this section; and

(2) Maintain the chain of custody information permanently; and

(3) Develop and maintain a publicly accessible website on or before July 1, 2028, that includes:

(i) The chain of custody information submitted to the department under this section; and

(ii) The names and contact information of each custodian that provided the chain of custody information. (h)(1) With regard to violations subject to subsection (c) of this section, a person that violates the provisions of this section is subject to a civil penalty not exceeding five thousand dollars ($5,000).

(2) A penalty shall not be imposed under this section unless a person is first issued a written notice of violation.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.