HOUSE BILL No. 6485

 

September 18, 2008, Introduced by Reps. Valentine, Byrnes, Warren, Vagnozzi, Alma Smith, Meadows, Donigan, Bauer, Miller, Tobocman, Sak, Coulouris and Condino and referred to the Committee on Great Lakes and Environment.

 

     A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled

 

"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"

 

by amending section 17201 (MCL 324.17201), as amended by 2006 PA

 

494, and by adding section 17208.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 17201. As used in this part:

 

     (a) "Appliance" means a refrigerator, dehumidifier, freezer,

 

oven, range, microwave oven, washer, dryer, dishwasher, trash

 

compactor, window room air conditioner, television, or computer.

 

Appliance does not include a home heating or central air-

 

conditioning system.

 

     (b) "Manufacturer" means a person that produces, imports, or

 

distributes mercury thermometers mercury-added products in this

 


state.

 

     (c) "Mercury-added novelty" means a mercury-added product

 

intended mainly for personal or household enjoyment or adornment.

 

Mercury-added novelty includes an item intended for use as a

 

practical joke, figurine, adornment, toy, game, card, ornament,

 

yard statue or figure, candle, jewelry, holiday decoration, item of

 

apparel including footwear, or similar product.

 

     (d) "Mercury-added product" means a product, a commodity, a

 

chemical, or a product with a component that contains mercury or a

 

mercury compound intentionally added to the product, commodity,

 

chemical, or component in order to provide a specific

 

characteristic, appearance, or quality, or to perform a specific

 

function, or for any other reason. Mercury-added product includes,

 

but is not limited to, laboratory chemicals, cleaning products,

 

cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, coating materials, measuring devices,

 

lamps, and switches that contain mercury or a mercury compound that

 

has been intentionally added. Mercury-added product does not

 

include a button cell battery or a product in which the only

 

mercury contained is within a button cell battery.

 

     (e) (c) "Mercury fever thermometer" means a mercury

 

thermometer used for measuring body temperature.

 

     (f) (d) "Mercury thermometer" means a product or component,

 

other than a dry cell battery, of a product used for measuring

 

temperature that contains mercury or a mercury compound

 

intentionally added to the product or component. Mercury

 

thermometer does not include a product or component of a product

 

that is used as a replacement for an existing thermometer that

 


measures temperature as part of a manufacturing process.

 

     (g) (e) "Thermostat" means a consumer product that uses a

 

switch that contains mercury or a mercury compound to sense and

 

control room temperature, including room temperature in

 

residential, commercial, industrial, and other buildings, by

 

communicating with heating, ventilating, or air-conditioning

 

equipment. Thermostat does not include a product used to control

 

temperature as part of a manufacturing device.

 

     Sec. 17208. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this section,

 

beginning July 1, 2010, a manufacturer of a mercury-added product

 

shall affix to each mercury-added product intended for sale in this

 

state or for use in this state labels that meet all of the

 

following requirements, as applicable:

 

     (a) Contain a statement using words or symbols, in a minimum

 

of 10-point font type, that informs the purchaser or user that the

 

product contains mercury or a mercury compound.

 

     (b) Are clearly visible to the purchaser or user prior to the

 

sale or use of the product. If the product is enclosed within a

 

package that prevents the label affixed to the product from being

 

clearly visible prior to sale or other distribution, the

 

manufacturer shall also affix a label that meets the requirements

 

of this subsection to the package. The requirement of this

 

subdivision to affix a label to a package does not apply to a

 

mercury-added product that is a refrigerator, freezer, oven, range,

 

washer, or dryer.

 

     (c) If the product consists of more than 1 component that

 

contains mercury or a mercury compound, are affixed to each

 


component that contains mercury or a mercury compound. However, the

 

manufacturer of a motor vehicle may comply with this subdivision by

 

affixing a label on the doorpost that lists the components of that

 

motor vehicle that contain mercury or a mercury compound.

 

     (d) Are constructed of materials that are sufficiently durable

 

to remain legible for the useful life of the product.

 

     (e) Using words or symbols, inform the purchaser or user that

 

the product should not be disposed of or placed in a waste stream

 

that is destined for disposal in a landfill or incinerator.

 

     (2) A manufacturer of a mercury-added product is in compliance

 

with this section if the manufacturer is in compliance with the

 

labeling requirements of another state that has labeling

 

requirements on those products and the state is a member of the

 

interstate mercury education and reduction clearinghouse. A

 

manufacturer shall provide documentation of its compliance with the

 

labeling requirements of another state to the department upon

 

request.

 

     (3) A person that offers a mercury-added product for final

 

sale or other distribution to an address in this state shall

 

clearly advise the purchaser or recipient at the point of sale or

 

other distribution that the product contains mercury or a mercury

 

compound. This subsection applies to all transactions in which the

 

purchaser or recipient is not able to view the labels required

 

under this section on the product or the package prior to the

 

purchase or receipt, including, but not limited to, catalogue,

 

telephone, and internet sales or promotional transactions.