08142006 美國多州加強監管含汞產品 (上)

美國多州加強監管含汞產品(下)

美國越來越多州在監管含汞產品方面相當積極。眾所皆知，汞是一種有毒重金屬，會在環境、動物及人體內累積。由於汞經常被廣泛使用，其後又釋放到環境中，因此引起很大關注，在美國東北部尤甚。因此，許多州已針對含汞產品訂立標籤規定，並禁止銷售若干類含汞產品。以下概述包括：馬里蘭州、麻薩諸塞州、明尼蘇達州、紐約州、羅德島州、佛蒙特州以及華盛頓州等各大州對含汞產品的監管工作。

◎ 馬里蘭州
馬里蘭州禁售汞探熱計，經醫生處方提供的除外。禁令並不適用於供醫院或專業醫療服務機構使用的探熱計，以及裝有含汞鈕型電池的數碼溫度計。此外，含汞產品須依照州法例加上標籤。

◎ 麻薩諸塞州
麻薩諸塞州禁止銷售及分發汞探熱計，持牌醫生處方或認為有醫學需要的情況除外。禁令並不適用於使用含汞鈕型電池的數碼溫度計。該州正考慮制訂更全面的含汞產品監管法例。

◎ 明尼蘇達州
明尼蘇達州規定下列含汞產品須依照州法例加上標籤：(1)恆溫器或溫度計；(2)個別或作為產品(汽車除外)部件銷售的電動開關掣；(3)電器；(4)醫學或科學工具；(5)電動繼電器或其他電動裝置。此外，含汞恆溫器生產商必須向買家及消費者提供充足的資訊，以確保從產品中移除的汞被循環再用或得到適當處理。含汞繼電器生產商須承擔回收處理該等產品的費用。

此外，明尼蘇達州禁止銷售和分發下列含汞產品：
• 玩具及遊戲。
• 內有含汞電動開關掣的服裝。
• 奶品檢壓計。
• 溫度計，以下產品除外：(1)裝有含汞電池的電子溫度計(如電池符合州法例規定)；(2)用於食
品研發或食品加工的溫度計；(3)作為畜牧氣候控制系統或工業量度系統部件的溫度計；(4)用來測定其他溫度計的溫度計。
• 汞含量佔重量超過0.025%的鹼錳電池，以及汞含量超過25毫克的鈕型非充電池。
• 裝有汞化氧電極的乾電池。

◎ 紐約州
紐約州規定，在該州銷售的含汞消費品，生產商須依照州法例加上標籤，顯示產品含汞。該州並禁止銷售或分發下列含汞產品：
• 奇趣消費品。
• 汞探熱計，醫生處方的除外。
• 氣壓計，食道擴張器、探管或胃腸管，流速計，濕度計及高溫計等，除非這些產品是於2006
年1月1日以前用來替換一件使用中及體積較大的產品內的同類產品。禁令不適用於聯邦法例規定使用產品的銷售，或於2005年12月31日前製造的產品的轉售。

該州由2007年1月1日起禁售汞液體比重計及檢壓計，2008年1月1日起禁售汞開關掣及繼電器(不論是個別出售或作為產品部件出售)。

◎ 羅德島州
生產商須預先以書面通知州部門，才可於羅德島州銷售、使用或分發含汞產品。該州現時禁售含汞奇趣產品及汞探熱計，經醫生處方的除外。禁令不適用於使用含汞鈕型電池的溫度計。

含汞產品的汞含量如超越以下標準者，不得在該州銷售、使用或分發：
• 由2006年1月1日起，含汞組裝產品的上限為1克，含汞配方產品為百萬分之二百五十；
• 由2007年7月1日起，含汞組裝產品的上限為100毫克，含汞配方產品為百萬分之五十；
• 由2009年7月1日起，含汞組裝產品的上限為10毫克，含汞配方產品為百萬分之十。

州法例規定生產商須按照若干準則在含汞產品加上標籤。此外，生產商如欲銷售含汞產品，須就有關產品提交方便及可行的回收計劃，並獲當局審批通過。這項規定並不適用於含汞鈕型電池或含汞燈具(所含汞體只來自含汞鈕型電池或含汞燈頭)的回收。

◎ 佛蒙特州
由2006年7月1日起，生產商須遵守若干通知程序，才可於佛蒙特州銷售或分發含汞產品。

該州由2006年1月1日起禁售奶品檢壓計。含汞奇趣產品、汞探熱計及含汞恆溫器由2006年7月1日起禁售。

由2007年1月1日起，該州禁售氣壓計，食道擴張器、探管或胃腸管，流速計，液體比重計，濕度計，檢壓計，高溫計，血壓計，溫度計，含汞霓虹燈，個別或作為產品部件銷售的汞開關掣或繼電器等。

2007年7月1日後，除非含汞產品及其包裝已依照州法例加上標籤，否則不得於佛蒙特州銷售或分發。本規定不適用於含汞鈕型電池、裝有含汞鈕型電池的產品、攝影膠片或這些產品的包裝。

◎ 華盛頓州
由2006年1月1日起，華盛頓州法例禁止銷售或分發含汞溫度計、血壓計、奇趣產品及裝有汞開關掣的新造汽車。
下列產品獲得豁免：
• 使用含汞鈕型電池的電子溫度計。
• 用於食品研發或食品加工的溫度計。
• 作為畜牧氣候控制系統或工業量度系統部件的溫度計。
• 用來測定其他溫度計、檢壓計或設備的溫度計。
• 醫生處方提供的溫度計。
• 售予醫院或醫院轄下保健設施(須符合若干條件)的溫度計或檢壓計。

生產商除非參與回收再造計劃，否則不得銷售商用及家用溫度計。於2003年11月20日後製造的含汞螢光燈及其包裝，須加上適當標籤。本規定不適用於裝有含汞燈頭的產品。

－ 本翻譯僅供參考，如有疑問請以網站原文為主。－

資料來源: 《香港貿發網：美國商情快訊》
http://www.tdctrade.com/alert/us0615.htm


States step up regulatory efforts on Mercury-Added products (1)

As is widely known, a growing number of environmentally-conscious U.S. states have enacted or are seriously considering legislative action to both establish mandatory recycling programmes for electrical and electronic equipment and regulate the use of hazardous substances in electrical and electronic devices.

A number of states have also been fairly active in the regulation of mercury-added products, another area of growing concern where the federal government has so far failed to act. Mercury is a toxic heavy metal with a propensity to persist and accumulate in the environment, animals and humans. Its widespread use and subsequent release into the environment has raised considerable environmental and health concerns, particularly in the north-eastern region of the United States. As a result, several states have established labelling requirements for mercury-added products and banned the sale of certain mercury-added items, including thermometers, thermostats and certain measuring apparatus, switches and relays. An overview of major state including California, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana and Maine regulatory efforts on mercury-added products is provided below.

◎ California
California enforces a ban on a fairly broad range of mercury-added products. Mercury-added novelties (i.e., products intended mainly for personal or household enjoyment or adornment, including any item intended for use as a practical joke, figurine, adornment, toy, game, card, ornament, yard statue or figure, candle, jewellery, holiday decoration or item of apparel or footwear) were banned in 2003 and motor vehicles with a mercury-containing light switch mounted on the hood or trunk were forbidden in 2005.

Effective 1 January 2006, state law prohibits persons from selling, offering to sell or distributing for promotional purposes mercury-added thermostats, unless they are used for manufacturing or industrial purposes or by blind or visually impaired persons. A mercury-added thermostat is defined as a product that uses a mercury switch to sense and control room temperature through communication with heating, ventilating or air-conditioning equipment. This includes thermostats used to sense and control room temperature in residential, commercial, industrial and other buildings but does not include a thermostat used to sense and control temperature as part of a manufacturing process.

The sale of the following new or refurbished mercury-added products is prohibited effective 1 July 2006, unless the use of the product is required under a federal law or federal contract specification or if the only mercury-added component in the product is a button cell battery: (i) barometers; (ii) esophageal dilators, bougie tubes or gastrointestinal tubes; (iii) flow meters; (iv) hydrometers; (v) hygrometers or psychometers; (vi) manometers; (vii) pyrometers; (viii) sphygmomanometers; and (ix) thermometers.

The sale of mercury diostats or new or refurbished oven or gas ranges containing a mercury diostat will be prohibited effective 1 January 2008. A mercury diostat is defined as a mercury switch that controls a gas valve in an oven or oven portion of a gas range.

◎ Connecticut
Connecticut enforces a ban on the sale or distribution for promotional purposes of mercury fever thermometers (unless authorised by a written prescription from a physician), mercury-added novelties and mercury dairy manometers. The ban does not apply to digital thermometers with a removable button cell battery that contains mercury. The state has also established certain maximum limits and labelling requirements for certain mercury-added products.

Manufacturers wishing to sell or distribute mercury-added products in the states of Connecticut, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and/or Vermont must file a mercury-added product notification form through the Interstate Mercury Education and Reduction Clearinghouse or directly with each individual state.

◎ Florida
Florida prohibits the sale and distribution of alkaline-manganese and zinc-carbon batteries that contain any intentionally introduced mercury and more than 0.0004% mercury by weight, as well as the sale of button dry cell batteries containing a mercuric oxide electrode or products containing such batteries. For any alkaline-manganese battery resembling a button or coin in size and shape, there is a limitation of 25 milligrams of mercury. State authorities may exempt a specific type of battery from this ban if there is not a battery that meets those requirements that can reasonably be substituted for the battery for which the exemption is sought.

◎ Illinois
Illinois enforces a ban on mercury fever thermometers, excluding those sold or provided to be used in a health care facility. The sale of mercury-added novelties is also prohibited unless the mercury is solely within a button cell battery or a fluorescent light bulb.

Effective 1 July 2007, no person may sell, offer to sell, distribute or offer to distribute in the state a mercury switch or mercury relay individually or as a product component.

Manufacturers had until 1 July 2006 to apply for exemptions from this prohibition.

◎ Indiana
Indiana bans the mercury-added products listed below.
• The following types of batteries: (i) alkaline-manganese batteries containing mercury, except button cell
batteries with no more than 25 milligrams of mercury; (ii) zinc-carbon batteries containing mercury; (iii) button cell, mercuric-oxide batteries; and (iv) non-button cell, mercuric oxide batteries, unless certain conditions are met.
• Novelties, unless the mercury is solely within a button cell battery.
• Fever thermometers, unless the mercury is solely within a button cell battery or the thermometer is sold to a
pharmacist or a pharmacist's assistant and stored in such a manner that the pharmacist/pharmacist's assistant must obtain the thermometer for an individual. A licensed practitioner of medicine may sell or supply a mercury fever thermometer to an individual.

◎ Louisiana
Louisiana recently approved comprehensive regulations on mercury-added products. No mercury-added products may be offered for final sale or used or promotional distribution in the state on or after 1 January 2007 without prior notification in writing by the manufacturer to the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality. A ban on the sale or supply of mercury fever thermometers to consumers and patients will apply from that date forward, with the exception of medically-prescribed thermometers.

The sale of mercury-added novelties, dairy manometers and natural gas manometers will be prohibited from 1 July 2007. Novelties for which the only added mercury comes from a removable mercury-added lamp or button cell battery are exempt if the manufacturer has complied with any other legal requirements.

In addition to the above, effective 1 July 2008 no mercury-added product may be offered for final sale or use or distributed for promotional purposes in Louisiana if the mercury content of the product exceeds one gram for mercury-added fabricated products or 250 parts per million for mercury-added formulated products. These maximum limits will be reduced to 100 milligrams and 50 parts per million, respectively, effective 1 July 2010, and to 10 milligrams and 10 parts per million effective 1 July 2012.

Effective 1 July 2007, manufacturers of formulated mercury-added products that are offered for sale or use to a health care facility in Louisiana must provide both the DEQ and the recipient facility a notice of the mercury content of the product, down to a one part per million level. The notice must report the result of an analysis performed for mercury on the specific batch or lot of that product offered for sale.

Also effective 1 July 2007, no mercury-added product containing more than ten milligrams of mercury may be offered for final sale or use or distribution for promotional purposes in Louisiana unless the manufacturer, either on its own or in concert with others, has submitted a plan for a convenient and accessible collection system for such products when the consumer is finished with them and that plan has received the approval of the DEQ. Mercury-added formulated products intended to be totally consumed in use, such as reagents, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and other laboratory chemicals, are exempt from this requirement. Manufacturers may apply for an exemption from the collection requirement.

Finally, all mercury-added products must be labelled in accordance with state requirements from 1 July 2008.

◎ Maine
Like California and Louisiana, Maine has developed comprehensive regulatory requirements for mercury-added products. In general, no mercury-added products may be offered for final sale or use or promotional distribution in the state unless the manufacturer has provided written notice to Maine authorities or IMERC. Mercury-added products must be labelled to clearly inform the consumer that mercury is present in the item and that the item may not be disposed of or placed in a waste stream destined for disposal until the mercury is removed and reused, recycled or otherwise managed to ensure that it does not become part of solid waste or wastewater.

The state enforces a ban on the sale of mercury-containing dairy manometers and mercury fever thermometers, except those issued by prescription. Mercury-added thermostats, except for those used by blind or visually impaired persons, are also banned, unless the manufacturer has obtained an exemption.

The sale of the following new or refurbished mercury-added products is prohibited effective 1 July 2006, unless the use of the product is required under a federal requirement or if the only mercury-added component in the product is a button cell battery: (i) barometers; (ii) esophageal dilators, bougie tubes or gastrointestinal tubes; (iii) flow meters; (iv) hydrometers; (v) hygrometers or psychometers; (vi) manometers not previously banned; (vii) pyrometers; (viii) sphygmomanometers; and (ix) thermometers not previously banned. Manufacturers may seek an exemption from Maine state authorities for any of these products.

Manufacturers of formulated products that contain mercury or a mercury compound from any source or cause and are offered for sale or use to a health care facility in Maine must provide a certificate of analysis documenting the mercury content of the product unless the concentration is less than 200 parts per trillion.

Finally, a ban on the sale and distribution for promotional purposes of mercury-added button cell batteries for consumer use or products for consumer use that contain a mercury-added button cell battery will enter into force 30 June 2011. According to a press release from the National Resources Council of Maine, this ban is needed because these batteries are used in novelty products that are discarded when the battery dies, posing significant environmental concerns. Button cell batteries with mercury are commonly used in toys, watches, games, cameras and other small electronic devices.

Detailed information, please refer to http://www.tdctrade.com/alert/us0615.htm