Maryland, USA, Regulates Certain Chemicals in Playground Surface Materials

SafeGuardSHardgoodsMay 17, 2024

SG 78/24

The US state of Maryland has regulated lead and PFAS chemicals in playground surfacing materials. The restrictions will become effective on October 1, 2024.

On May 9, 2024, the governor of Maryland signed HB 1147 (Chapter 488) into law to regulate lead and PFAS chemicals in playground surfacing materials (artificial turfs).

The new law amends Code of Maryland Environment Title 6 by adding subtitle 16A ‘Playground Surfacing Materials’.

According to the definitions in the law, ‘PFAS chemicals’, ‘Playground’ and ‘Playground surfacing materials’ have the following meanings:

‘PFAS chemicals’ means a class of fluorinating organic chemicals that contain at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
‘Playground’ is defined as a public outdoor recreation area for children equipped with one or more play structures
‘Playground surfacing materials’ means products, materials, or substances used or installed on the ground surface of a playground that come into direct contact with a person

Highlights of HB 1147 are summarized in Table 1.

Substance	Scope	Requirement	Effective date
Lead	Playground surfacing materials¹	≤ 90 ppm	October 1, 2024²
PFAS chemicals	Playground surfacing materials¹	Prohibited if intentionally added	October 1, 2024²

Table 1

¹Manufacturer must establish a certificate of compliance (CoC) to attest compliance
²Install, supply, sell, solicit or offer for sale

Since January 2024, Maryland has regulated PFAS chemicals in the following products (SafeGuardS 55/22):

Class B firefighting foams
Food packages substantially composed of paper, paperboard, or other materials derived from plant-fibers
Plastic disposable gloves used in commercial or institution food service
Rugs and carpets

With an extensive global network of highly experienced technicians and local state-of-the-art laboratories, SGS’s Restricted Substance Testing Service (RSTS) has developed a one-stop solution for manufacturers and suppliers. Discover more on our website, visit our RSTS cloud and contact us if you would like to learn more about how SGS can support. In the end, it’s only trusted because it’s tested.

^{© SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA. This publication or website is a property of SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA. All contents including website designs, text, and graphics contained herein are owned by or licensed to SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA. The information provided is for technical and general information purposes only and offers no legal advice. The information is no substitute for professional legal advice to ensure compliance with the applicable laws and regulations. All information is provided in good faith “as is”, and SGS Société Générale de Surveillance SA makes no representation or warranty of any kind, express or implied, and does not warrant that the information will be error-free or meet any particular criteria of performance or quality.}