Today, the New York City Council introduced a bill, co-sponsored by Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum, requiring city playgrounds to post signage warning children not to walk or play on overheated mats. Below is an excerpt from her submitted testimony:
"According to reports published over the last several years,
young children have suffered severe burn injuries on the black rubber surfaces
installed in city playgrounds. One such report quotes hospital 
physicians who
treat more than a dozen children each year for burns from these mats. Apart from
the immediate physical danger posed by overheated mats, which can rise to as
much as 160 degrees on a hot day, they may also contribute to the urban heat
island effect...
With summer approaching and temperatures expected to rise, today’s legislation is the least we can do to warn parents and children explicitly of the dangers posed by these mats. With swift passage of this bill, and the timely posting of warning signs in city playgrounds, young children may be spared from severe burns in the coming months."
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