Outdoor Furniture and Playground Equipment

Approved December 11, 2025

Covered Products

• Outdoor furniture including but not limited to:
  • Tables
  • Benches
  • Chairs
  • Canopies
  • Bike Racks
• Playground structures including but not limited to:
  • Outdoor fitness and exercise equipment
  • Playground equipment

Exclusions

• Indoor furniture, see GreenNY Specification: Furniture
• Outdoor waste receptacles
• Playground surfaces
• Running tracks
• Fencing

Minimum Requirements

Products MUST have the following sustainability attributes:

• Wood products must have one of the following certifications:
  • Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) Certified
  • Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified
  • American Tree Farm System (ATFS) Certified
  • Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) Certified
• May also be labeled as Canadian Standards Association (CSA) Forest Management Certified
• Wood products shall not contain copper chromium arsenate (CCA), creosote, or pentachlorophenol (PCP)

Additional Desirable Attributes

Products are ENCOURAGED to have one or more of the following sustainability attributes:

• Contain total recycled content (TRC) post-consumer recycled content (PCRC) at levels compliant with EPA Comprehensive Procurement Guidelines (CPGs):
  • Plastic Portions: 100% TRC and 90% PCRC or higher
  • Plastic composite made using thermoplastic: 95% TRC and 50% PCRC or higher
  • Aluminum: 25% PCRC or higher

  • Steel: 25% TRC or higher

    Steel products typically contain 16% PCRC. Recycled content in steel outdoor furniture and playground structures does not need to be verified by the purchaser.

• Cradle to Cradle Certified
• GREENGUARD Certified
• Made by a Certified B Corp
• Made in the USA

Many products meeting this GreenNY Specification align with the following NYS sustainability policies:

• Executive Order 22: Leading by Example: Directing State Agencies to Adopt a Sustainability and Decarbonization Program
• Chromated Copper Arsenate Pressure Treat Lumber; Public Facilities Law
• Pollution Prevention Policy
• Prohibition on the Purchase of Tropical Hardwood Products Law

• GreenNY Sustainability Certifications and Standards
• GreenNY Sustainable Purchasing Definitions
• NYS Sustainability Policies
• Product Specific Resources
  • Lumber Pressure Treated with Chromated Copper Arsenate, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation

To support compliance with NYS policies and GreenNY procurement requirements, contract managers are encouraged to incorporate the GreenNY Sample Contract Language into bid solicitations and contracts. The GreenNY sample contract language covers the following topics:

• GreenNY Sales Reporting
• Packaging Language
• Product Labeling per GreenNY Specifications
• Takeback Services
• Verification of Vendor Compliance with GreenNY Requirements and Documentation of Desirable Attributes and Other Environmental Claims
  
   

Product-Specific Sample Contract Language

In addition to the GreenNY Sample Contract Language, contract managers are encouraged to include the following language in vendor contracts involving Outdoor Furniture and Playground Equipment:

Pursuant to NYS Chromated Copper Arsenate Pressure Treated Lumber; Public Facilities Law (ENV § 37-0109) the state, political subdivisions, school districts, public authorities, and state agencies are prohibited from constructing any structure or playground that uses lumber that is pressure treated with chromate copper arsenate. As such, vendors must not use lumber treated with chromated copper arsenate in outdoor furniture and playground purchased by a state entity. At the request of the purchaser, the vendor must provide verification of compliance with ENV § 37-0109.

Verification documentation may cover multiple products that are distributed, sold, or offered for sale by an individual vendor. The following types of verification documentation will be accepted:

• Third-party certification
• Product test results
• Compliance certification or affidavit signed by the manufacturer
• Other acceptable documentation as approved by the purchaser

• Chromated Copper Arsenate (CCA) – A chemical wood preservative that contains chromium, copper, and arsenic that is designed to protect wood from decay and pests like termites. CCA is commonly used to treat dimensional lumber and telephone poles.
• Creosote – Creosote is the generic term for a variety of wood preservatives that come from the high-temperature treatment of wood and coal tar. Pesticide products containing creosote as the active ingredient are used to protect against termites, fungi, mites, and other pests that can degrade or threaten the integrity of wood products. Creosote is a persistent chemical that accumulates in the environment and poses health risks such as cancer and reproductive impairment.
• Pentachlorophenol (PCP) – A persistent chemical used as an industrial pesticide and wood preservative commonly used to treat utility poles and cross arms.
• Plastic Composite - Material composed of plastic resin and at least one other material including but not limited to wood, sawdust and fiberglass.
• Thermoplastic - Plastics made of resins that soften when reheated. These plastics include but are not limited to high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET).